How To Screenshot On A Chromebook | Step-By-Step Tutorials
To Screenshot on a Chromebook, Press Ctrl + Show Windows. Use Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows for a partial capture or Ctrl + Alt + Show Windows for a window. Screenshots save automatically in Downloads.
Chromebooks make it surprisingly easy to capture and share screenshots, whether you’re using a standard keyboard, touchscreen, or stylus.
Here’s how i take screenshot on my chromebook laptop and will share all the sneaky tricks and method i personally use, plus a look at ChromeOS editing tools and the best third-party screenshot apps on my daily work use.
Chromebook Screenshot Keyboard Shortcuts
| Capture Type | Shortcut / Method |
|---|---|
| Full screen | Ctrl + Show Windows (or F5) |
| Region | Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows |
| Window | Ctrl + Alt + Show Windows |
| Tablet | Power + Volume Down |
| Stylus | Pen menu → Capture screen/region |
| Screen Capture Tool | Quick Settings → Screen Capture |
| Developer Tools | Ctrl + Shift + I → “Capture full-size screenshot” |
The fastest way to take a screenshot on any Chromebook is with keyboard shortcuts:
Full screen
Press Ctrl + Show Windows (the rectangle icon located at the top row). It will then take a screeshot of the whole page your screen is currently on.
Partial Screen
To take a screenshot of only selected area, Press Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows, then drag to select an area and release the cursor, it will saved a screengrab of your area.
Window Screenshot
Press Ctrl + Alt + Show Windows, then click the window you want.
It will Captures an entire app window (like Chrome, Settings, or Files). This way, you don’t drag or select manually, you just click the window after pressing the shortcut.
ChromeOS automatically crops it to that window’s boundaries (including title bar, excluding background).
I would say this is best for when you want a clean capture of one window only.
By the way, if you’re using an external keyboard, the F5 key replaces Show Windows. The screen will briefly flash, and you’ll see a confirmation notification once it’s saved.
Touchscreen and Tablet Methods
For Chromebooks in tablet mode, press Power + Volume Down to capture the full screen, just like on Android phones.
If your device includes a stylus, tap the Pen icon on the shelf, then choose Capture screen or Capture region to select an area manually.
You can also open Quick Settings (click the clock) and select Screen Capture. This tool lets you choose between full-screen, region, or window capture.
Use arrow keys to adjust your selection and press Enter to confirm.
ChromeOS Built-in Tools and Hidden Options
The built-in Screen Capture tool (via Quick Settings or Shift + Ctrl + Show Windows) includes a lightweight editor. So, After taking a screenshot, click its notification to crop or annotate.
You can also open screenshots in the Files app (Downloads folder) and select Edit to access Crop & Rotate, Brightness/Contrast, and simple filters.
This is not needed for regular use, but for Advanced users you can capture an entire webpage using Chrome Developer Tools. Open DevTools (Ctrl + Shift + I), press Ctrl + Shift + P, type “screenshot,” and select Capture full-size screenshot to grab the entire page or even the parts off-screen.
Screenshots save as PNG files in your Downloads folder by default. You can change this in the Screen Capture settings or access recent captures from the Tote shortcut on your shelf.
Third-Party Screenshot Tools for ChromeOS
Let’s say, the shorcuts and features i meantioned above are too basic and you need more features along with extra utility, then these popular extensions and Android apps add advanced will help you with extra capture and editing features.
And i personally use them too, so they are decent enough to say the least.
| Tool | Key Features | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Lightshot | Fast area selection, basic editor (text, arrows, shapes), upload & share | Free |
| Awesome Screenshot & Recorder | Full-page capture, annotation, screen recording up to 1080p, cloud share | Free basic; ~$6/month Pro |
| Nimbus Capture | Scrolling captures, screen recorder, annotation tools, cloud sync | Free basic; ~$5/month Pro |
| Fireshot | Full-page screenshots, PDF export, URL/timestamp stamps | Free; ~$40 one-time Pro |
| Droplr | Instant capture & recording, auto cloud upload, shareable link | Paid only (~$6–$8/month) |
Most of these tools are available in the Chrome Web Store or Play Store and they can be installed directly from your Chromebook.
Editing Screenshots on Chromebook
After you have taken the screenshot and want to edit it, there are a few options.
ChromeOS includes built-in editing tools. So, after capturing, click on the notification or open the image in Gallery to crop, rotate, or adjust lighting.
Some of the newer models even support AI-based background removal via the Edit with AI option.
If you need more advanced markup, you can install Android editors such as Screen Master or iMarkup, both of which support text, blur, arrows, and stickers.
Chrome extensions like Markup Hero also let you annotate and share screenshots directly from your browser.
But just for basic editing such as crop and rotate with basic editing, the inbuilt option is good enough.
Sharing Screenshots
Now, after you have taken the screenshot, edited it and wants to finally share the screenshot, ChromeOS makes sharing screenshots straightforward:
- Email: Attach the file in Gmail or drag it into a message window. You can also paste directly if the screenshot is copied to your clipboard.
- Google Drive: Right-click any screenshot in the Files app and select Upload to Drive, or drag it into a Drive folder.
- Share menu: After capture, click Share on the notification to send via Gmail, chat, or save to Drive.
- Clipboard Manager: Press Search + V to view your last few copied items, including screenshots, and select one to paste.
- Drag & Drop: Simply drag screenshots from the Files app into Docs, Slides, Gmail, or web chat windows.
I have been using chromebook along with my mac and they all have their pros and cons, but chromebook is quite easy to use as easy as windows. Really hope this clear your doubt and if you still have problems or need extra help, you can contact us and i will get right back to you.