How to Screenshot on Chromebook: The Complete Guide
Whether you just switched to ChromeOS or have used a Chromebook for years, this guide covers every way to take a screenshot on a Chromebook — keyboard shortcuts, the Screen Capture tool, touch gestures, tablet mode, and stylus. We also cover where Chromebook screenshots are saved and how to edit them after capture.
Last updated for ChromeOS 2026 · Works on every Chromebook model — HP, Lenovo, Acer, ASUS, Samsung, Google Pixelbook, and more.
1. Screenshot on Chromebook Using Keyboard Shortcuts
The fastest way to take a screenshot on a Chromebook is with the built-in keyboard shortcut. Every Chromebook keyboard includes a dedicated screenshot key — it's called the Show Windows key (sometimes labeled the overview key), and it sits on the top row where you'd find F5 on a traditional keyboard. The icon looks like a rectangle with two vertical lines on its right side (⧉). If you're coming from Windows, this is the Chromebook equivalent of Print Screen — except ChromeOS gives you three capture modes built in, no extra software needed.
Full Screen
Captures everything visible on your screen instantly. The screenshot is saved to Downloads and copied to your clipboard automatically.
Selected Region
Your cursor becomes a crosshair — click and drag to select exactly the area you want to capture. Perfect for grabbing a specific section of a page.
Active Window
Captures only the currently focused window, ignoring everything else on screen. Great for capturing dialogs and app windows without background clutter.
Screen Capture Toolbar
Opens the full Screen Capture toolbar at the bottom of your screen, where you can choose between still image and video recording modes.
No Show Windows key? If your Chromebook doesn't have one (common on external keyboards and some older education models), use Ctrl + F5 instead. F5 acts as the Show Windows key substitute. Full guide here.
Want a deeper breakdown of every modifier combination, including screen recording shortcuts and keyboard variants? See the complete list of Chromebook screenshot keyboard shortcuts.
2. Using the Screen Capture Toolbar
ChromeOS has a built-in Screen Capture toolbar that launched with Chrome OS 103 and has been refined in every release since. It's the same tool triggered by the keyboard shortcut, but you can also open it manually — useful when you don't remember the shortcut or are using a device without a physical keyboard.
To open it, click the time in the bottom-right corner of your shelf to open the Quick Settings panel, then click the Screen Capture button (it has a camera icon). The toolbar appears at the bottom of your screen and offers a toggle between screenshot and screen-recording modes, plus buttons for full screen, window, and region capture. A settings gear lets you choose where to save files and whether to record audio with screen recordings.
How to Use the Screen Capture Toolbar
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Step 1: Open Quick Settings
Click the time display in the bottom-right corner of your Chromebook's shelf. The Quick Settings panel slides up with WiFi, Bluetooth, and other controls. Look for the Screen Capture icon (a camera) and click it.
Step 1 — Clicking the time to open Quick Settings on a ChromebookStep 1 — Clicking the time to open Quick Settings on a Chromebook
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Step 2: Choose Your Capture Mode
The Screen Capture toolbar appears at the bottom of your screen. Use the toggle on the left to switch between still image (camera icon) and video recording (camcorder icon). In the center, pick your mode: rectangle for full screen, overlapping rectangles for window capture, or the dashed-rectangle for region select.
Step 2 — The Screen Capture toolbar showing image/video toggle and capture mode buttonsStep 2 — The Screen Capture toolbar showing image/video toggle and capture mode buttons
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Step 3: Capture and Save
Click the capture button or press Enter. For region mode, click and drag to select your area, then click Capture in the center of the selection. A preview pops up — click it to open the basic editor, or the screenshot is automatically saved to your Downloads folder.
Step 3 — Screenshot preview notification appearing above the shelfStep 3 — Screenshot preview notification appearing above the shelf
The region-select mode is the most-used capture style. For a focused walkthrough, see how to take a partial screenshot on Chromebook.
3. Screenshot on Chromebook Touchscreen & Tablet Mode
Many Chromebooks are 2-in-1 convertibles or detachable tablets — like the Lenovo Duet, HP Chromebook x360, ASUS Flip series, and Acer Chromebook Spin. When you flip the keyboard back or detach it entirely, ChromeOS switches to tablet mode and the physical keyboard shortcuts no longer apply. Here's how to capture your screen with touch alone.
Physical Buttons (Tablet Mode)
Press and hold the Power button and Volume Down button simultaneously for about one second — just like taking a screenshot on an Android phone. The screen flashes and your capture is saved.
Stylus Capture
If your Chromebook supports a stylus (USI or built-in), tap the stylus menu icon on the shelf, then select Capture region. Draw around the area you want — the selection snaps to your stroke.
On-screen keyboard users: If you're using the virtual keyboard in tablet mode and need a keyboard shortcut, the on-screen keyboard includes a top row with the Show Windows key. Tap Ctrl (it highlights), then tap Show Windows to take the screenshot. This works for all three modes — just add Shift or Alt as needed.
Convertible caution: Some 2-in-1 Chromebooks keep the keyboard active even when folded back beyond 180 degrees, depending on the hinge sensor. If your keyboard shortcuts still work in "tablet" orientation, you can keep using them. The physical button method (Power + Volume Down) is the most reliable across all models and modes. Read the full tablet-mode guide.
4. Where Are Chromebook Screenshots Saved?
By default, every screenshot you take on a Chromebook lands in the Downloads folder.
You can find them by opening the Files app (the blue folder icon on your shelf) and navigating to
Downloads in the left sidebar. Screenshots are named with a timestamp:
Screenshot 2026-05-21 at 2.30.45 PM.png.
ChromeOS also places recent screenshots in Tote, the quick-access area on the right side of your shelf (next to the time). Tote holds your five most recent downloads and captures so you can drag them directly into emails, Google Docs, or image editors without opening Files.
How to Change Where Screenshots Are Saved
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows to open the Screen Capture toolbar.
- Click the gear icon (Settings) on the right side of the toolbar.
- Under "Save to," select a different folder — you can choose any folder in your Files app, including Google Drive folders if you have offline access enabled.
- Your choice persists across restarts, so all future screenshots go to your selected folder.
More details on Chromebook screenshot save locations, including how to redirect them to Google Drive automatically.
5. Editing and Annotating Your Screenshot
ChromeOS opens a basic editor right after every capture. You can crop, rotate, and tweak brightness, but it stops short of real annotation: there's no way to draw arrows, add text labels, blur sensitive areas, or insert shapes. For tutorials, bug reports, and anything you'll share with a teammate, that's a problem.
Our free in-browser annotator picks up where ChromeOS leaves off — upload your screenshot, mark it up, and download. Nothing is uploaded to any server, so your screenshots stay on your device.
Need more than just capture?
ChromeOS can screenshot, but it can't annotate. Our free in-browser tool lets you upload any image and add arrows, text, shapes, and mosaic blur — no install, no signup, 100% private.
- Add arrows, text, rectangles, and circles to any image
- Blur sensitive information with the mosaic tool
- All processing happens in your browser — no upload to any server
- Download your annotated image as PNG or JPG
Chromebook Screenshot FAQ
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For a full-screen capture, press <strong>Ctrl + Show Windows</strong>. The Show Windows key is on the top row of your Chromebook keyboard, where F5 sits on a traditional keyboard; it looks like a rectangle with two vertical lines. For a partial screenshot, use <strong>Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows</strong> — your cursor turns into a crosshair so you can drag a selection area.
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Some older Chromebooks and certain education models omit the dedicated Show Windows key. In that case, use <strong>Ctrl + F5</strong> for a full-screen screenshot. You can also click the time in the bottom-right corner to open Quick Settings, then select <strong>Screen Capture</strong>. The Screen Capture toolbar gives you the same capture options — full screen, window, or region — without needing the keyboard shortcut. <a href='/without-windows-key/'>See the full guide for Chromebooks without the Show Windows key</a>.
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External keyboards typically don't have a Show Windows key. Use <strong>Ctrl + F5</strong> for full-screen, or launch the Screen Capture tool from Quick Settings. If your external keyboard is a Chrome OS model (like the Chrome OS mechanical keyboards from Cherry or Logitech), it may include the dedicated Chrome OS top row, and the standard shortcuts work as expected.
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By default, screenshots are saved to the <strong>Downloads</strong> folder in the Files app. Recent captures also appear in <strong>Tote</strong>, the quick-access holding area pinned to your shelf. You can change the default save folder by clicking the gear icon in the Screen Capture toolbar and choosing a different location, such as Google Drive or a specific folder. <a href='/where-screenshots-saved/'>Read the full save-location guide</a>.
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ChromeOS opens a basic editor right after you capture — you can crop, rotate, and adjust brightness. However, it cannot add arrows, text annotations, shapes, or blur sensitive areas. For those advanced editing features, you'll need a third-party tool like our <a href='/annotate/'>free online annotation tool</a>.
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Common causes: (1) Your device is school- or enterprise-managed and screenshots are disabled by policy. (2) The top-row keys are set to function-key mode (check Settings > Device > Keyboard). (3) A conflicting extension is intercepting the shortcut. (4) DRM-protected content blocks screen capture. Try the Screen Capture tool from Quick Settings as a fallback — it bypasses most shortcut conflicts.
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ChromeOS does not have a built-in scrolling screenshot feature. The native Screen Capture tool is limited to what's visible on screen. To capture an entire webpage or a long document in one image, you need a third-party extension. <a href='/scrolling-screenshot/'>See our guide on full-page and scrolling screenshots</a>.
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On Chromebook tablets and 2-in-1s in tablet mode, press <strong>Power + Volume Down</strong> simultaneously — the same gesture used on Android phones. You can also use the Screen Capture tool from Quick Settings, which is fully touch-friendly. If your device supports a stylus, tap the stylus menu and choose <strong>Capture region</strong>. <a href='/tablet-mode/'>Full tablet-mode walkthrough</a>.
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Chromebooks don't have a dedicated Print Screen key. The closest equivalent is <strong>Ctrl + Show Windows</strong> for a full-screen capture. The Show Windows key (the rectangle-with-two-lines icon) sits where F5 would be on a Windows keyboard. If you don't see it, <strong>Ctrl + F5</strong> does the same thing.
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Yes. Open the Screen Capture toolbar with <strong>Shift + Ctrl + Show Windows</strong>, then toggle from the camera icon to the camcorder icon on the left side of the toolbar. Choose full-screen, window, or region recording. Recordings save to the same Downloads folder as screenshots, in WebM format.
What is the keyboard shortcut to take a screenshot on a Chromebook?
My Chromebook doesn't have a Show Windows key. How do I screenshot?
How do I take a screenshot on a Chromebook with an external keyboard?
Where are my screenshots saved on a Chromebook?
Can I edit a screenshot after I take it on a Chromebook?
Why is my screenshot shortcut not working on my Chromebook?
How do I take a scrolling screenshot on a Chromebook?
How do I screenshot on a Chromebook tablet or 2-in-1 in tablet mode?
What is the Chromebook equivalent of Print Screen?
Can I record my Chromebook screen as well?
Deeper guides on Chromebook screenshots
Chromebook Screenshot Keyboard Shortcuts
Every shortcut combination — full screen, region, window, screen recording — with keyboard variants for external and on-screen keyboards.
Take a Partial (Region) Screenshot
Capture a specific area of your Chromebook screen with the Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows shortcut or the Screen Capture toolbar.
Screenshot Without the Show Windows Key
External keyboards and older education Chromebooks often don't have the Show Windows key. Here's the workaround.
Tablet Mode & 2-in-1 Screenshots
Use Power + Volume Down on a Chromebook tablet, plus stylus capture on Pixelbooks and HP x360 models.
Where Chromebook Screenshots Are Saved
Find screenshots in Downloads or Tote — and how to change the default save folder to Google Drive.
Scrolling & Full-Page Screenshots
ChromeOS doesn't capture scrolling pages natively. Here are the extension-based and browser-based workarounds.
Free Online Image Annotation Tool
Upload your screenshot and add arrows, text, rectangles, circles, and mosaic blur — all in your browser, no install needed.