Sometimes describing what’s on your computer screen is a hassle. “Show, don’t tell” is the golden rule for many things. Luckily, that’s easy to do on a Chromebook; you can take a screenshot. By generating an image of your screen, you can easily share it in a group chat, email, or social media. Let’s find out how to take a screenshot on Chromebook devices.
Also read: What is a Chromebook, and what can it do?
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You can take a screenshot on a Chromebook by pressing Ctrl + Window Switch, or Ctrl + F5 on an external keyboard for a full screenshot. Press Ctrl + Shift + Window Switch or Ctrl + Shift + F5 on an external keyboard for a partial screenshot. Tap the screen with the stylus for touchscreen Chromebooks and press Capture Screen or Capture region. You can also use a third-party screenshot tool.
JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Tablet mode
- Using the stylus
- Chrome extensions
Taking a screenshot on a Chromebook with the keyboard
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
Here are all the ways to capture a screenshot on a Chromebook with a keyboard.
- To capture your entire screen as a Chromebook screenshot, press the Ctrl + Window Switch.
- If you want a screenshot of part of the screen, hit Ctrl + Shift + Window Switch. Select the area using the crosshairs icon to capture it.
- Hit Ctrl + F5 for a full screenshot if you use an external keyboard.
- For a partial screenshot using an external keyboard, press Ctrl + Shift + F5.
More: The best external keyboards you can buy
Taking a Chromebook screenshot in tablet mode
Eric Zeman / Android Authority
More and more Chromebooks have been designed as 2-in-1 devices, where you can either flip the display around 360 degrees or fully detach the display from the hardware keyboard. You can then use the display as a large touchscreen tablet (assuming the display is a touchscreen model).
Taking a screenshot on a Chromebook using a stylus
There are a couple of ways to take a screenshot on a Chromebook using the stylus. If your Chromebook has a touchscreen stylus, tap the screen to bring up the stylus menu.
- Tap the screen with the stylus to take a full screenshot, and tap Capture Screen.
- Tap the screen with the stylus to take a partial screenshot and tap Capture region. Tap, hold, and drag on the screen portion, and lift the stylus off the screen when done.
Also: The most useful Chromebook shortcuts and gestures
Taking a Chromebook screenshot using a screenshot capture tool
You can also use a screenshot tool to take a screenshot on a Chromebook, which are extensions for Google Chrome. Chrome extensions are designed to help you use Chrome OS and your Chrome web browser in new and better ways.
It’s not shocking to see many Chrome extensions available for taking full or partial screenshots on Chromebook devices. Here’s a list of just some of the extensions that are available from the Chrome store:
- FireShot
- Nimbus
- LightShot
- Blipshot
We’ve tried to use Android apps for taking screenshots too, but they never work very well for some reason. We can’t recommend using Android apps to take a screenshot on a Chromebook quite yet.
Also: How to take a screenshot on any computer
Accessing your screenshots
Once you’ve taken a screenshot on your Chromebook, you’ll see a notification window confirming you have indeed taken a screenshot. It’s pretty simple to access your Chromebook screenshots afterward.
- Open your Chromebook screenshot directly from the notification pop-up you see when you take the screenshot.
- Go to your Downloads folder by opening your app launcher and searching for Files.
Next: These are the best Chromebooks around