How to Screenshot on Chromebook (5 Easy Methods)

The first time you try to screenshot on a Chromebook, it throws you. There’s no Print Screen key like on a Windows laptop, and none of the usual shortcuts seem to work. So where is it?

Good news: it’s actually easier once you know the trick. Chromebooks have a special key and a built-in tool that let you capture the whole screen, just part of it, or a single window — no extra software needed. This guide walks through all five methods, shows you where your screenshots go, and covers what to do if you’re on a school Chromebook that won’t let you take one.

Let’s get you capturing your screen in seconds.

The Quick Answer

In a hurry? Here’s the fastest way.

Press Ctrl + Show Windows to capture your whole screen. The Show Windows key sits in the top row and looks like a rectangle with two lines next to it (▢‖). Your screenshot saves automatically to your Downloads folder.

That’s the one-second version. The rest of this guide covers partial captures, single windows, tablet mode, and the fixes for when it won’t work.

Where Is the Screenshot Key on a Chromebook?

Before the methods, let’s find the key everything depends on: the Show Windows key.

It’s in the top row of your keyboard, usually above the 6 key. It looks like a rectangle followed by two vertical lines — like a little window with tabs beside it. On some keyboards it’s called the Overview key.

Newer Chromebooks make it even easier: they include a dedicated Screenshot key, a small icon of a circle inside a square. If yours has one, a single press starts a screen capture.

Tip: If you’re using an external keyboard that has no Show Windows key, use F5 in its place. So a full screenshot becomes Ctrl + F5.

Method 1: Capture the Whole Screen

This is the most common one — grabbing everything on your display at once.

Steps:

  1. Get the screen looking exactly how you want it
  2. Press Ctrl + Show Windows at the same time
  3. The screen flashes and the screenshot saves automatically
  4. A preview pops up in the bottom-right corner

Your capture is saved and also copied to your clipboard, so you can paste it straight into a document or chat if you like.

Method 2: Capture Part of the Screen

Often you only want a slice of the screen, not the whole thing. This is the method for that.

Steps:

  1. Press Shift + Ctrl + Show Windows together
  2. Your cursor turns into a crosshair
  3. Click and drag to draw a box around the area you want
  4. Let go, and that section is captured

This is perfect for grabbing one paragraph, a single image, or an error message without the clutter around it.

Tip: After you’ve drawn the box, you can drag its edges to fine-tune the selection before it captures. No need to get it perfect on the first drag.

Method 3: Capture a Single Window

If you’ve got several windows open and only want one, ChromeOS can grab just that window cleanly.

Steps:

  1. Press Shift + Ctrl + Show Windows to open the capture toolbar
  2. In the toolbar, click the window icon
  3. Click the window you want to capture
  4. Only that window is saved, with everything else left out

Great for capturing a single app or dialog box without your desktop and other tabs showing in the background.

Method 4: Use the Screen Capture Tool

If you’d rather click than remember shortcuts, ChromeOS has a visual toolbar that puts every option in one place — and it does screen recording too.

Steps:

  1. Click the clock in the bottom-right corner to open Quick Settings
  2. Select Screen capture
  3. The toolbar appears with buttons for full screen, partial, and window
  4. Make sure the camera icon is selected (not the video icon)
  5. Choose your capture type and go

The same toolbar has a video icon if you ever want to record your screen instead of capturing it. Handy to know it’s there.

Tip: The Screen Capture toolbar also has a gear icon. Open it to change where your screenshots save, or to turn the microphone on for screen recordings.

Method 5: Screenshot in Tablet Mode

If your Chromebook flips into a tablet, or is a touchscreen model, you can screenshot with buttons just like a phone.

Steps:

  1. Press the Power button and Volume Down button at the same time
  2. Hold them for a moment
  3. The screen flashes and the screenshot saves

This is the go-to when the keyboard is folded away and you can’t reach the shortcut keys.

Where Do Chromebook Screenshots Save?

By default, every screenshot goes to your Downloads folder.

To find them:

  1. Open the Files app
  2. Click Downloads
  3. Your screenshots are named with the date and time, like Screenshot 2026-…png

They’re saved as PNG files, and each one is copied to your clipboard too, so you can paste it immediately without opening Files.

Tip: Want them saved somewhere else, like Google Drive? Open the Screen Capture toolbar, click the gear icon, and change the “Save to” location. Note that on some ChromeOS versions the default Downloads location can’t be changed — in that case, just move the file after capturing.

Quick Access With Tote

Here’s a time-saver most people don’t know about. ChromeOS keeps your recent screenshots in a feature called Tote, in the shelf at the bottom of your screen.

It holds your last few captures and downloads, so you can drag a screenshot straight into an email, a Google Doc, or a chat without digging through the Files app. If you take a lot of screenshots, this saves real time.

You can also press Search + V to open your clipboard history and paste a recent screenshot, even after you’ve taken newer ones.

Why Can’t I Screenshot on My School Chromebook?

If you’re on a school or work Chromebook and nothing happens when you try, you’re not doing it wrong — it’s probably blocked on purpose.

Many schools and workplaces manage their Chromebooks and disable screenshots for security or policy reasons. Around one in seven managed devices has some kind of restriction like this.

What you can do:

  • Check it’s actually blocked by trying the shortcut on a normal webpage. If nothing saves anywhere, it’s likely restricted.
  • Ask your IT administrator. They can enable it if there’s a valid reason you need it.
  • Try Guest mode if your device allows it, though many school devices disable that too.

Unfortunately there’s no way around an administrator restriction from your side, and trying to bypass it isn’t a good idea on a device you don’t own. The honest answer here is that it’s a policy set by whoever manages the device.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I screenshot on a Chromebook? Press Ctrl + Show Windows for a full-screen capture. The Show Windows key is in the top row and looks like a rectangle with two lines beside it. Your screenshot saves automatically to the Downloads folder.

How do I screenshot part of the screen on a Chromebook? Press Shift + Ctrl + Show Windows, then click and drag to select the area you want. Release to capture just that section. It’s ideal for grabbing one part of a page without the rest.

Where do Chromebook screenshots go? They save to the Downloads folder by default, as PNG files named with the date and time. Open the Files app and click Downloads to find them. Each screenshot is also copied to your clipboard automatically.

How do I screenshot on a Chromebook without the Show Windows key? Use the Screen Capture tool — click the clock in the bottom-right, then Screen capture. On an external keyboard, press Ctrl + F5. In tablet mode, press Power + Volume Down.

Why won’t my Chromebook let me take a screenshot? If it’s a school or work Chromebook, screenshots may be disabled by the administrator for security reasons. Around 15% of managed devices have restrictions like this. Contact your IT administrator to enable it.

Can I take a screenshot on a Chromebook in tablet mode? Yes. Press the Power button and Volume Down button at the same time, just like on an Android phone. The screen flashes and the screenshot saves to your Downloads folder.

How do I change where screenshots save on a Chromebook? Open the Screen Capture toolbar (Shift + Ctrl + Show Windows), click the gear icon, and choose a new “Save to” folder. On some ChromeOS versions this can’t be changed, so you’d move the file after capturing instead.

Are Chromebook screenshots copied to the clipboard? Yes. Every screenshot is automatically copied to your clipboard, so you can paste it straight into a document, email, or chat without opening the Files app first.

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