Table of Contents
Chromebook screenshots: default options
Google gives you two default options for taking screenshots on a Chromebook. That’s enough for most users to capture what they need. Currently, these options are offered in the form of keyboard shortcuts, but in the future, this feature could also be built into Chrome OS itself. The keyboard shortcuts are:
1. Ctrl + the window shift key: Take a screenshot of the entire screen.
2. Ctrl + Shift + Window Switching Key: Select an area to capture as a screenshot.
What is the window toggle key?
It’s located on the top row of a Chromebook’s keyboard. It looks like three rectangles on top of each other. It’s typically used to switch between open windows on your Chromebook, but in combination with other keys, as described above, you can use it to take screenshots as well.
Where are Chromebook screenshots stored?
Immediately after taking the screenshot, a notification will appear in the lower right corner of the screen. It reads: “Screenshot taken – click to view”. Clicking on this popup will immediately open the Files app, where you’ll see the saved screenshot and any other files you’ve downloaded while using the Chromebook.
If you missed the notification, click Start Apps and select the Files app. On the left side of the Files app, you should see a Downloads folder. Click on it to access your captured screenshots.
RELATED: Why can’t I log in to Facebook?
Annotate native Chromebook screenshots
Unfortunately, Google doesn’t provide many annotation tools to mark up your screenshot. When you open a screenshot in the Files app, you can crop, rename, rotate, or adjust the brightness and contrast. However, if you import the image into Google Themes, you can use the shape and annotation tools to highlight specific elements that you want to draw people’s attention to.
Use awesome screenshot
Awesome Screenshot is handy as it allows you to take screenshots and allows you to annotate them. Once installed, it will appear as an icon in the toolbar alongside the other extensions. Clicking on it gives you the following options:
- Capture the visible part of your page.
- Select an area of the page to capture.
- Capture the entire page (including the scrollable area you can’t see).
- Upload a local file (via the Files app).
Once you’ve taken the screenshot, the editor will open and you’ll have a number of annotation tools at your disposal. This includes:
- crop tool
- rectangle tool
- Ellipse Tool
- arrows
- lines
- Freehand drawing tool
- blur tool
- Text tool
- color picker
Simply select the necessary tools, mark up the image as you wish, and then click Finish. Next, choose where you want to save the finished image. Screenshots can be saved to Google Drive, Diigo, or locally in the Files app on your Chromebook.
RELATED: 15 Legit Ways to Get Free Robux Easy in 2023
Even more Chromebook screen screenshot extensions
As you might expect, there are many more screenshot extensions for Chromebooks. Not all of these are really worth your time, but some of the best are listed here:
- Nimbus
- Fireshot
- Clipular
Disadvantages of using a Chromebook screenshot extension
Screenshot extensions like Snagit and Awesome Screenshot are very versatile tools. However, they have one major disadvantage: they can only include elements within a web page. That means you can’t take screenshots of the Chrome OS desktop, address bar, toolbar, or any Chrome desktop application. The reason for this is Google. It doesn’t allow apps and extensions to access Chrome OS in this way.
If you want to capture screenshots of the Chromebook desktop, address bar, toolbar, or similar, you should use the Chromebook keyboard shortcuts described at the beginning of this article.
If you want to annotate these screenshots, use Awesome Screenshots and upload them as a local image and tag them accordingly. You can also edit them in Snagit if you move the screenshot from the Files app to the TechSmith folder in Drive. This way it will appear in the Snagit app for further editing.
Find out what works best for you
If you don’t take a lot of notes with your screenshots, the built-in keyboard shortcuts are probably very useful to you. However, if you want the ultimate flexibility when taking screenshots, extensions like Awesome Screenshot or Snagit for Chrome are much better choices.
This article has been created to the best of the author’s knowledge and belief. The content is provided for information and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for personal or professional advice on any business, financial, legal, or technical matter.
How do I take a screenshot on a Chromebook without ctrl?
If you have a convertible, tablet, or Chromebook 2-in-1, you can take a screenshot just like you would with a smartphone. That is, you press the Power and Volume Down buttons at the same time to take a full-screen screenshot. Note that tAhe volume key is not the same as the volume keys on the keyboard.
How can I take a screenshot without pressing the button?
Take screenshots with the help of Google
You can just take a screenshot and share it instantly. If you just want to share the screenshot with others at that moment, Google Assistant is for you. To take a screenshot without the power button on Android, open Google Assistant and say “take screenshot”.
How to take a screenshot on a laptop?
To take a screenshot on a Windows laptop or desktop computer, press the Print Screen keyboard key (usually abbreviated to Prt Scn or something similar). If you just want to take a screenshot of the active window, press the Alt and Print Screen keys at the same time.
How to take a screenshot from a computer step by step?
Press the PrtScn key and/or the Print Screen key to take a screenshot of the entire screen: If you are using Windows, you can take a screenshot of the whole screen by pressing the Print Screen key (top right of the keyboard). Pressing this button copies an image of the screen to the clipboard.
What is the Shift S key used for?
Windows 10 has a free built-in screenshot tool that you can use to take screenshots in Windows 10. You can press Win + Shift + S keyboard shortcut to use the recording toolbar. You can take a screenshot of the entire screen or capture only part of the screen. Screenshots are copied to the clipboard.
What does Ctrl V do on a Chromebook?
Step 3: To paste, click in the area where you want the copied text to be and press Ctrl + V simultaneously. Alternatively, you can select Paste in a pop-up menu when you right-click, the Alt critical Press while touching a touchpad, or tap on a touchpad with both fingers.
