- Most Chromebooks have a “Screenshot” key that is used to take screenshots (analogous to the “Prt Sc” on standard keyboards).
- If you don’t have this key, you can use the “Show windows” key instead.
- You can use a combination of other key commands or the on-screen screen capture tool from the toolbar, or even the Google Assistant, which is on most devices.
- If none of the options work, you can download a third-party app like Lightshot and set up a custom shortcut for it
Chromebooks have practically exploded in popularity, overtaking macOS devices due to being relatively cheap, easy to operate, and designed for mobile browsing and casual or educational uses. However, with a non-standardized keyboard design between manufacturers, you might immediately notice a seeming lack of screenshot keys (notably the “Windows” key you might be used to).
Here’s how to how to take a screenshot on Chromebook without Windows key.
Method 1 – Use the Dedicated Keys
Despite not having a “Print Screen” or “Windows” key like a traditional laptop or external Windows keyboard, most Chromebooks do have a screenshot key somewhere.
Screenshot Key
There should be a dedicated “Screenshot” key on the top of the numbers part of the keyboard (typically above number “5” or “6”).
Pressing the key should pop open the built-in screenshot tool on the desktop, select to take a screenshot (as the camera icon), choose the area or window to screenshot, then click for capture.
Show Windows Key
Alternatively, you should have a “Show windows” key located above the numbers (typically around “4”).
Use the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl + Shift + Show windows” to open the built in Screen Capture tool and take screenshots.
Built-In Tablet Keys
If your Chromebook is a tablet or a 2-in-1 device, you will usually have volume keys on the side or the top of the screen part of the device.
To take a screenshot with these keys, press both of them simultaneously or press the “Power” and “Volume Down” buttons, depending on the layout. This method captures the entire screen, so you’ll need to edit it later.
Method 2 – Use an External Keyboard
If your Chromebook is using an external keyboard (regardless of it being the stock keyboard), you should have a few different options to take a screenshot:
- On a standard keyboard, pressing “Prt Sc” may or may not work. To check, you can press the button and open an image editor, then paste the clipboard into it and see what pops up.
- More commonly, the keyboard combinations “Ctrl + F5” or “Ctrl + Shift + F5” will either open the Screen Capture tool or immediately take a screenshot of the current screen. You’ll need to use the photo editor to trim it to the window you want.
Method 3 – Use the Quick Settings Toolbar
Step 1. Click on the time on the bottom-right of the toolbar.
Step 2. Click on the “up arrow” to expand the Quick Options menu.
Step 3. Select “Screen Capture.”
Step 4. The screenshot capture utility opens on the bottom of the screen. Keep the Screenshot option toggled on (the camera icon), then choose if you want to take a shot of the entire screen, a custom part of the screen via click and drag, or a single window (from left to right).
Method 4 – Use Google Assistant
Most newer Chromebooks come with built-in Google Assistant, which can use voice commands to take screenshots. Note that this only works when the device is plugged in.
Step 1. Go to Settings.
Step 2. Select the “Search and Assistant” tab and go to “Google Assistant.”
Step 3. Toggle the first option to “On” to turn on the assistant and put “Hey Google” to “Always on” from the dropdown.
Step 4. Say “Hey Google” to open the assistant.
Step 5. Say “Take a screenshot,” and the device should immediately save a screenshot of the entire screen.
Alternatively, the Google Assistant is available from the Chromebook search menu. You can click on it (if enabled) and say or type in “Take a screenshot” to printscreen.
Method 5 – Use a Third-Party Tool
If you want to standardize screenshotting across your devices, you can use a third-party tool like Lightshot . It’s available on Windows, Mac, and also as a Chrome plugin (which is what you’ll need to use to install it into a Chromebook).
After it’s installed, you can set up a custom shortcut command to open Lightshot and take screenshots. The tool’s UI looks almost the same across all platforms.
