How to Screen Record on Chromebook

Your keyboard has a dedicated key, so all you have to choose is what to record

By
Matthew S. Smith
Matthew S. Smith - biopic
Matthew S. Smith
Writer
  • Beloit College
Matthew S. Smith has been writing about consumer tech since 2007. Formerly the Lead Editor at Digital Trends, he's also written for PC Mag, TechHive, and others.
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Updated on August 26, 2022
Reviewed by
Jessica Kormos
Jessica Kormos
Reviewed by Jessica Kormos
  • Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Jessica Kormos is a writer and editor with 15 years' experience writing articles, copy, and UX content for Tecca.com, Rosenfeld Media, and many others.
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What to Know

  • Press the screenshot key.
  • Select Screen Record.
  • Choose from one of three screen recording modes: record full screen, record partial screen, and record window.

This article shows how to screen record on a Chromebook or ChromeOS desktop using the built-in screen recording utility.

How to Screen Record on Chromebook with the Keyboard 

This method works on any Chromebook or ChromeOS desktop with a bundled ChromeOS keyboard.

  1. Press the Screenshot key on your Chromebook's keyboard.

    They key is located in the function row and has a camera icon printed on it.

    The screenshot key on a Chromebook.

  2. Press the Screen Record icon to switch to screen recording mode.

    The screen record icon in the screen recording toolbar in ChromeOS.

  3. You can now choose from three screen recording options, each located in the center of the toolbar.

    • Record full screen: Used to record the entire screen at once.
    • Record partial screen: Used to record only a portion of the screen. This option, when selected, will ask you to drag a box around the area you want to record.
    • Record window: Will only record the current browser or app window you select.
    Record full screen, Record partial screen, Record window icons in the screen recording toolbar in ChromeOS.

    A brief countdown will be displayed before the screen recording begins.

    Your microphone will not be turned on by default. Select Settings and then Record microphone to enable it.

  4. Select Stop screen recording, found in the ChromeOS task bar, to end the recording session.

    The end screen recording icon on a Chromebook.

How to Screen Record on a Chromebook with the System Tray

This method accesses screen recording through the system tray on the lower right-hand side of the desktop. It works on any device running ChromeOS.

  1. Open the system tray.

    The system tray in ChromeOS.

  2. Select Screen capture.

    The ChromeOS system tray open with the screen capture option available.

  3. Press the Screen Record icon to switch to screen recording mode.

    The screen record icon in the screen recording toolbar in ChromeOS.

  4. Choose from three screen recording options.

    • Record full screen: Used to record the entire screen.
    • Record partial screen: Used to record a portion of the screen. This option will ask you to drag a box around the area you want to record.
    • Record window: Will only record the current browser or app window you select.
    Record full screen, Record partial screen, Record window icons in the screen recording toolbar in ChromeOS.

  5. Select Stop screen recording to end the recording session.

    The end screen recording icon on a Chromebook.

Where Are Screen Recordings Saved on a Chromebook?

A notification will appear when a screen recording ends. Tap this notification to view the file.

All screen recordings save to the Videos folder. You can view this folder in the Files app, which is located on the taskbar.

You can also find screen recordings listed under Downloads.

Screen recordings aren't saved to Google Drive. You'll have to manually move them from the Videos folder to your Google Drive folder.

What File Type Are Screen Recordings on a Chromebook?

Screen recordings are saved as .webm video files. This is not a common format, so you may need to reformat the video to use it with some video editing software. Our free video converter software article will point you in the right direction.

FAQ
  • How do I screen record on my Chromebook with audio?

    Enable the microphone in the Chromebook screen recorder to record system sounds including any media you're playing on the device. To cut down on background noises, use a noise-canceling microphone.

  • How do I record audio on my Chromebook?

    To just record audio, use an online tool like Vocaroo.com, or use a Chrome extension like Reverb Record.

  • How do I record a Zoom meeting on my Chromebook?

    To record a Zoom meeting, use your Chromebook's screen recorder, or use the Zoom app's built-in recorder. To allow others to record in a meeting, go to Participants, hover over the participant's name, and select More > Allow Record.

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