No affiliate links or sponsorship. Steps follow Google’s Take a screenshot or record your screen help page for ChromeOS, re-checked October 28, 2026. Menu names can differ slightly on older ChromeOS versions.
Quick answer
Press Shift + Ctrl + Show windows (or Ctrl + Shift + F5 on an external keyboard), select Screen record, then open Settings in the capture bar and choose Device audio, Microphone, or Device audio and microphone. Pick full screen, a window or part of the screen, and record. Stop with Search + Shift + X. The video saves to Downloads as a .webm file. More guides in our laptop section.
How to screen record with audio on a Chromebook
- Press Shift + Ctrl + Show windows. On an external keyboard without that key, press Ctrl + Shift + F5.
- In the bar at the bottom, select Screen record (the video icon).
- Choose Record the full screen, Record a partial screen or Record a window.
- Select Settings (the gear) in the same bar and choose your audio: Device audio, Microphone or Device audio and microphone. Turn on Front Camera too if you want your webcam in the video.
- Start recording: click anywhere for full screen, drag to select an area for partial screen, or click the window you want.
- When you’re done, select Stop recording at the bottom right or press Search + Shift + X.
Which audio setting should you pick?
| Setting | What it records | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Device audio | Sound playing on the Chromebook | Capturing a video, app or game sound without your voice |
| Microphone | Your voice and room sound | Narrated walkthroughs of silent apps or slides |
| Device audio and microphone | Both, in one file | Tutorials, presentations or reacting to a video |
| No audio selected | Silent video | Quick demos you’ll caption or narrate later |
Recording a call or meeting?
Tell the other people you’re recording and follow your school’s or employer’s rules. Recording laws vary by state, so check the rules where you and they are before you record a conversation.
Prefer the mouse? Start from the quick settings menu
If you’d rather not use the keyboard, select the time at the bottom right of the screen, then Screen capture. The same capture bar opens, so choose Screen record, set your audio under Settings and start as above. It’s handy on a touchscreen Chromebook.
Add your webcam, clicks and keystrokes
- Front Camera: overlays your webcam on the recording.
- Show clicks and keys: shows mouse clicks, touch gestures and shortcut key combos. Only combos with modifier keys are shown, so normal typing stays private.
- GIF instead of video: available for partial-screen recordings; good for short silent loops.
Find, rename and share your recording
Recordings land in the Downloads folder of the Files app and are copied to the clipboard, so you can paste one straight into many apps. To save new captures elsewhere, such as a Google Drive folder, open screen capture, select Settings and then Select folder. Video recordings use the .webm format. Need a still image instead? See our guide on how to take a screenshot on a Chromebook.
Chromebook screen recording questions
Can a Chromebook screen record with internal audio?
Yes. ChromeOS’s built-in recorder can capture the sound your Chromebook plays, such as a video, a call or app alerts. Before you start, open Settings in the capture bar and pick Device audio. Google lists it alongside Microphone and Device audio and microphone in its screen capture help. No extension or third-party app is needed for internal audio.
How do I record my voice and the Chromebook’s sound at the same time?
In the screen capture bar, select Settings and choose Device audio and microphone. That records what the Chromebook plays and what your microphone hears in one file, which suits tutorials where you talk over a video or app. Headphones help keep the speaker audio from being picked up a second time by the microphone and sounding echoey.
Why is there no sound in my Chromebook screen recording?
The two usual causes are the audio setting and the file type. Audio is chosen in the capture bar’s Settings menu before you record, so check that Device audio, Microphone or both is selected. And if you recorded a partial screen as a GIF, there will never be sound: Google says GIFs don’t capture audio or video input. Record video (.webm) instead.
What’s the keyboard shortcut to screen record on a Chromebook?
Press Shift + Ctrl + Show windows to open screen capture, then select Screen record in the bar at the bottom. On an external keyboard without a Show windows key, press Ctrl + Shift + F5. To stop, press Search + Shift + X or select the stop button at the bottom right. Google’s shortcut list opens with Ctrl + Search + S.
Can I record my webcam while screen recording on a Chromebook?
Yes. Open screen capture, choose Screen record, then select Settings and turn on Front Camera. Your camera feed appears in the recording along with the screen, which is useful for lessons, walkthroughs and feedback videos. Camera input isn’t included if you record a partial-screen GIF, so use the video option when you want your face in the recording.
Where do Chromebook screen recordings save?
In your Downloads folder in the Files app by default, and each capture is also copied to the clipboard. To save somewhere else, such as a Google Drive folder, press Shift + Ctrl + Show windows, select Settings at the bottom, then Select folder. New recordings and screenshots go to that folder from then on.
What file format does a Chromebook screen recording use?
Google lists .webm as the format for video recordings. When you record part of the screen, a drop-down lets you pick Record video (.webm) or Record GIF (.gif), so partial recordings are the only ones with a GIF option. Choose GIF for short, silent loops you’ll drop into a document or chat, and .webm for anything with sound or your camera, since GIFs leave both out.
How do I show clicks and keystrokes in a Chromebook recording?
In the capture bar’s Settings, turn on Show clicks and keys. Mouse clicks, touch gestures and keyboard shortcuts then appear on screen while you record. For privacy, Google says only key combos that use modifier keys, such as Ctrl or Shift, are shown, so ordinary typing isn’t displayed. It’s ideal for shortcut tutorials.
Why can’t I screen record on my school or work Chromebook?
Your organization’s admin has probably blocked it. Google’s ChromeOS data controls let admins allow, block, warn about or report screen capture, which covers screenshots and video capture, on managed Chromebooks. If the option is missing or you see a warning, it’s a policy setting rather than a fault, so ask your school or IT team rather than trying to work around it.
How long can you screen record on a Chromebook?
Google’s help page doesn’t list a time limit for the built-in recorder. In practice, length depends on how much free storage your Chromebook has, since recordings save to Downloads by default. For long sessions, check free space in the Files app first, or point recordings at a Google Drive folder with Select folder in the capture settings.
Can I record just one window or part of the screen?
Yes. After selecting Screen record, pick Record a window and click the window you want, or Record a partial screen and drag to select an area. Partial recordings are the only ones that offer GIF output. Full-screen recording starts as soon as you click anywhere, so close or hide anything private before you click.
How this article was made. We drafted this article with the help of AI tools, working from the official pages listed in Sources. Prices, plan limits and steps were checked against those pages on October 28, 2026. Syed Saud Ahsan is the credited author; the BravoTech team prepared it under our editorial standards. We did not test these products hands-on for this article. Spot an error? Email [email protected].
Sources
Official Google sources
- Take a screenshot or record your screen — Chromebook Help (checked Oct 28, 2026)
- Chromebook keyboard shortcuts — Chromebook Help (checked Oct 28, 2026)
- Set ChromeOS data controls — Google Chrome Enterprise and Education Help (checked Oct 28, 2026)
Changelog
- November 2, 2026: Refresh published, with two new illustrations; author credit is now Syed Saud Ahsan.
- October 28, 2026: Refreshed: new audio-first steps with all three audio options, an audio settings table, the external-keyboard shortcut, the Search + Shift + X stop shortcut, Front Camera, Show clicks and keys, GIF vs .webm, save-folder settings and school-Chromebook restrictions. Removed inaccurate FAQ answers on recording laws, hacking and DRM. Replaced embedded images with illustrations.
- June 13, 2024: Originally published by Michael Clark.
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