How to take a screenshot in Google Chrome browser

A screenshot is a graphic image file that contains an image of a screen or its area (for example, a browser window).

A screenshot is needed when we see something interesting and want to capture it. In addition, this function is often used by technical support specialists who help to remotely solve many problems – with the functioning of the local network, the Internet or with the operability of the computer. For many such specialists, the word screenshot has long been part of their professional terminology.

Is it possible to take a screenshot in Google Chrome

Many people don't know how to take a screenshot, and if there's a need to capture something, they just take a screenshot with their phone's camera. Such pictures often come out fuzzy, blurred, at a strange angle, not all the details on them are visible or, conversely, the superfluous is visible.

And, meanwhile, in Chrome you can make normal screenshots, on which everything is visible, and which you shamelessly post on the forum, send to a friend or a technical support specialist.

You can take pictures of the entire screen, the work window, or a selection.

Screenshot of a page in Google Chrome browser
Screenshot of a page in Google Chrome browser

Options

You can take a screenshot in Google Chrome using:

  • Windows functionality;
  • the toolkit of the browser itself;
  • third-party extensions.

Windows Tools

The most famous way is through the Print Screen button. On most keyboards, it is located just to the right of the F12 key, this is the topmost row of keys. Print Screen saves the screenshot to the clipboard, and to get the finished file with the image, you need to paste the information from the clipboard into Paint.

Thus, the creation of a screenshot in this way takes as many as four actions:

  • press Print Screen;
  • Open Paint.
  • paste an image from the clipboard (Ctrl + V);
  • Save the file.

A faster way is Win + Print Screen. Immediately saves the screenshot to a separate file. Instead of four actions, just one.

The Win button is a Windows key and is usually between Alt and Ctrl. Screenshots are saved to the default folder with images – on Windows 10 it's "This PC" – "Pictures" – "Screenshots". You can get there through the "Start" button.

The third way is through the utility "Scissors":

  • in the search box next to the "Start" button we write "Scissors;
  • open the program;
  • click "Create";
  • select "Mode" (for example, "Full Screen");
  • save the resulting screenshot.
Screen Capture in Google Chrome
Screen Capture in Google Chrome

If desired, in the "Scissors" you can set a delay (for example, to take a screenshot in 5 seconds), draw some marks with a marker and send the finished file by e-mail.

The fourth way is through the utility "Sketch on a fragment of the screen". It's practically the twin of Scissors:

  • also called through the search bar next to "Start";
  • has the same functionality ("Create", "Delay", markers, sending a screenshot by mail);
  • of the differences: it is possible to crop the picture and there are hotkeys.

By pressing Win + Shift + S in Windows 10, the "Sketch on a Fragment of the Screen" utility panel pops up, which has buttons for a snapshot of the entire screen, the active window or a selection. But the screenshot taken through this panel will be saved to the clipboard and it will have to be pasted into Paint. Even in the utility "Sketch on a fragment of the screen" this picture will not be able to be inserted, because there is no possibility of insertion.

In addition, through "Start" – "Options" – "Accessibility" – "Keyboard" – "Keyboard shortcut: PRINT SCREEN" you can assign this call to this panel to the Print Screen button. But it seems that this is absolutely meaningless, since with a regular print screen you need 4 actions to save a screenshot, and with this function there will be 5:

  • press Print Screen;
  • press the button on the panel;
  • Open Paint.
  • insert;
  • Save the file.

Thus, to take a screenshot of the entire screen, nothing better than Win + Print Screen is invented in Windows.

Chrome Developer Tools

In the Chrome browser there are so-called developer tools that are called by the key combination Ctrl + Shift + I. With their help, you can view the code of the page and perform a number of different actions, including taking a screenshot.

This is perhaps the most inconvenient and cumbersome way to get screenshots.

But for the full picture, it should be mentioned:

  • launch Google Chrome;
  • open the developer tools (Ctrl + Shift + I);
  • press Ctrl + Shift + P;
  • scroll through the list until we see 4 functions marked with a purple Screenshot marker;
  • click Capture Screenshot to take a screenshot of the entire screen;
  • specify the place where to save the file.

Screenshot in Google Chrome via developer tools
Screenshot in Google Chrome via developer
tools

The disadvantages of this method are that it is long and allows you to shoot only what happens in Chrome, and Windows tools allow you to screen anything.

Third-party plugins

Extensions for screenshots can be downloaded from the Chrome Store:

  • go to the extension store at the link – https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/extensions?hl=ru
  • in the search we write the name of the plug-in (Screen Capture, Lightshot, Tab Screenshot, etc.) or a query – for example, screenshot;
  • You can click on the "More Extensions" button to see the full list, not just the top 3;
  • click on the plugin you like and click "Install" – "Install extension".

The installed plugin will be located behind the "Extensions" icon (the puzzle detail in the upper right corner of Chrome), but you can conveniently pin it in a prominent place using the "Pin" button.

Using the extension is as simple as clicking on its icon and following the on-screen instructions. Each extension's interface and functionality may differ slightly. For example, Lightshot can only capture a selection, and Screenshot Easy can only capture the entire page.

How to take a screenshot of a selection

The first method is through "Scissors" or "Sketch on a fragment of the screen":

  • in the line next to the "Start" button write the name of the utility and open it;
  • click "Create";
  • select "Rectangular Fragment" or "Free-Form Fragment";
  • save the resulting image to a file.

The second way is through the Chrome developer tools:

  • open Chrome;
  • press Ctrl + Shift + I;
  • press Ctrl + Shift + P;
  • scroll through the list until we see the functions marked with the purple Screenshot label;
  • click on Capture area screenshot;
  • select a rectangular area and choose where to save the file.
"Capture area screenshot" in Google Chrome
"Capture area screenshot" in Google Chrome

The third method is through the Lightshot extension:

  • click on the extension;
  • select a rectangular area;
  • click the "Save" button (floppy disk).

In addition, you can use Alt + Print Screen to take a picture of the active window. The picture is saved to the clipboard, and you will have to paste it into Paint to get a graphic file.

Mike Lombardi/ author of the article

QA Engineer, Head of Automated Software Testing Department. Knowledge of Java, C/C++, JSP, HTML, XML, JavaScript, SQL, and Oracle PL/SQL. Journalist and Columnist in the IT field. Website Creator and Administrator.

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