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How to Capture Your Screen in Chrome

Capture Screen mode takes a screenshot of the currently visible viewport only. It does not scroll or capture hidden content below the fold. This is the fastest way to screenshot what you see on screen right now. Every screenshot opens in the built-in editor, where you can annotate, highlight, add text or step numbers, then export as PNG, export as PDF, or copy to clipboard. For a comparison of all methods, see our guide to screenshots in Chrome.

Visible Screen vs Full Page Screenshot

If you need to capture content below the fold, use full page screenshot mode instead — it automatically scrolls and stitches the entire page. For a specific region, try area capture.

3 Ways to Get It Done

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Method 1: Capture Screen — Capture the Visible Area of the Page

The Capture Screen mode allows you to instantly take a screenshot of the currently visible area in your browser — exactly what you see on the screen at that moment. After capturing, the image automatically opens in the built-in editor. This is the fastest way to take a clean screenshot in Chrome without capturing browser toolbars. Unlike OS-level screenshots, Capture Screen targets only the webpage content — no address bar, bookmarks bar, or system taskbar. The capture happens at your display's native resolution, so Retina and HiDPI screens produce sharp, high-quality images. You can also trigger screen capture via a custom keyboard shortcut for even faster workflows.

  1. 1Install Capture Full Page from the Chrome Web Store.
  2. 2Navigate to the page or content you want to capture.
  3. 3Click the extension icon and select Capture Screen.
  4. 4The visible part of the page is captured instantly — no scrolling required.
  5. 5The screenshot opens in the editor — add arrows, text, highlights, step numbers, or other annotations.
  6. 6Save the image as PNG, export it as PDF, or copy it to the clipboard.
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Method 2: Windows Snipping Tool or macOS Screenshot

Operating systems have built-in screen capture tools, but they capture the entire screen (including browser chrome, taskbar, etc.) and have no web-specific features. Unlike Capture Full Page, built-in tools do not include a built-in editor, annotation tools, or direct PDF export.

  1. 1On Windows: press Win+Shift+S to open Snipping Tool, or PrtScn for the full screen.
  2. 2On Mac: press Cmd+Shift+4 to select an area, or Cmd+Shift+3 for the full screen.
  3. 3The screenshot captures everything visible — including browser toolbars, OS taskbar, and other apps.
  4. 4Paste or save the image, then use a separate editor if you need annotations.
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Method 3: Chrome DevTools Screenshot

Chrome DevTools can capture just the viewport without browser chrome, but requires navigating through developer tools.

  1. 1Press F12 to open DevTools, then Ctrl+Shift+P.
  2. 2Type "screenshot" and select "Capture screenshot" (not full size).
  3. 3The visible area is saved as a PNG — no editing or clipboard options.

Feature Comparison

FeatureCapture Full PageBuilt-in ToolsOther Extensions
Capture Area modeYes — select any regionNoSome
Captures web content onlyYes — no browser chromeNo — includes taskbar, toolbarsSome
One-click captureYesYes (keyboard shortcut)Some
Built-in editorYes — full annotation suiteBasic (Snipping Tool)Some (paid)
Copy to clipboardYesYesSome
Export as PDFYesNoRarely
Full page scrolling captureYes — automaticNoSome
Retina/HiDPI supportYes — automaticYesVaries

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between Capture Area, Capture Screen, and Capture Full Page?
Capture Area lets you manually select a specific region of the screen to capture. Capture Screen takes a screenshot of the currently visible part of the browser — exactly what you see in the viewport at that moment. Capture Full Page automatically scrolls through the entire webpage and combines all sections into one complete image. The Capture Full Page extension includes all three modes and opens every screenshot in a built-in editor, where you can add annotations, highlights, text, step numbers, and export the result as PNG or PDF.
Can I take a screenshot of only the webpage without browser toolbars?
Yes. Capture Full Page allows you to capture only the actual webpage content — without the browser interface such as the address bar, tabs, or bookmarks bar, and without operating system elements. Whether you use Capture Area, Capture Screen, or Capture Full Page, the extension focuses only on the web content itself. This makes it easy to create a clean full page screenshot without the address bar or any browser UI. After capturing, the screenshot opens in the built-in editor where you can annotate, highlight, or add text. You can then save it as PNG, export it as PDF, or copy the screenshot directly to the clipboard for instant pasting into emails, documents, chats, or task managers.
Can I save a screenshot as PDF in Chrome?
Yes. You can export a screenshot as PDF in Chrome using the Capture Full Page Chrome extension. After capturing with Capture Area, Capture Screen, or Capture Full Page, click the PDF button in the built-in toolbar to generate a PDF file — including all annotations such as arrows, text, highlights, and step numbers. To create a full page screenshot as PDF, use the Capture Full Page mode, which automatically scrolls and captures the entire webpage. The PDF is generated locally in your browser and saved to your Downloads folder.
How do I annotate a screen capture in Chrome?
After capturing with Capture Area, Capture Screen, or Capture Full Page, the screenshot automatically opens in the built-in screenshot editor. Use the toolbar to draw with the pencil tool, add arrows, rectangles, highlights, text labels, or numbered steps. You can choose colors using the RGB, HSL, or HEX picker with an eyedropper tool, adjust line thickness, zoom in for precision, and use Undo or Redo at any time. Once finished, you can save the annotated screenshot as PNG, export it as PDF, or copy it directly to the clipboard.
Does Capture Screen work on Retina and HiDPI displays?
Yes. Capture Screen captures at your display's native resolution automatically. On Retina and HiDPI screens, the resulting image is sharp and detailed without any additional configuration. The captured image dimensions match your actual screen pixels.
Can I capture the screen and paste it directly into an email or chat?
Yes. After capturing the visible screen, click Copy in the toolbar to send the screenshot (with any annotations) to your clipboard. Then paste with Ctrl+V (Cmd+V on Mac) into Gmail, Slack, Teams, Notion, or any other application that accepts images.

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