How to screen record on a Chromebook, with audio

Part of Chrome screen recorder

Method 1: the built-in Screen capture tool

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Show windows. The Show windows key is the one with a rectangle and two lines, usually in the top row. You can also open Quick Settings and choose Screen capture.
2. In the toolbar that appears, switch from Screenshot to Screen record.
3. Choose what to record: the full screen, a partial area you drag out, or a single window.
4. Press Record. A short countdown starts the recording.
5. Press the stop button in the shelf when you are done.

Add your voice

Open the settings (gear) icon in the Screen capture toolbar and turn on the microphone before you press Record. Chromebooks ask for permission the first time. Test with a few seconds of speech, because audio cannot be added to a recording after the fact.

Method 2: record with a Chrome extension

A Chromebook runs the full Chrome browser, so Chrome extensions work. That gives you a recording you can share as a link instead of a file. With RecBeam:

1. Install RecBeam from the Download page and sign in with Google.
2. Choose Screen only, Screen + Camera or Camera only.
3. Pick a tab, a window or your screen in Chrome's picker, and allow the microphone if you want to talk.
4. Record with the floating controls, then stop. The recording uploads and you get a link.

The extension needs only what Chrome's pickers expose, so it records browser tabs and windows, which is how most Chromebook work happens. See the full steps in how to screen record in Chrome with audio.

Where recordings are saved

The built-in tool saves recordings in your Downloads folder by default, and you can open them from the Files app. Chromebook screen recordings are commonly WebM files; if you need an MP4 for an editor or another device, convert it free with the WebM to MP4 converter. Large recordings use storage, so clear space if saving fails.

School and work Chromebooks

If the Chromebook is managed by a school or a company, an administrator may turn off screen capture or limit which extensions you can install. If the option is missing or greyed out, ask your administrator. Teachers recording lessons can see how teams use recordings on the Education and Training page.

If something goes wrong

• No sound: check that the microphone is on in the Screen capture settings or allowed for the extension.
• The recording will not start: restart Chrome, then check permissions. The checklist is in screen recorder extension not working: how to fix it.
• The file will not open on another device: convert it to MP4 first.

Questions

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