How to Record Your Screen on a Chromebook
In the coming weeks, Google will add built-in screen recording to all Chromebooks. The new tool allows users to capture video from their device screen without the need for additional applications or external hardware.
The screen recorder should be useful for all users, but Google says it has implemented this tool specifically for educational institutions: teachers can use it to prepare presentations, and students can use it to record lectures.
The feature will roll out to Chromebooks in the coming weeks as part of Google’s March 2021 Chrome OS update. Google doesn’t mention a specific release date, so it might take several weeks before it’s ready for your device, but you can try it out ahead of time if you opt for the Chrome OS beta. Here’s how to do it:
- On your Chromebook, go to Settings> About Chrome OS> Learn More.
- In the Channels section, change your channel to Beta Channel.
- Click Change Channel.
- Refresh and restart your Chromebook when prompted.
- After rebooting, open Chrome and go to chrome: // flags / # screen-capture .
- Turn on “Screen Capture Test” from the drop-down menu, then reboot.
You can now use the Chrome OS screen recording tools:
- Press CTRL + SHIFT + Browse to open the recorder.
- Drag your mouse to customize which part of the screen you want to record.
- When you’re ready, hit the record button. A countdown timer appears. Once it reaches zero, it will start shooting video of everything on the screen. While recording, a red recording icon will be displayed on the taskbar.
- Click the Stop button to end the recording.
Those who don’t want to join the ChromeOS beta can install Chrome browser extensions like Vidyard or Screencastify while waiting for the stable channel patch. Both have limitations, so you’ll probably want to switch to the built-in Chromebook screen recorder as soon as it’s available, but in the meantime, they are decent time slots.
Vidyard offers a free version that allows you to record up to an hour on video, although you can make as many recordings as you like. Screencastify has a five-minute cut-off for all videos, but you can record, edit, and export as many videos as you want for free (assuming you have free space on your computer).