Where Are Chromebook Screenshots Saved?
Every screenshot you take on a Chromebook lands in the same place by default — the Downloads folder — plus a copy in Tote on the shelf. Here's how to find them, change the save location, and route future captures to Google Drive automatically.
The default save location
Out of the box, ChromeOS saves screenshots to the Downloads folder under your local user storage. Open the Files app (the blue folder icon on your shelf) and click Downloads in the left sidebar. Screenshots use the timestamp pattern:
Screenshot 2026-05-21 at 10.45.12 AM.pngSorting Downloads by date puts your most recent screenshot at the top. The Files app also has a saved-search filter for image files if Downloads has accumulated a lot of files.
Tote: the quick-access tray
Tote is a small tray pinned to the right side of your shelf, next to the clock. It holds your five most recent downloads and screenshots. Click the up-arrow icon next to the time to expand it.
Tote is the fastest way to grab a screenshot you just took — drag it directly from Tote into Gmail, Slack, Google Docs, or any image upload field. No need to open Files at all.
How to change where screenshots save
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Step 1: Open the Screen Capture toolbar
Press Shift + Ctrl + Show Windows (or Shift + Ctrl + F5 on keyboards without the Show Windows key). The toolbar appears at the bottom of your screen.
Opening the Screen Capture toolbar with Shift + Ctrl + Show WindowsOpening the Screen Capture toolbar with Shift + Ctrl + Show Windows
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Step 2: Click the Settings gear
On the right edge of the toolbar there's a small gear icon. Click it to open the Settings panel.
The Settings gear icon on the Screen Capture toolbarThe Settings gear icon on the Screen Capture toolbar
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Step 3: Choose a new Save to location
Under "Save to," pick from Downloads (default) or Select folder. The folder picker lets you choose any location in your Files app, including Google Drive folders if you have offline access enabled. Your choice persists across restarts.
The Save to dropdown in Screen Capture settingsThe Save to dropdown in Screen Capture settings
Tip: route screenshots to Google Drive
Pick a Drive folder as your save destination and your screenshots sync to every device automatically — no more "where did I leave that capture?" Make sure offline access is enabled on the folder, otherwise ChromeOS may delay the upload until you reconnect.
Screenshot vs screen recording — same folder
Screen recordings save to the same folder as screenshots. The format differs: recordings are
.webm video files, while screenshots are .png images. Both copy to your
clipboard the moment they finish (recordings copy as a file reference rather than a paste-able image).
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Save location FAQ
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They save to the <strong>Downloads</strong> folder, which you can open from the Files app on your shelf. Recent captures also appear in <strong>Tote</strong>, the quick-access tray next to the time on the bottom-right of your screen.
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Yes. Open the Screen Capture toolbar (<strong>Shift + Ctrl + Show Windows</strong>), click the gear icon, and under "Save to" pick a folder inside Google Drive. From then on every screenshot lands there. You'll need offline access enabled on the Drive folder.
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Three usual causes: (1) check Downloads in the Files app, not the desktop — Chromebooks don't put files on the desktop. (2) Check Tote on the shelf for recent captures. (3) If you previously changed the save folder, screenshots are going there instead. Reopen the Screen Capture toolbar's gear icon to verify the current save destination.
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PNG, with transparent backgrounds preserved. Filenames follow the pattern <code>Screenshot YYYY-MM-DD at H.MM.SS AM/PM.png</code>. Screen recordings save as WebM video.
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Yes. Every screenshot ChromeOS takes is automatically copied to your clipboard, so you can paste directly into Gmail, Google Docs, Slack, or any image-accepting field with <strong>Ctrl + V</strong>.
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Open the Screen Capture toolbar (<strong>Shift + Ctrl + Show Windows</strong>), click the gear icon, and under "Save to" choose Downloads again. The change applies to both screenshots and screen recordings.
Where do Chromebook screenshots go by default?
Can I save Chromebook screenshots directly to Google Drive?
Why can't I find my screenshot?
What format are Chromebook screenshots saved in?
Are screenshots also copied to the clipboard?
How do I change the screenshot save folder back to Downloads?
Related guides
How to Screenshot on Chromebook — Complete Guide
The full pillar guide covering every screenshot method.
Chromebook Screenshot Keyboard Shortcuts
Every shortcut combination — full screen, region, window, screen recording.
Take a Partial (Region) Screenshot
Capture just a piece of your screen with the Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows shortcut.
Free Online Image Annotation Tool
Open your saved screenshot and add arrows, text, shapes, and blur — all in your browser.