Taking a screenshot in Google Chrome is one of the easiest ways to save what you see on your screen. Whether you want to capture a website, save an important webpage, share an error message, or keep a copy of an online document, screenshots can be extremely useful.
But there is an important difference between taking a normal screenshot and taking a full-screen or full-page screenshot.
A normal screenshot captures only the part of the webpage currently visible on your screen. A full-page screenshot, on the other hand, captures the entire webpage from top to bottom, including the content that is hidden below the fold.
In this guide, you will learn how to take a full screen screenshot in Chrome using several different methods. You can choose the method that works best for you depending on whether you are using Windows, Mac, or Chrome itself.
What Is a Full-Screen Screenshot?
Before learning the methods, it is important to understand what “full screen” means.
There are two commonly confused types of screenshots:
1. Full Screen Screenshot
A full-screen screenshot captures everything currently visible on your computer display.
For example, if your screen currently shows:
- Google Chrome
- Your desktop
- Taskbar or dock
- Other visible windows
a full-screen screenshot can capture the entire display.
2. Full-Page Screenshot
A full-page screenshot captures the entire webpage, even the sections that are not currently visible.
For example, imagine you are viewing an article that is 5,000 pixels tall. Your monitor may only display 900 pixels at a time.
A normal screenshot captures approximately those visible 900 pixels.
A full-page screenshot captures the entire webpage from the top to the bottom.
For websites, the full-page screenshot method is usually what people are looking for.
Method 1: Take a Full-Page Screenshot Using Chrome DevTools
Google Chrome has a built-in developer tool that can capture an entire webpage without installing an extension.
This is one of the best methods if you want a full-page screenshot of a website.
Step 1: Open the Website
First, open Google Chrome and visit the webpage you want to capture.
For example:
example.com
Make sure the webpage has completely loaded.
Step 2: Open Chrome DevTools
You can open Chrome Developer Tools using a keyboard shortcut.
On Windows:
Ctrl + Shift + I
On Mac:
Command + Option + I
Alternatively, right-click anywhere on the webpage and select:
Inspect
Chrome’s Developer Tools panel will appear.
Step 3: Open the Command Menu
With DevTools open, press:
Ctrl + Shift + P on Windows
or
Command + Shift + P on Mac.
This opens Chrome’s Command Menu.
Step 4: Search for Screenshot
Type:
Screenshot
You should see several options.
Look for:
Capture full size screenshot
Click this option.
Chrome will automatically capture the entire webpage.
Step 5: Find Your Screenshot
Chrome will normally download the screenshot to your computer’s default Downloads folder.
The screenshot will contain the webpage from the top to the bottom, including content that was not visible on your screen.
Why Use This Method?
This method is particularly useful because:
- No extension is required
- It is free
- It can capture very long webpages
- It works directly inside Chrome
- You can capture the entire webpage in one image
Method 2: Use Chrome’s Built-In Screenshot Feature
Depending on your Chrome version and device, Chrome may provide screenshot functionality through its built-in tools or menus.
One convenient approach is to open Chrome’s developer tools and use the screenshot commands described above.
For most desktop users, Capture full size screenshot is the most reliable built-in option when the goal is to capture an entire webpage.
Method 3: Take a Full Screen Screenshot on Windows
If you don’t need the entire webpage and simply want to capture everything currently visible on your computer screen, Windows provides several built-in options.
Using the Print Screen Key
Press:
PrtScn
This captures the current screen.
Depending on your Windows configuration, the screenshot may be copied to the clipboard rather than automatically saved as an image.
You can then open an image editor such as Paint and press:
Ctrl + V
to paste the screenshot.
You can then save it as PNG or another image format.
Using Windows + Print Screen
A faster option is:
Windows + PrtScn
Windows will capture the entire screen and automatically save the screenshot.
The screenshots are generally stored in:
Pictures → Screenshots
This method is useful when you want to capture the complete screen rather than just the Chrome webpage.
Method 4: Use Snipping Tool on Windows
Windows also includes a built-in application called Snipping Tool.
It provides more control over what you capture.
How to Open Snipping Tool
Press:
Windows + Shift + S
Your screen will become slightly dimmed and a screenshot toolbar will appear.
Depending on your Windows version, you can choose options such as:
- Rectangular snip
- Freeform snip
- Window snip
- Full-screen snip
For a screenshot of the entire visible display, choose the full-screen option.
When Should You Use Snipping Tool?
Snipping Tool is useful when you don’t want to capture an entire webpage.
For example, you might want to capture:
- A specific section of an article
- A Chrome error message
- A particular image
- A browser window
- Part of a webpage
Method 5: Take a Full Screen Screenshot on Mac
Mac computers also have built-in screenshot shortcuts.
Capture the Entire Screen
Press:
Command + Shift + 3
macOS will capture the entire screen.
The screenshot will generally appear on your desktop unless your screenshot settings have been changed.
Capture a Selected Area
Press:
Command + Shift + 4
Your cursor will turn into a selection tool.
Drag over the area you want to capture.
This is useful when you only want a specific portion of a Chrome webpage.
Open the Screenshot Toolbar
You can also press:
Command + Shift + 5
This opens macOS’s screenshot toolbar.
It provides options for:
- Capturing the entire screen
- Capturing a selected window
- Capturing a selected portion
- Recording the screen
Method 6: Use a Chrome Screenshot Extension
If you frequently take screenshots of webpages, a Chrome extension can make the process much easier.
Screenshot extensions can provide features such as:
- Full-page screenshots
- Visible-area screenshots
- Selected-area screenshots
- Scrolling screenshots
- Image annotation
- Cropping
- Highlighting
- Text and arrows
- Saving screenshots in different formats
This can be especially useful for bloggers, developers, designers, students, researchers, and digital marketers.
How to Install a Screenshot Extension
Open the Chrome Web Store and search for:
Screenshot
Choose an extension that has good reviews and the features you need.
After installing it, the extension will usually appear in Chrome’s extensions menu.
You can then click the extension icon whenever you want to capture a webpage.
Important Tip
Avoid installing unnecessary extensions.
Screenshot extensions can request permissions to access webpage content. Before installing an extension, check:
- Developer information
- Reviews
- Number of users
- Requested permissions
- Recent updates
- Privacy policy
Method 7: Use an Online Screenshot Tool
Another option is to use an online screenshot tool.
This can be convenient if you don’t want to install software or a browser extension.
Some online screenshot tools allow you to enter a webpage URL and generate a screenshot of the page.
This approach can be useful when:
- You need a quick screenshot
- You are working on a different computer
- You don’t want to install an extension
- You want to capture a webpage remotely
However, be careful when entering private or sensitive URLs into third-party screenshot services.
Avoid using online screenshot services for pages containing sensitive information such as:
- Banking information
- Private dashboards
- Passwords
- Personal documents
- Private company information
Full Screen vs Full Page Screenshot: What’s the Difference?
This is one of the most important things to understand.
| Screenshot Type | What It Captures |
|---|---|
| Full Screen | Everything currently visible on your display |
| Full Page | The entire webpage from top to bottom |
| Window Screenshot | A specific application window |
| Selected Area | Only the area you select |
| Visible Page | The portion of the webpage currently visible |
For example, suppose you are reading a long article.
Your monitor shows only this:
Top of Article → Introduction → Part of Section 1
But the webpage continues for several more screens.
A normal full-screen screenshot captures only what you currently see.
A full-page screenshot captures the entire article.
How to Take a Full-Page Screenshot in Chrome Without an Extension
If you don’t want to install an extension, Chrome DevTools is usually the easiest option.
Follow these steps:
- Open the webpage in Chrome.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + I on Windows.
- Press Command + Option + I on Mac.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + P on Windows or Command + Shift + P on Mac.
- Search for Capture full size screenshot.
- Select the option.
- Chrome will capture the full webpage.
- Find the image in your Downloads folder.
This method is completely free and doesn’t require additional software.
How to Screenshot an Entire Webpage That Requires Scrolling
Many webpages are longer than your computer screen.
For example:
- Blog posts
- News articles
- Product pages
- Documentation
- Landing pages
- Online reports
Scrolling manually and taking multiple screenshots is inconvenient.
A full-page screenshot solves this problem by capturing the webpage vertically.
Chrome’s Capture full size screenshot option can automatically capture the page beyond the currently visible area.
However, some websites use special layouts, lazy loading, animations, or dynamically loaded content. In those cases, the resulting screenshot may not always look exactly like the page you see while scrolling manually.
What If Chrome’s Full-Page Screenshot Doesn’t Work?
Sometimes the full-page screenshot option may produce an incomplete or incorrectly rendered image.
Here are some things you can try.
1. Refresh the Page
Press:
Ctrl + R
or
Command + R on Mac.
Wait until the webpage completely loads and try again.
2. Disable Unnecessary Extensions
Some extensions can interfere with webpages.
Try opening the page in an Incognito window and test the screenshot again.
3. Wait for Lazy-Loaded Content
Some websites don’t load images or content until you scroll down.
If the page uses lazy loading, some content may not appear in the screenshot.
Try scrolling through the webpage once before capturing it.
4. Check the Page Layout
Websites with:
- Sticky headers
- Infinite scrolling
- Dynamic content
- Embedded videos
- Complex animations
may sometimes create unusual results in full-page screenshots.
5. Try a Screenshot Extension
If Chrome’s built-in method isn’t producing the result you need, a dedicated screenshot extension may provide additional options.
How to Take a Screenshot of a Specific Chrome Window
If you only want to capture the Chrome browser window rather than your entire desktop, you have several options.
On Windows, you can use:
Alt + PrtScn
This captures the currently active window.
You can then paste the image into an image editor.
On Mac, you can use:
Command + Shift + 4
and then press the Spacebar to capture a specific window.
How to Save a Chrome Screenshot as PNG
PNG is a good format for screenshots because it preserves text and interface details clearly.
If you use Chrome DevTools’ full-page screenshot feature, Chrome will normally save the image automatically.
If you use another screenshot method and the image is copied to your clipboard, paste it into an image editor and choose:
Save As → PNG
PNG is particularly useful for:
- Website screenshots
- Tutorials
- Software screenshots
- UI designs
- Text-heavy webpages
Best Method for Different Situations
The best screenshot method depends on what you are trying to capture.
Want the entire webpage?
Use:
Chrome DevTools → Capture full size screenshot
Want everything visible on your monitor?
Use:
Windows + PrtScn
or
Command + Shift + 3 on Mac.
Want only part of the screen?
Use:
Windows + Shift + S
or
Command + Shift + 4 on Mac.
Take screenshots frequently?
Consider using a reputable Chrome screenshot extension.
Don’t want to install anything?
Use Chrome’s built-in DevTools screenshot feature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Chrome take a full-page screenshot?
Yes. Chrome’s Developer Tools include a Capture full size screenshot option that can capture the entire webpage.
What is the shortcut for a full-page screenshot in Chrome?
There isn’t a single default keyboard shortcut that directly captures a full webpage. You can open DevTools with Ctrl + Shift + I, open the Command Menu with Ctrl + Shift + P, and then select Capture full size screenshot.
Can I screenshot an entire webpage without an extension?
Yes. Chrome DevTools can capture a full webpage without requiring a third-party extension.
Why is my full-page screenshot so long?
That’s normal. A full-page screenshot captures the entire webpage, not just the part visible on your monitor.
Where are Chrome screenshots saved?
Screenshots captured through Chrome’s download-based screenshot feature are generally saved in your computer’s default Downloads folder.
Can I take a full-page screenshot on Mac?
Yes. Chrome DevTools can capture the full webpage on Mac as well. You can also use macOS’s built-in screenshot shortcuts for capturing the visible screen.
Can I take a screenshot of a scrolling webpage?
Yes. A full-page screenshot is designed to capture content beyond the currently visible area of a webpage.
Conclusion
Taking screenshots in Chrome doesn’t have to be complicated.
If you only need to capture what’s currently visible on your screen, Windows and macOS already provide excellent built-in screenshot tools.
But if your goal is to capture an entire webpage from top to bottom, Chrome DevTools is one of the easiest options because you don’t need to install another application or browser extension.
For regular users, the most useful workflow is:
Open Chrome → Open DevTools → Command Menu → Capture full size screenshot
Once you know this method, you can quickly capture long articles, websites, documentation pages, landing pages, and other webpages in a single image.