You can use the camera on your Chromebook to take photos or videos, edit and print photos, and scan documents.
Take a photo, video, or scan a document with your Chromebook
- In the corner of your screen, select Launcher
.
- Open Camera
.
- At the bottom, choose an option:
- Select Photo
Take photo
.
- Select Portrait
Take photo
.
- Select Video
Start recording
.
- Select Scan
Document or QR code
Scan
.
- Select Photo
Make a time-lapse video or GIF animation
You can create a time-lapse video on your Chromebook.
- To make a time-lapse video, select Video
Time Lapse.
- To make a GIF animation, select Video
GIF.
Tip: You can create a GIF animation that lasts up to 5 seconds, but shorter videos are better for compatibility.
Learn more about time-lapse videos
Time-lapse videos are automatically created by speeding up a video so that it fits into a length between 15 and 30 seconds. For example, if you take a 100-second time-lapse, it'll be sped up 4x and the final video will be 25 seconds long. There's no limitation on how long you may take a time-lapse video, but for best results, make sure your Chromebook is plugged into a power source.
Change how photos or videos are captured
- Change your settings: Select Settings
. Change the size of the grid, the length of the timer, or the camera resolution.
- Flip your photo from left to right: Select Mirroring
.
- Use gridlines to straighten photos: Select Grid
.
- Switch between cameras: At the left, select Switch camera
.
- Tip: You can only switch cameras if you plug in an external camera or your Chromebook has 2 built-in cameras.
- Take photos with a timer: Select Timer
.
- Take photos with the volume buttons: When your Chromebook is in tablet mode, you can press the up or down volume button to take a photo. Learn more about tablet mode.
- Take a photo while you record a video: While you record a video, select Take video snapshot
.
- Pause a recording: You can pause a recording, and continue recording on the same video later.
- Important: When you pause a video recording, your Chromebook will save the video unless you delete it.
- Pan, tilt, and zoom your camera: Select Pan, tilt, and zoom
.
- To zoom in: Select Zoom
.
- Digital zoom can expand the image by a factor of several times.
- To pan within a zoomed in image:
- To pan left: Select Left arrow
.
- To pan right: Select Right arrow
.
- To pan up: Select Up arrow
.
- To pan down: Select Down arrow
.
- To pan left: Select Left arrow
- To take a photo of a zoomed in image:
- To the section of the image you want, zoom in and pan.
- Select Take photo
.
- To make the image clearer and text more readable, Gen AI improves resolution when you take a photo of the zoomed in image.
- To zoom in: Select Zoom
- Tip: If you don’t have this option, your camera doesn’t support pan, tilt, and zoom.
You can copy the text from the preview detected by your camera:
- On your computer, at the bottom left, select Launcher
.
- Open Camera
.
- Select Photo.
- By default, “Text detection in preview” is turned off. To use your camera to copy text:
- At the top left, select Photo settings
.
- To turn on “Text detection in preview,” select the checkbox.
- At the top left, select Photo settings
- Place the image with text.
- When text is detected in the image, select Copy
.
- To expand the text, select Dropdown
.
- To expand the text, select Dropdown
Tips:
- You can copy text with your camera without capturing the image.
- Text contained in QR codes may also be copied.
- You can select text from the expanded section.
- Find your photos and videos: In the Camera app
, on the bottom right, select your most recent photo or video.
- Find new photos and videos: In Files
, select My files
Camera. Older photos and videos may be found in the "Downloads" folder. Learn how to store your downloaded files.
- Select the photo you want to edit.
- Tip: In the Camera app
, on the bottom right, you can select your most recent photo or video.
- Tip: In the Camera app
- Choose an option:
- Rename a photo: At the top left, select the filename. To save the new name, press Enter.
- Crop or rotate your photo: At the top, select Crop & rotate
.
- Change your photo’s width and height: At the top, select Rescale
.
- Adjust contrast or brightness: At the top, select Lighting filters
.
- Undo or redo changes: Select Undo
or Redo
.
- Delete a photo: At the top, select Delete
.
- Print a photo: At the top right, select More
Print.
Tip: To do more advanced photo editing, you can use an app like Google Photos, Pixlr Editor, or Sumo Paint.
Important: For best results:
- If available, use your external or back camera to scan.
- Use a background that’s a different color than your document.
- Align all edges of the document within the camera frame.
- Scan in a well lit space.
To scan a single page:
- Open Camera
.
- At the bottom, select Scan
Document.
- Place the document to be scanned inside the viewfinder.
- Once detected, press the shutter button
.
- To save your document, select Save as photo or Save as PDF.
- To recapture, select Retake.
To scan multiple pages:
- Open Camera
- At the bottom, select Scan
Document.
- Place the first document to be scanned inside the viewfinder.
- Once detected, pressthe shutter button
.
- Instead of saving, select Multi-page
.
- Repeat Steps 3-5 until each page is scanned.
- To remove pages, select Trash
.
- To remove pages, select Trash
- To save your documents, select Save as PDF.
- Open Camera
.
- At the bottom, select Scan
QR code.
- Position the QR code in the viewfinder.
- The recognized URL, text, or Wi-Fi connection prompt will appear.
- To use the code, tap the text or URL.
Tips:
- To scan without selecting QR code scanning mode, you scan QR code directly from the viewfinder.
- The "Save as photo" option is only available for single pages.
- You can also scan documents with your printer.