Use a stylus with your Chromebook

If your touchscreen Chromebook works with a stylus, you can use the stylus to take notes and screenshots, draw, or act as a laser pointer or magnifying glass.

If your Chromebook comes with a built-in stylus, click the button on the side of the Chromebook. The stylus will pop out.

Note: You can’t use Bluetooth styluses with Chromebooks. Sometimes, capacitive styluses don’t work well.

Take notes

  1. On your desktop, tap Stylus .
  2. Tap Create note .
  3. In the window that appears, use your stylus to take notes.

To change which app you use to take notes:

  1. On your desktop, tap Stylus and then Settings .
  2. In the "Note-taking app" drop-down, choose an app.

Draw or sketch

  1. From the corner of your screen, click the Launcher .
  2. Open Canvas .
  3. Use the app to draw with your stylus.

Learn how to download other drawing apps that work with your stylus.

Take a screenshot

Take a partial screenshot
  1. On your desktop, tap Stylus .
  2. Using your stylus, tap Capture region.
  3. Using your stylus, touch and hold somewhere on the screen, then drag.
  4. Release to finish the screenshot.
Take a full-page screenshot
  1. On your desktop, tap Stylus .
  2. Tap Capture screen.

Use the stylus as a laser pointer or magnifying glass

If you’re showing off your artwork or giving a presentation, you can use your stylus as a laser pointer. To see something up close, you can use your stylus to make part of your screen bigger.

  1. On your desktop, tap Stylus .
  2. Tap Laser pointer mode or Magnifying glass mode.
  3. Touch the stylus to the screen and move it around.
  4. Optional: To turn off, tap Laser pointer  or Magnifying glass .

Change settings & download apps

  1. On your desktop, tap Stylus .
  2. Tap Settings .
  3. Change how and when the stylus options pop up:
    • To show or hide the stylus icon, turn Show stylus tools in the shelf on or off.
    • To see the stylus tools when you take your stylus out of your Chromebook, turn on Open stylus tools when the stylus is removed.

Optional: To find & download more apps that work with your stylus, click Find more stylus apps.

Tip: Some Chromebooks are also compatible with Universal Stylus Initiative (USI) styluses. Find out if your device is compatible.

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