There are lots of reasons to take screenshots of YouTube videos. For example, you may want to capture that perfect moment from a trending video for social media, save stunning scenery to use as your computer’s wallpaper, save complex instructions and diagrams in image format offline, and so on. ..

Screenshot YouTube videos on desktop and mobile devices using the following methods:

  1. Open YouTube and sign in with your account.
  2. Click on the three lines in the top left corner of the main screen, and select “Screenshots.”
  3. Click on one of the screenshots to take a screenshot of that video.

1. Use a YouTube Screenshot Extension

If you’re watching YouTube on a computer, the most convenient way to take screenshots from a video is to use browser extensions built specifically for that. ..

Google Chrome & Microsoft Edge

To screenshot a YouTube video in Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge:

  1. Open the YouTube app on your device.
  2. Click on the three lines in the top left corner of the main screen, and then select “Screenshot.”
  3. Click on the screenshot you want to take.

Just visit the Screenshot YouTube page on the Chrome Web Store or the Edge Add-ons Store and select Add to Chrome/Get > Add extension.

To take a screenshot of whatever you see on the screen, select the Screenshot button at the bottom right side of the video pane.

YouTube doesn’t capture the playback controls, surrounding gradients, or black bars unless the video isn’t in the 16:9 aspect ratio. The extension also copies the screen to your computer’s clipboard, meaning you can immediately paste it elsewhere. ..

If the image quality matters, you should increase the video resolution and enter full-screen mode.

In the “Screenshot YouTube” options, you can choose how to take a screenshot of YouTube videos. You can choose to take a screenshot of the video itself, or of a specific frame within the video. You can also choose to take a screenshot of the entire video.

If you want to take screenshots with the P key, check the box next to P key and set Image format to use PNG (default). If file size matters, JPG is the lighter of the two. ..

Mozilla Firefox

If you’re using Mozilla Firefox, you can install the YouTube Screenshot Button extension to take screenshots of videos. ..

To take a screenshot of what you’re seeing on YouTube, select the Screenshot button at the bottom of the video pane. To increase the quality, select Full Screen.

The YouTube Screenshot Button add-on lets you save screenshots in either the PNG or JPG formats. To use this add-on, open the Firefox menu and select Add-ons and themes. Then, select the More (three dots) icon next to YouTube Screenshot, select Options/Preferences, and set Screenshot format to PNG or JPEG. ..

Other Web Browsers for PC and Mac

Chrome extensions are compatible with other Chromium-based browsers. If you’re using an alternative Chromium browser like Opera or Brave, you should be able to take screenshots with the Screenshot YouTube add-on from the Chrome Web Store.

Opera also has an extension called Screenshot YouTube Video that you might want to check out if you prefer native browser add-ons only.

In order to take screenshots of YouTube videos on a Mac, you’ll need to use a different browser or extension.

2. Visit the YouTube-Screenshot Website

Screenshotting on desktop devices can be done by copying the address of a YouTube video and downloading it, or by using a website called YouTube-Screenshot. The quality of the screenshots is limited to 1280x720 resolution.

If you want to download the video thumbnail of the video, scroll down to the Official Screenshots section, determine the screenshot quality, and save the image to your desktop (right-click and select Save Image as) or mobile (long-press and select Save).

If you’re looking for a website that offers similar functionality to YouTubeScreenshot.com, you might want to check out Screenshot.net. Again, paste the YouTube URL or video ID, and you should be able to download screenshots of any frame quickly. ..

3. Use the Native Screenshot Tools

One way to take screenshots on your computer is to use the native screen capture functionalities. These are often useful because you can crop out non-essential areas and then play the screenshot back on your computer.

  1. Open the app you want to screenshot with.
  2. Tap on the three lines in the top left corner of the screen.
  3. Choose “Screenshot” from the menu that pops up.

Video quality should be increased to generate clearer screenshots. Full-screen mode can help avoid capturing the browser/YouTube app interface and other non-essential portions of the screen.

Windows and macOS

To take a screenshot on a Windows computer, press the Windows key + PrtSc key. On a Mac, press Command + Shift + 3 to take a screenshot. There are other ways to take screenshots on a Mac, too. ..

Android and iOS

Android: Press the Volume Down button and the Power button at the same time. The screenshot will appear within Google Photos and other photo gallery apps. iPhone & iPad: Press the Volume Up and Side buttons simultaneously. Find the screenshot within the Recents folder of the Photos app. On devices with a Home button, press Home + Side instead.

Don’t Forget to Ask for the Uploader’s Permission

Do you plan to use screenshots from videos you do not own for online publishing? Although that almost always falls under Fair Use, it’s still a good idea to seek the video uploader’s permission and credit the YouTube channel should you decide to go ahead.