Why it's a strong pick

OpenScreenShot is a free screenshot and screen recording extension for Chrome. Its source is open under the MIT licence, and it uses Manifest V3. The Chrome Web Store version is 2.4.0, updated 8 October 2026. It asks for host access only when a feature needs it. The trade-off: the project is new, with no long track record.

What it does

You can capture a full page, a selected region or the visible area. After you capture, annotation and editing tools let you mark up the image. The extension can also record browser tabs, with zoom, narration and webcam options. Exports include PNG, JPEG, WebP, PDF and WebM.

Key features

Three capture modes. Full page, selected region and visible area.
Annotation and editing tools. Mark up a capture after you take it.
Tab recording. Zoom, narration and webcam options, per the store listing.
Five export formats. PNG, JPEG, WebP, PDF and WebM.
Keyboard shortcuts. Ctrl+Shift+S full page, Alt+Shift+V visible area, Ctrl+Shift+E region (from the source manifest).

Who it's for

OpenScreenShot suits people who want one open-source tool for both screenshots and short tab recordings. It fits you if you want captures kept on your own device. If you only need one-click full-page captures, see GoFullPage. For quick region grabs that you share by link, see Lightshot.

Is OpenScreenShot free and open source?

Yes to both. The store listing calls it free and open source, and the repository's LICENSE file is the MIT licence. The listing says there is no account, no uploads and no telemetry, and that everything stays on your device. These are the developer's own statements, not an audit by us.

What permissions does OpenScreenShot ask for?

The source manifest lists activeTab, scripting, storage, unlimitedStorage, downloads, contextMenus, clipboardWrite and offscreen. Tab capture and access to all sites are optional, so Chrome asks only when a feature needs them. No host permissions are required. Chrome shows the final list at install.

Does OpenScreenShot work with Manifest V3?

Yes. The source manifest sets manifest version 3 and asks for Chrome 116 or newer. Because it is Manifest V3, it runs as a service worker instead of a background page. That is the current Chrome extension standard, so you should not see a warning that the extension will stop working.

FAQ

Does it need an account? The listing says no. It states there are no uploads and no telemetry.

Can it record my screen? It records browser tabs, with zoom, narration and webcam options. We did not test recording quality.

Who makes it? The listing says it was created by the owner of openscreenshot.app. It does not name a company. The licence file names "OpenScreenShot @PGHQdev".

Good to know

Practical tip: host access is optional, so a new capture or recording feature may show a Chrome permission prompt the first time you use it. Say yes only if you want that feature. Limit: the repository's copyright line is 2026, so this is a young project. Check the update history before you rely on it for important work.

Other screenshot tools to compare

OpenScreenShot is one of 6 picks in our screenshot tools guide:

GoFullPage: capture a whole page in one click.
FireShot: full-page capture saved as PDF or image.
Awesome Screenshot: capture, annotate, blur and share.
Lightshot: quick region screenshots with in-place editing.
Screenity: record your screen with drawing tools (a video recorder, not a still screenshot tool).

OpenScreenShot