Chromebooksare great for cheap, easy-to-use internet access. As a stand-alone platform, however, Google’s Chrome OS is far newer than Windows and MacOS. There’s a definite learning curve when moving away from Apple and Microsoft.
If you’renew to Chromebooks, familiarize yourself with all the nooks and crannies for an overall better experience. To help get you started, here are a few tips that will advance you to “power user” status in no time.
Use the shortcut map
We could fill up an entire post listingall the keyboard shortcutscrammed into Chrome OS, but why bother? You can see all of them for yourself at any time by pressing the following keys simultaneously:
Ctrl + Alt + ?
This opens a window listing all keyboard shortcuts divided into six categories. To close the shortcut map, just click theXbutton.
Type Unicode characters
Need to type Unicode characters? You can do that on a Chromebook. All you need to know is the Unicode’s number,listed here, and the key combination. Here’s what to type:
Ctrl + U + number
For example, to get the trademark symbol, typeCtrl + U + 2122.
Utilize overview mode
Want to see all the windows and desktops you have open on one screen? Simply swipe three fingers down on your touchscreen or trackpad to activate this mode.
You can also press theShow windowsbutton key, or F5.
Create new desktops
Like Windows and MacOS, Chromebooks have the native ability to create new virtual desktops. This allows you to assign different groups of windows to different desktops, arranging more complicated projects effortlessly without getting them too confused or overloading any single desktop.
To add a virtual desktop, press the following keys simultaneously:
Shift + Search + =
You can also create and manage virtual desktops using the following steps:
Step 1:Use three fingers to swipe down on your touchscreen or trackpad. Alternatively, press the Show windows button key, or F5.
Step 2:Tap or clickNew Desklocated in the top right corner.
You’ll see the new desktop listed next to your original desktop in a ribbon running along the top edge of your screen. You can delete a virtual desktop by clicking the “x” on the desktop’s thumbnail.
Change the Shelf position
By default, the Shelf sits at the bottom of the screen, but it doesn’t have to live there indefinitely. If you like your taskbar on the top or sides, Chrome OS offers that customization too.
Step 1:Right-click on theShelf.
Step 2:Hover the cursor overShelf Positionlisted on the pop-up menu.
Step 3:SelectLeft,Bottom, orRighton the extended menu.
Adjust resolution and zoom
If you find text or images a little too hard to see on your Chromebook (especially on newer high-resolution screens), you have two options.
Your first option is display scaling, which scales fonts, icons, and so on without reducing visual fidelity no matter the setting. This is different from changing the resolution as seen in Windows, which can result in ugly visuals if it’s reduced lower than your screen’s native resolution.
Step 1: Click on the system clock.
Step 2:Click thegear iconon the pop-up menu. This opens the settings panel.
Step 3:ClickDevicelisted on the left.
Step 4:Click to expandDisplayslisted on the right.
As shown above, you’ll see a slider ranging fromSmalltoLarge. By default, it’s set toSmallor 100%, which is your display’s native resolution. You can move the slider in nine increments up to 200%, but it’s still based on your screen’s native resolution.
For instance, a 1,920 x 1,080 screen scaled at 200%looks like960 x 540, but everything is scaled up and remains crisp. If you grabbed a screenshot, the resulting image is still 1,920 x 1,080 despite all the larger elements.
There are keyboard shortcuts that do something similar:
If the menus and other interface elements are acceptable but you want to change the scale of text and images on one specific website, type the following:
To change the default zoom and font size for all web pages, do the following:
Step 1:Open Chrome
Step 2:Click the three-dotCustomize and Controlicon in the top right corner.
Step 3:SelectSettingson the drop-down menu.
Step 4:ClickAppearancelisted on the left.
Step 5:Use the drop-down menu next toFont Sizeto switch between five font settings.
Step 6:Use the pop-up menu next toPage Zoomto adjust the zoom between 25% and 500%.
Multitask like a pro
Like Snap Assist in Windows 10, Chrome OS allows you to “snap” windows to the sides of your display, essentially splitting your screen in two. For instance, you can have a browser open on the left and Google Docs open on the right, filling the entire screen — no stacked or floating windows.
Step 1:Select your first window and pressAlt + [to snap it to the left. Type it again later to “un-snap.”
Step 2:Select your second window and pressAlt + ]to snap it to the right. Type it again later to “un-snap.”
Alternatively, you can simply click and hold on a window and drag it to the left or right edge of your screen. Release the mouse button when it fills the target half. Rinse and repeat with your second window.
Snap a screenshot
Screenshot captures work differently on every operating system, which can get frustrating if you are switching to a Chromebook keyboard, as it doesn’t support the Print Screen key. But fear not: Taking a screenshot is just as easy albeit slightly different:
Ctrl + Switch window (F5)
For more help on taking a screenshot on a Chromebook,check out our dedicated guide.
Get your Caps Lock back
By default, Chromebooks replace the Caps Lock key in the standard keyboard layout with a Search button that activates the Google Search popup. If you rely on a conventional Caps Lock key (or you just like shouting at people with all-caps text), there’s an easy way to get it back.
Step 1:Click on thesystem clock.
Step 2:Select thegear iconon the pop-up menu. This opens the settings panel.
Step 3:ClickDevicelocated on the left menu.
Step 4:Click to expandKeyboardlisted on the right underDevice.
Step 5:Click the drop-down menu next toSearchand selectCaps Lock.
In addition to the Search key, you can reassign the Ctrl, Alt, Esc, and Backspace keys. You can disable all five as well.
Load the Task Manager
Despite its web-based roots, Chrome OS provides a Task Manager like Windows and MacOS. With this tool, you can see what’s eating your Chromebook’s memory, CPU, and network bandwidth. To open Task Manager, type the following:
Search + Esc
Alternatively, you can access Task Manager from Chrome:
Step 1:Click the three-dotCustomize and Controlbutton in the top right corner.
Step 2:HighlightMore Toolsin the drop-down menu until a roll-out menu appears.
Step 3:ClickTask Manager.
You can end a task by selecting it on the list and clicking theEnd Processbutton.
Check the system information
Unlike Windows and MacOS, you won’t find a detailed hardware list. Instead, you must open Chrome and load theAbout Systempage. Even then, the average Chromebook owner may not understand what the information provides save for the current Chrome OS version.
To access this information, type the following in Chrome’s Omnibox:
chrome://system
Check your storage
A Chromebook isn’t ideal if you need lots of space, as it is primarily web-focused. Even with Android functionality, Chromebooks tend to have 16GB or 32GB of space.you may expand the storage with an SD card if your Chromebook supports it. They are easy to find and even easier to set up.
To see how much space is available on your local drive, do the following:
Step 1:Click theFilesicon on the Shelf. It resembles a folder.
Step 2:With the app open, click the three-dotMorebutton located in the top right corner.The storage amount is displayed at the bottom of the menu.
To see the amount of storage you have on an SD card, do the following:
Step 2:Click on theSD Cardlisted on the left.
Step 3:With the app open, click the three-dotMorebutton located in the top right corner.The storage amount is displayed at the bottom of the menu.
Show hidden files and folders
Chrome OS intentionally hides all files and folders with names that begin with a period by default. you’re able to uncover them by following these two steps:
Step 1: Click the folder icon on the Shelf. This opens the Files app.
Step 2: Press theCtrlandPeriodkeys.
Repeating these steps will hide the files.
Get Chromebook perks
Upon acquiring your new Chromebook, Google supplies you witha variety of perks. You, therefore, have an excellent opportunity to test apps and services you wouldn’t otherwise get the chance to use. While the list of perks is everchanging, here is a list of the perks at present:
Wipe your Chromebook
If you want to sell your computer, you’re going to want to eliminate your files and any other extraneous apps or downloads you may have executed. Powerwash is the feature that makes your computer new again by eliminating personal information and returning your computer to the way it was when you bought it. However, you can’t keep files on the device and merely reset the operating system settings as in Windows 10. For Powerwash to work, you must first remove all files from your computer and upload them to an external hard drive.
