When Google first launched its Linux-based working system, most individuals had been blown away by the concept a pc might merely do away with the desktop and focus solely on the browser.
Quick-forward over a decade and Chromebooks are nonetheless fashionable and good for a lot of causes. Not simply because they’re reasonably priced both.
Nonetheless, getting used to a tool that is principally all browser-focused is usually a problem at first, however there are a variety of issues that you are able to do together with your Chromebook that you simply may not realise.
There are quite a few ideas, tips, keyboard shortcuts, net apps, extensions, and add-ons you should utilize at this very second to get probably the most out of your Chrome OS machine and make it simply as brawny and feature-rich as a Mac or Home windows pc. Effectively, possibly not as brawny. However fairly shut.
The right way to entry Chromebook settings
Your Chromebook nonetheless has a settings menu that lets you tweak all kinds of issues together with searching for updates, altering consumer account settings, adjusting accessibility settings and extra
To entry it go to the underside right-hand nook of your show, then click on on the standing space, and choose the cog icon to carry up the settings web page.
You can too entry the settings with shortcuts as properly. Relatively than clicking round simply press ALT+SHIFT+S.
If you realize what you are searching for you possibly can seek for it within the settings menu by urgent CTRL+F.
The right way to right-click on a Chromebook
While you begin utilizing a Chromebook some issues can really feel a bit awkward. Belongings you’re used to doing on a Home windows laptop computer which are second nature can immediately really feel complicated. Easy issues like right-clicking in your trackpad for instance.
Chromebooks have a special design that is a trackpad with a single button, however among the controls on a Chromebook are executed through gesture as a substitute. One in every of these is right-clicking. So to right-click all it is advisable to do is use two fingers to faucet on the trackpad on the similar time. This acts like a proper click on and opens menus in the identical manner it will in Home windows. Easy.
Navigating with gestures
There are a number of totally different gestures that you should utilize to navigate round your Chromebook or use it in numerous methods. These embrace easy actions to optimise your life:
- Swipe up with two fingers on the trackpad and you may scroll up a web page. Scroll down by swiping down as a substitute.
- Swipe two fingers to the left and you may return to the earlier web page
- Swipe two fingers to the fitting and you may go forwards as a substitute
- Swipe up with three fingers to see all of your open apps and home windows
- Swipe left or proper with three fingers to modify between Chrome tabs
- Swipe left or proper with 4 fingers to modify between digital desktops
Handle customers in your Chromebook
Go to settings to handle who can log into your machine. Scroll right down to the Customers part and click on on “Supervisor different customers”, the place you can add customers, allow visitor searching, allow supervised customers, present customers names and photographs on sign-in display, and prohibit customers. Chrome OS additionally helps multi-user logins.
Handle your kids’s Chromebook use
Chromebooks make a logical selection for getting for younger relations as they’re reasonably priced and simple to make use of. However if you wish to be sure that your kids are protected on-line you then’ll wish to have a look at Household LInk. It is a software that is constructed to offer you management over your child’s Android telephones and Chromebook laptops.
We have written a detailed guide on how Family Link works and easy methods to set it as much as do issues like handle display time, prohibit mature content material or handle apps and web site entry too.
Accessibility choices
To view accessibility choices, kind chrome://settings/search#accessibility into your browser URL bar, or simply go to the Settings web page and seek for accessibility. You will then have the chance to allow Chromevox spoken suggestions, faucet dragging, on-screen keyboard, and extra.
The right way to screenshot on Chromebook
We have written earlier than concerning the numerous other ways you possibly can take screenshots on your Chromebook. There are numerous other ways you possibly can each seize a screenshot or display document whereas utilizing your Chromebook.
To take a fast screenshot of all the pieces on the display with minimal fuss all it is advisable to do is press Ctrl + Present home windows key on the similar time. The present home windows key’s the one with an emblem of a sq. subsequent to 2 traces.
The right way to break up display in your Chromebook
Regardless of the small measurement and unassuming nature Chromebooks can nonetheless be used to multi-task whenever you wish to. This contains easy issues like split-screening your view so you may get extra executed with ease.
Activating break up display on a Chromebook is de facto simple to:
- Open the app you wish to use
- Click on on the maximise/restore button
- Click on and drag the app to the left or proper hand facet of the display
- Let go and it ought to snap
- Repeat the method with one other app and you’ll snap it to the opposite facet for side-by-side view.
For extra choices on break up screening, read our full guide here.
Pin apps for fast entry
If there are issues that you simply usually must entry then you possibly can simply pin these to have fast entry to them. This acts in the same method to the taskbar on Home windows, nevertheless it’s known as the Shelf. To do that:
- Open the launcher by clicking on it through the Shelf
- Discover the related app that you simply wish to pin
- Proper click on on it (use two fingers on the nook of the trackpad)
- Click on the choice to pin to Shelf
Alternatively you possibly can pin an online web page from Chrome. With Chrome open to the related web page:
- Click on the three dot choice menu
- Click on on extra instruments
- Click on on create shortcut
- Then open the launcher and discover the shortcut
- Proper click on it and click on pin to shlef
As soon as one thing is pinned to your Chromebook shelf you possibly can entry it shortly by simply clicking on it, however you can too faucet ALT and the quantity in your keyboard that corresponds to the app you wish to use. For instance ALT+1 for the primary app, ALT+2 for the second, ALT+3 for the third and so forth.
Helpful Chromebook shortcuts
Enhance your life with these easy Chromebook shortcuts.
- Shift+Alt+M – Opens file handle to see all you native drives, Google Drive, Downloads folder, information, and so on. That is the Information net app positioned in your Chrome App Launcher
- Ctrl+Shift+L – Wish to shortly log off out of your Chromebook account however do not wish to exit out of open tabs and net apps? This mixture locks the display
- Ctrl+Shift+N – For instances whenever you wish to browse the online with out Chrome saving sure data, you should utilize incognito mode and that is the straightforward method to activate it
- Ctrl+Shift+O – Use this mix to entry your Bookmark supervisor within the Chrome browser. This web page will allow you to simply transfer bookmarks, create folders, and organise all of your favorite pages
- Ctrl+M – This shortcut minimises the present window. Preserve urgent the shortcut mixture to minimise each open window till you see your desktop
- Ctrl+H – View Chrome searching historical past with this shortcut: You can too entry this by going to the Settings web page and choose Historical past within the right-hand menu
- Ctrl+ Shift+Q – Shortly restart your Chromebook with this key mixture
- Ctrl+Shift+T – opens the final tab you closed
- Ctrl+Shift+Tab – cycles by means of your open tabs
- Alt+Search – activates caps lock. There is not any devoted caps lock key so that is helpful should you want it
- Ctrl+Shift+Alt+Rotate/Reload – does a barrel roll and spins your display
- Ctrl+Shift+? – do you know that you could get sure advantages together with your Chromebook? Hit this shortcut to see them
The right way to manufacturing facility reset your Chromebook
You’ll be able to clear all native consumer information saved in your Chromebook by resetting it to original factory state. This course of is also called a Powerwash. You will must go to the Settings web page and click on Present superior settings on the backside of the web page. Discover the “Powerwash” part, then click on Reset, and at last, choose Restart. You can too reset your Chromebook from the sign-in display. Merely press Ctrl+Alt+Shift+R after which choose Restart.
Clearly you will wish to back-up any essential information earlier than you manufacturing facility reset otherwise you’ll threat dropping your essential issues so make use of Google Drive to again up important information first.
Valve
Set up Steam in your Chromebook
When you’re a gamer with a punchier Chromebook and a craving to play one thing in your machine then there’s excellent news because it’s doable to install Steam on your Chromebook. There are a couple of steps to it and you may additionally have to be operating a appropriate machine however in any other case it is completely doable and there are a selection of video games you possibly can play too.
We have written a detailed guide on how to do that, the Chromebooks it will work on and the supported video games.
In fact if this fails then you possibly can all the time turn to Steam Link and distant sport streaming to get your gaming repair.
Autohide the shelf
Mac OS enables you to autohide the dock. Home windows does the identical with the taskbar. It is a fairly cool function that can, because it sounds, cover your shelf till you hover over the shelf areas. However do you know you might do the identical together with your shelf in Chrome? Excellent-click on the shelf and choose Autohide shelf.
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