ChromeOS Keyboard
The ChromeOS keyboard was designed for efficiency by removing several of the lesser used buttons and focus on the buttons that are most commonly used by modern applications. The ChromeOS keyboard should be very familiar and easy to adjust to for most. The one thing that will stand out to most users is the traditional function keys (F1-F12) have been replaced with dedicated buttons to assist with the navigation of ChromeOS (1).
One other difference is that the Caps Lock key has been replaced with a search button. This button is also referred to as the "Everything Button" (2). When pressing the button, it will open the ChromeOS application launcher, but it serves as a quick way to access the Google Assistant and searching for files on your device or on the web.
If you need to use a traditional keyboard, ChromeOS does allow you to use any USB or Bluetooth keyboard as well. You can also remap on the ChromeOS keyboard via the ChromeOS settings application.
Keyboard Shortcuts
The simplified ChromeOS keyboard does remove some less commonly used functions which previously had a dedicated button; however, these functions are not lost but hidden behind a keyboard shortcut.
System and Window Management Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Function |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + Shift + Q (twice) | Sign out of your ChromeOS session |
| Ctrl + Shift + L | Lock your ChromeOS screen |
| Ctrl + Alt + ? | Open the keyboard shortcut overview |
| Ctrl + Alt + / (forward slash) | Show all keyboard shortcuts |
| Ctrl + Shift + Refresh | Rotate the screen 90 degrees |
| Ctrl + Alt + Back/Forward Arrow | Switch between previous and next ChromeOS workspace |
| Alt + Tab | Switch between open windows |
| Ctrl + Alt + Up/Down Arrow | Move between virtual desks |
| Search + Left/Right Arrow | Move between virtual desks |
| Ctrl + Shift + 0 | Reset zoom level |
| Ctrl + Shift + + | Zoom in |
| Ctrl + Shift + - | Zoom out |
Browser and Tab Management Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Function |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + T | Open a new tab |
| Ctrl + W | Close the current tab |
| Ctrl + Shift + T | Reopen the last closed tab |
| Ctrl + 1 through Ctrl + 8 | Switch to a specific tab (numbered from left to right) |
| Ctrl + 9 | Switch to the last tab |
| Ctrl + Shift + W | Close the current window |
| Ctrl + Shift + N | Open a new Incognito window |
| Ctrl + L | Highlight the address bar |
| Alt + Left Arrow | Go back a page |
| Alt + Right Arrow | Go forward a page |
| Ctrl + R | Reload the current page |
| Ctrl + Shift + R | Reload the current page (ignoring cache) |
Text Editing Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Function |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + C | Copy |
| Ctrl + X | Cut |
| Ctrl + V | Paste |
| Ctrl + Shift + V | Paste without formatting |
| Ctrl + A | Select all |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo |
| Ctrl + Y | Redo |
| Alt + Backspace | Delete (forward delete on ChromeOS) |
| Ctrl + Backspace | Delete previous word |
| Ctrl + Alt + Up/Down | Move the cursor between multiple lines |
Screenshot and Accessibility Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Function |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + Show All Windows | Take a full-screen screenshot |
| Ctrl + Shift + Show All Windows | Open the screenshot tool |
| Ctrl + Alt + Z | Enable or disable ChromeVox (screen reader) |
| Ctrl + Search + Volume Up | Turn on/off magnifier |
| Ctrl + Search + H | Enable high contrast mode |
Miscellaneous Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Function |
|---|---|
| Search + Esc | Open Task Manager |
| Search + L | Lock your screen |
| Ctrl + Shift + P | Print the current page |
| Shift + Esc | Force quit a tab |
| Ctrl + Shift + U | View page source |
Mastering these shortcuts will help you navigate ChromeOS efficiently and boost your productivity!