Since Chrome OS was released in 2011, it has grown to become a formidable operating system, giving users access to a full desktop-class web browsing experience, as well as a continuously-growing collection of Android apps from the Google Play Store. Whether you’ve just picked up a Chromebook or have had one for a while, we’ll show you some of the best Chromebook keyboard shortcuts to master your experience.
If you’re having issues with your Chromebook, be sure to check out our guide on the most common Chromebook problems and how to fix them easily.
The Everything button
In this guide, we refer to the Everything button. It’s now Google’s official name for the button previously referred to as the Search or Launcher key. On a Chromebook, it’s found in the spot customarily inhabited by Caps Lock, sporting a magnifying glass or large dot depending on the Chromebook model.
If you are using an external keyboard with a Mac or Windows layout, pressing the Windows key or the Command key will function the same as pressing the Everything button.
Tab and window shortcuts
Learning to control your windows and their respective tabs is one of the best ways to master your Chromebook. Here are some of the most useful tab and window control keyboard shortcuts for Chromebooks and Chrome OS:
| Function | Keyboard shortcut |
| Open a new window | Ctrl + N |
| Open a new tab | Ctrl + T |
| Open a file in the browser | Ctrl + O |
| Close the current tab | Ctrl + W |
| Close the current window | Shift + Ctrl + W |
| Cycle through tabs (#1-8) | Ctrl + (#1-8) |
| Go to the next tab | Ctrl + Tab |
| Go to the previous tab | Shift + Ctrl + Tab |
| Cycle through windows | (Press and hold) Alt + (tap) Tab |
| Dock a window left | Alt + [ |
| Dock a window right | Alt + ] |
| Maximize a window | Alt + = |
| Minimize a window | Alt + – |
Chrome web browser shortcuts
Your Chromebook is built around the Google Chrome web browser, and you’ll find yourself using it for the majority of tasks on your machine (unless you’re using Android apps or Linux programs). The following keyboard shortcuts will help you become more efficient when browsing the web with Chrome.
| Function | Keyboard shortcut |
| Go to the previous page in your history | Alt + Left Arrow |
| Go to the next page in your history | Alt + Right Arrow |
| Open a link in the background (new tab) | Ctrl + Mouse Click |
| Open a link in the background (new window) | Shift + Mouse Click |
| Page up | Alt + Up Arrow |
| Page down | Alt + Down Arrow |
| Go to top of page | Ctrl + Alt + Up Arrow |
| Go to the bottom of the page | Ctrl + Alt + Down Arrow |
| Print page | Ctrl + P |
| Reload page | Ctrl + R |
| Zoom in | Ctrl + (+) |
| Zoom out | Ctrl + (-) |
| Reset zoom | Ctrl + 0 (zero) |
| Save page as a bookmark | Ctrl + D |
| Search the page | Ctrl + F |
| Perform a Google search | Ctrl + K or Ctrl + E |
| View page source | Ctrl + U |
| Show the developer tools panel | Shift + Ctrl + I |
| Show or hide the bookmarks bar | Shift + Ctrl + B |
| Show the toolbar | Alt + Shift + T |
| Open the history page | Ctrl + H |
| Open the downloads page | Ctrl + J |
| Select address bar | Ctrl + L |
Text editor shortcuts
Writing up a long document can be enough of a challenge, so here are a few Chromebook keyboard shortcuts that can make your job a bit easier. These controls work within text editors such as Google Docs, as well as some text boxes on the web.
Remember, the Everything button has a magnifying glass or dot icon on the key depending on your Chromebook model.
| Function | Keyboard shortcut |
| Caps lock on/off | Everything + Alt |
| Select everything | Ctrl + A |
| Select the next word or letter | Shift + Ctrl + Right Arrow |
| Select text to the end of the line | Everything + Shift + Right Arrow |
| Select text to the beginning of the line | Everything + Shift + Left Arrow |
| Select previous word or letter | Shift + Ctrl + Left Arrow |
| Move to end of next word | Ctrl + Right Arrow |
| Move to the start of the previous word | Ctrl + Left Arrow |
| Move to the start of the line | Everything + Left Arrow |
| Move to the end of the line | Everything + Right Arrow |
| Go to the end of the document | Everything + Ctrl + Right Arrow |
| Go to the beginning of the document | Everything + Ctrl + Left Arrow |
| Copy text | Ctrl + C |
| Paste text | Ctrl + V |
| Cut text | Ctrl + X |
| Delete the previous word | Ctrl + Backspace |
| Delete the next letter | Alt + Backspace |
| Undo action | Ctrl + Z |
| Redo action | Shift + Ctrl + Z |
| Switch to the next keyboard language | Ctrl + Space |
| Switch to the previous keyboard language | Shift + Ctrl + Space |
System and accessibility shortcuts
Chrome OS is loaded with keyboard shortcuts that help you stay in control of your Chromebook experience. Here are the best system and accessibility shortcuts to keep a note of when working on your machine.
| Function | Keyboard shortcut |
| Open the files app | Shift + Alt + M |
| Preview a selected file | Spacebar |
| Display hidden files | Ctrl + . |
| Open status area | Shift + Alt + S |
| Click icon 1-8 on your shelf | Alt + (#1-8) |
| View notifications | Shift + Alt + N |
| Change screen resolution (increase) | Shift + Ctrl + (+) |
| Change screen resolution (decrease) | Shift + Ctrl + (-) |
| Reset screen resolution to default | Shift + Ctrl + 0 |
| Rotate screen 90 degrees | Shift + Ctrl + Rotate |
| Switch to next user | Ctrl + Alt + . |
| Switch to the previous user | Ctrl + Alt + , |
| Turn on/off spoken feedback | Ctrl + Alt + Z |
| Turn on high contrast mode | Everything + Ctrl + H |
| Magnify entire screen | Ctrl + Everything + M |
| Magnify part of the screen | Ctrl +Everything + D |
| Highlight the launcher | Shift + Alt + L |
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