30 Useful Chromebook Shortcuts to Memorize by Heart

Jeni_Odley

Whether you are working hard on a project or relaxing with your favorite movie, learning keyboard shortcuts can increase productivity and help you finish tasks faster. Pressing these key combinations eliminates the need to navigate menus, streamlining our workflow and potentially reducing wrist strain from repeated clicking.

Here are some of the most useful Chromebook keyboard shortcuts you can memorize for ultimate convenience and efficiency. 

System and device controls

Here are some nifty shortcuts to lock your Chromebook, check its battery status, and switch between virtual desks.

1. Lock your Chromebook instantly: Press Search + L 
2. Open ChromeOS Task Manager: Hit Shift + Esc
3. Check your device’s battery percentage and status: Ctrl+ Alt + T 
4. Rotate the screen: Ctrl + Shift + Refresh (↻)
5. Move a window between virtual desks: Ctrl + Alt + Shift + Left/Right 
6. Switch between virtual desks: Ctrl + Alt + Up/Down Arrow 
7. Mirror display to an external monitor: Ctrl + Shift + Refresh (↻) 

General navigation and window management

Try these handy keyboard shortcuts to manage windows, switch between apps, and change to a different input method.

1. Switch between open apps: Alt + Tab
2. Open the keyboard shortcut helper: Ctrl + Alt + ? 
3. Switch keyboard input method (if multiple are set up): Ctrl + Space 
4. Open the Files app: Alt + Shift + M
5. Sign out: Ctrl + Shift + Q (twice)

Chrome browser shortcuts

Learning these Chrome browser shortcuts will help you browse with convenience and ease.

1. Close the current tab: Ctrl + W
2. Open a new tab: Ctrl + T
3. Reopen the last closed tab: Ctrl + Shift + T 
4. Jump to a specific tab (1-8): Ctrl + 1 to 8
5. Jump to the last opened tab: Ctrl + 9
6. Highlight the address bar: Ctrl + L
7. Bookmark the current page: Ctrl + D
8. Open browsing history: Ctrl + H
9. Open an incognito window: Ctrl + Shift + N 
10. Show or hide the bookmarks bar: Ctrl + Shift + B
11. Open the Chrome browser menu: Alt + E

Screenshot and clipboard shortcuts

These shortcuts make taking full or partial screenshots a breeze.

1. Take a full screenshot: Ctrl + Window (F5 key)
2. Take a partial screenshot: Ctrl + Shift + Window (F5 key) 
3. Paste without formatting: Ctrl + Shift + V

Zoom and accessibility

Check out the following shortcuts to learn how to zoom in or out of a webpage, open Google Assistant, or enable the screen reader.

1. Zoom into a web page Ctrl + Shift + +
2. Zoom out of a webpage: Ctrl + Shift + - 
3. Reset zoom to default: Ctrl + 0
4. Enable or disable ChromeVox (screen reader): Ctrl + Alt + Z 
5. Open Google Assistant: Search + A 

Browse faster with keyboard shortcuts 

Chrome keyboard shortcuts let you complete tasks quickly and cut out long-winded menus. Using keyboard shortcuts instead of a mouse can also alleviate wrist strain, reducing the risk of repetitive strain injuries. These 30 time-saving shortcuts are a great start to transforming how you use your Chromebook. If you are looking for a particular shortcut but can’t see it here, check out the Chromebook keyboard shortcuts webpage.

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