Tips
Welcome!
This website is devoted to helping you make the most of your Chromebook by DBHIDS.
Tips on this page:
The Shelf and App Launcher
You'll find a row of icons lined up along the bottom of the screen. This is the shelf. The shelf appears by default at the bottom of the screen. You can change the location of your shelf — but for now, leave it on the bottom of the screen.
A quick tour of the shelf reveals three key groupings of icons — one icon on the left, a group in the center, and a group on the right.
The icon on the left is called the App Launcher. This is similar to the Start button in Windows. Click the App Launcher icon, and a collection of recently-used app icons appears arranged in a line. Open the shelf up all the way by clicking the ^ icon and you'll see all installed app icons arranged in a grid. Click any icon to launch the app.
The icons in the center group of the shelf are actually two groups: pinned apps and running apps. Two apps are pinned for you: Google Chrome and Microsoft Teams. You can pin any app you'd like to the shelf. If you are running any apps other than these two the app's icon will appear to the right of the pinned app icons.
The group of icons on the right is referred to as the status area. These icons include those for Notifications, Wi-Fi signal indicator, Battery and Clock. Click the status area to adjust volume, screen brightness, access settings, and more.
Convenient bookmarks
You'll notice a DBHIDS Bookmarks folder on your browser's bookmark bar that contains several helpful websites, including this one: Chromebook Tips.
Create an Office365 file
To create a blank Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, PowerPoint slideshow, or Word document:
Open Google Chrome. Optional: open a new tab
Navigate to Box using the DBHIDS Bookmarks > Box bookmark
Navigate to the Box folder you would like your new file to be created in
Select one:
Click New > Word Document
Click New > PowerPoint presentation
Click New > Excel Spreadsheet
Remember... the steps are reversed from a frequently used process flow on Windows:
On Windows, we often launch Word, compose a document, then decide on its location and name.
On Chromebook, we launch Chrome, navigate to a location in Box, select New > Word Document and name the file before we can begin editing. Every new document we create is already named and filed in Box.
Google Workspace error
If you see this error message:
We are sorry, but your Administrator has canceled your subscription to Google Workspace.
In order to re-subscribe, please contact your Google Workspace Administrator.
It is likely you've created an Office document (Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file) directly in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint. Don't do this! (See the previous tip for the proper way to start a new file.)
To get out of the bind you’re in:
Open Box in a new tab
Click New > Word Document
Name the document
Now you should have two Word documents open, one that’s already saved in Box (but contains no content) and your other Word doc that you are trying to save. Select all of the contents of your document and paste them into the document you’ve saved to Box.
Missing apps?
Apps are reviewed by City and DBHIDS IT teams before being made available to you on your DBHIDS Chromebook in the Play Store and Chrome Web Store. You can request a new app be listed.
Snap Windows to the Left and Right
For better productivity, you can make better use of your screen estate by keeping two windows open side by side. An easy way to do this is drag windows to the left or right edge, and Chrome OS will automatically snap them to the side and fill up half the screen. Or you can select a window and press Alt + [ for a left snap or Alt + ] for a right snap.
Open the shelf maximized with a keyboard shortcut
Press shift + 🔍 to open the shelf up in full screen mode
Minimize and Maximize windows
Alt + -
Alt plus the minus-sign key minimizes your active window. With your desktop clear, this combo will the restore the last window you minimized.
Alt + =
Alt plus the equals key stretches your current active window across your desktop. It's not quite full-screen mode because it leaves the header at the top of the window. You can use the full-screen key (found in the F4 spot) to go full screen.
Swipe Gestures for the Touchpad
Swipe horizontally with two fingers to go Forward and Back in Chrome.
Swipe vertically with two fingers to scroll up and down.
If you hover the mouse over the shelf at the bottom of the screen and swipe up with two fingers the shelf will expand partially. Swipe up again with 2 fingers and the shelf becomes full screen. Swipe once more and the shelf is back to its normal position, at the bottom. When the shelf is full screen, you can use 2 fingers to swipe down and view additional pages within the shelf.
Swipe horizontally with three fingers to slide between open tabs in Chrome. This is even faster than using Ctrl + Tab.
Swipe down with three fingers to open the Task Switcher, which spreads out all open apps in a bird's eye view. You can create new desks from here.
Swipe horizontally with four fingers to switch between open desks.
Right-Click on Touchpad
Use either of these methods to right-click:
press alt and tap the touch-pad
tap the touch-pad with two fingers simultaneously
Quickly lock your Chromebook
Press Search + L when you get up from your Chromebook to lock it. You'll need to enter you password or use your fingerprint upon your return to unlock it.
Delete key
Alt + backspace
The backspace key deletes the character to the left of the cursor. While there isn't a dedicated delete key on Chromebook, press Alt + backspace to delete the character to the right of the cursor.
Quickly open pinned apps
Alt + 1-9
If you have pinned your favorite apps to Chrome OS's shelf, then you can use these shortcuts to open them. Alt-1 opens the leftmost app pinned to the shelf, for example, while Alt-9 opens the rightmost app.
Caps Lock key
Press Alt + Search to toggle Caps Lock
Master the Built-In Search Key
One thing unique about Chromebook keyboards is the lack of a Windows key or Command key. Instead, Google opted to replace the Caps Lock key with a Search key, which opens the App Launcher when pressed.
This key is useful in three core ways:
Quickly launch any app by typing its name. In this sense, it's very similar to the Windows 10 Start Menu and Mac Spotlight.
Quickly launch any website URL or search engine query.
Activate a voice search by clicking the microphone button.
Take Screenshots
The switch window key (pictured, left) is found in the F5 spot on a Chromebook keyboard. Combined with the Ctrl key, it takes a screenshot of your entire desktop and saves it to your Downloads folder. To take a screenshot of only a portion of your desktop, use Ctrl + Shift + switch window key.
Discover all of the keyboard shortcuts
Press ctrl + alt + / to see a list of all Chromebook keyboard shortcuts. You can search for one here, too.
Connect using VPN
Pulse Secure VPN is pre-installed and configured on your DBHIDS Chromebook. Read more
Keyboard's top row of keys
These special Chromebook keys appear on the top row of your keyboard from left to right.
Escape. Nothing new here, just your standard escape key.
Go to the previous page in your browser history
Go to the next page in your browser history
Refresh your current page
Make your page take up the full screen
Show all your open windows. (Take a screenshot by pressing this key with ctrl.)
Decrease screen brightness
Increase screen brightness
Mute the sound
Lower the volume
Raise the volume
Power key. Press for one second to display options for Power off, Sign out, and Lock.
Search key. Search your apps and the web at the same time. To turn Caps Lock on or off, press Alt + Search. (If you're using a Windows keyboard, the Windows key in between Ctrl and Alt will work as the search key.)
Open a second mailbox
For users who have access to multiple Outlook Mailboxes. Read more
Save email attachments to Box
Look under the more actions menu (three dots) then select Box
Import calendar events
After receiving a calendar invitation you'd like to add to your calendar, follow these steps:
Save the invitation by downloading it to your Downloads folder in the Files app
In Outlook, view your Calendar
Select Add calendar
Select Upload from file
Select Browse
Locate and select the file you downloaded in Step 1.
The calendar event now appears in your calendar.
Network issues?
Run the Chrome Connectivity Diagnostics to help identify the network issues. You can download the app here:
ZIP files
How to unzip files
To unzip files, you'll have to copy and paste the desired files to their new location on your Chromebook.
Double-click the zipped file to open it.
Select the file (or files using the Shift key) inside the zip file that you'd like to unzip.
Right-click and select "Copy" to copy the document or documents, or press Ctrl + C on your keyboard.
Right-click again, or use the Ctrl + P on your keyboard, to paste your file into its new folder. A pop-up will appear confirming that the file was successfully pasted. (You can also simply click and drag files to another location to extract them from the zipped file. For example, click and drag the file into "Downloads" or another folder in the left-hand menu.)
Once you're done, click the eject button next to "Archive.zip" in the left-hand menu to complete the process. (See image)
How to zip files
Open the Files app.
In Files, find the document or folder that you want to zip and right-click. (You can also select multiple documents by holding the Shift key on your keyboard while you click the files. A blue checkmark will appear next to each selected file.)
Right-click the selected files, and then click "Zip selection."
A zip file will appear directly above your selection.
Click the file to view its content. You can also right-click it to rename it.
Reset Chrome settings to default
You can restore your browser settings in Chrome at any time. You might need to do this if apps or extensions you installed changed your settings without your knowledge. Your saved bookmarks and passwords won't be cleared or changed.
Select the three dots in the upper-right corner of the Chrome browser window
Select Settings
Select Advanced to expand it
Select Reset settings
Select Restore settings to their original defaults
Select Reset settings
Change your password
See this page for help changing your password
Printing
See this page for help with printing
Using MCO
See this document in Box for help setting up and using MCO
Suggest a tip
Help add valuable content here by suggesting a Chromebook Tip