The Chrome OS keyboard is a bit different than keyboards you’ve used in the past, most likely. The function keys above your number keys is mostly the same on all Chromebooks and the buttons up there do what you expect for the most part. There’s a full-screen button and a dedicated overview mode button that sit somewhere near the middle, but all the other keys do exactly what you expect from the looks of them.
But hidden in all those other plain-looking keys is an anthem of keyboard shortcuts that can save you loads of time if you learn them. Can you memorize them all? Not likely, but you can add a handful to your repertoire pretty quickly and drastically improve your workflow. New ones are added all the time that help us navigate new features on our Chromebooks, and you can get subscribed to our newsletter below if you’d like to know when those new ones happen.
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If you use an ISP email address, change it now
Something that still amazes me is how many people still use an email address provided by their internet service provider (ISP). The issue with doing this is that your email address will only be valid while you’re with that ISP.
If you decide to change your ISP because you want faster broadband speeds, which are only available elsewhere. Or perhaps you regularly change your ISP to get the best price. Using an email provided by your ISP is a way for them to keep you tied to them.
Turn off the Lock Screen When Waking From Sleep
If you don’t want the lock screen to show up after your Chromebook wakes up from sleep, you can turn it off in settings. That way you don’t need to enter the password. It’s only required after restarting or after you turn on Chromebook.
Go to Chromebook Settings > Security and privacy > Lock screen and sign-in. Enter your password. Turn off the toggle next to Show lock screen when waking from sleep.
Use Android apps (including Google Assistant)
Straightforward favorites like Facebook, YouTube, Netflix, WhatsApp, and all the Google Suite applications like Drive, Calendar, and Gmail are all available online and offline.
Google Accounts Are Free And Helpful
If you do not have a Google account, you should create one. You can get a free trial, and it will allow you to access Google’s many features.
Credit: Northwest Nazarene University