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ChromeOS Keyboard Shortcuts - Printable Chromebook Cheat Sheet (2026)
Use this Chromebook cheat sheet for browser controls, window management, screenshots, accessibility, and everyday ChromeOS tasks.
Quick Chromebook answers
- How do I close a tab on a Chromebook?
- Ctrl + W. Close the whole window with Ctrl + Shift + W.
- How do I undo on a Chromebook?
- Ctrl + Z. Redo with Ctrl + Shift + Z.
- How do I underline on a Chromebook?
- In Google Docs, select the text and press Ctrl + U. This is an editor shortcut; in Chrome outside an editor, Ctrl + U opens page source.
- How do I paste without formatting on a Chromebook?
- Ctrl + Shift + V.
- How do I minimize a window on a Chromebook?
- Alt + − (minus). Maximize with Alt + =.
- How do I search for a word on a page?
- Ctrl + F.
- What is the magnifying glass key on a Chromebook?
- That's the Search / Launcher key (where Caps Lock is on other keyboards). Press it alone to open the Launcher, or combine it with other keys for shortcuts.
- Does a Chromebook have an Option key?
- No. Alt is the closest counterpart to Mac's Option key, but shortcut combinations are platform-specific and are not always interchangeable.
- How do I see every shortcut on my Chromebook?
- Google’s current help documents Ctrl + Search + S (or Ctrl + Launcher + S). You can also open Settings → Device → Keyboard and inputs → View keyboard shortcuts.
126 shortcuts across 11 categories
Official documentation
- Official source: Google Chromebook Help — Keyboard shortcuts (US QWERTY)
- Official source: Chromium source — ChromeOS window/desk accelerators (documented snapshot)
- Official source: Google Chromebook Help — Chromebook keyboard
- Official source: Google Docs Help — Chrome OS editor shortcuts
- Official source: Chromium source — Files command bindings (documented snapshot)
- Official source: Google Chromebook Help — Desks
- Official source: Google Chromebook Help — Screenshots and recording
- Official source: Chromium source — ChromeOS browser accelerators (documented snapshot)
- Official source: Chromium source — ChromeOS Home/End key rewrites (documented snapshot)
- Official source: Google Chromebook Help — ChromeVox
- Official source: Google Chromebook Help — Magnification
- Official source: Google Chromebook Help — Select-to-speak
- Official source: Google Chromebook Help — Find and open apps
- Official source: Chromium libapps — Terminal key handlers (documented snapshot)
- Official source: Chromium libapps — Terminal preference defaults (documented snapshot)
- Official source: GNU Bash Manual — Readline movement (Emacs mode)
- Official source: GNU Bash Manual — Readline text and EOF
- Official source: GNU Bash Manual — Readline completion
- Official source: GNU Bash Manual — Readline history (Emacs mode)
- Official source: GNU Bash Manual — Readline text removal (Emacs mode)
- Official source: Google Chromebook Help — Touchpad gestures
- Official source: Google Chrome Help — Print and save as PDF
Related guides: Chromebook Keyboard Shortcuts for Students (Printable Cheat Sheet) · How to Split Screen on Windows 11, Mac, and Chromebook Using Only the Keyboard · How to Take a Screenshot on Windows, Mac, and Chromebook (Every Method)
Window Management
| Action | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Snap window left | Alt + [ | Dock the window to the left half |
| Snap window right | Alt + ] | Dock the window to the right half |
| Maximize / restore | Alt + = | Toggle the active window between maximized and restored size when the window supports maximizing; confirmed by Chromium’s ChromeOS accelerator and window-state implementation.
Chromium source — ChromeOS window/desk accelerators (documented snapshot) |
| Minimize window | Alt + - | Minimize the active window |
| Overview (all windows) | Show Windows | See all open windows and desks |
| Shortcut help | Ctrl + Search + S | Open the keyboard shortcuts app; Google’s current help documents Ctrl+Search+S (or use Launcher instead of Search). |
Editing
| Action | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cut | Ctrl + X | Cut the selected item to the clipboard |
| Copy | Ctrl + C | Copy the selected item to the clipboard |
| Paste | Ctrl + V | Paste the clipboard contents at the cursor |
| Paste as Plain Text | Ctrl + Shift + V | Paste without any formatting |
| Undo | Ctrl + Z | Undo the last action |
| Redo | Ctrl + Shift + Z | Redo the previously undone action |
| Select All | Ctrl + A | Select all text or page content in the active editing context; app-specific behavior can differ. |
| Delete (Forward) | Alt + Backspace | Delete the character to the right in a text field; the simulated Delete binding can be remapped in keyboard settings. |
| Bold | Ctrl + B | Toggle bold formatting in Google Docs on ChromeOS; this is an editor command, not a system-wide shortcut. |
| Italic | Ctrl + I | Toggle italic formatting in Google Docs on ChromeOS; this is an editor command, not a system-wide shortcut. |
| Underline | Ctrl + U | Toggle underline in Google Docs on ChromeOS. In Chrome outside an editor, Ctrl+U opens page source. |
File Management
| Action | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Save | Ctrl + S | Save the current document or webpage |
| Open File | Ctrl + O | Open an existing file |
| New Tab | Ctrl + T | Open a new browser tab |
| New Window | Ctrl + N | Open a new browser window |
| Close Tab | Ctrl + W | Close the current browser tab |
| Reopen Closed Tab | Ctrl + Shift + T | Reopen the most recently closed tab |
| Ctrl + P | Print the current page or document | |
| Open Files App | Shift + Alt + M | Open the ChromeOS Files app |
| Open Downloads | Ctrl + J | Open the Downloads manager in Chrome |
| Delete File | Alt + Backspace | In Files, Alt+Backspace moves selected writable files to trash where supported. Locations without trash can delete permanently; check the confirmation dialog before continuing.
Chromium source — Files command bindings (documented snapshot) |
Navigation
| Action | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Find on Page | Ctrl + F | Open the Find bar to search within the current page |
| Open Launcher | Search | Open the Launcher (equivalent to Start menu / Spotlight) |
| Switch Apps | Alt + Tab | Cycle through open application windows |
| Switch Windows (previous) | Alt + Shift + Tab | Cycle backward through open windows; hold Alt and Shift, press Tab, then release. |
| Switch Tabs (next) | Ctrl + Tab | Switch to the next tab in Chrome |
| Switch Tabs (previous) | Ctrl + Shift + Tab | Switch to the previous tab in Chrome |
| Go Back | Alt + Left | Navigate back in the browser |
| Go Forward | Alt + Right | Navigate forward in the browser |
| Address Bar | Ctrl + L | Focus the browser address bar |
| Switch to Desk 1-4 | Shift + Search + 1-4 | Jump to desk 1, 2, 3, or 4 with Shift+Search+the desk number; Google documents positions 1–8. |
| Create New Desk | Shift + Search + = | Create a new virtual desk with Shift+Search+= on a US English QWERTY keyboard. |
| Close Current Desk | Shift + Search + - | Remove the current desk and combine its windows into another desk. Requires more than one desk; the positional Search+Shift+- binding depends on ChromeOS keyboard-shortcut settings/version. This is not the separate Close desk and windows action.
Chromium source — ChromeOS window/desk accelerators (documented snapshot) |
| Move Window to Next Desk | Shift + Search + ] | Move the active window to the next desk |
System & Display
Newer Chromebooks label the Search key as a Launcher (‘Everything’) key and may have a dedicated screenshot key.
| Action | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Screenshot (Full Screen) | Ctrl + Show Windows | Take a full-screen screenshot; Downloads is the default save location and can be changed in Screen Capture settings. |
| Screenshot (Partial) | Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows | Open the capture toolbar, choose screenshot, then drag to select a region |
| Screen Record | Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows | Press Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows, then choose the video/record option in the toolbar |
| Lock Screen | Search + L | Lock the screen immediately |
| Sign Out | Ctrl + Shift + Q | Sign out of the current ChromeOS account (press twice) |
| Open Task Manager | Search + Esc | Open Chrome Task Manager on ChromeOS with Search+Esc (Launcher+Esc). Chromium’s ChromeOS implementation uses Search, not the Shift+Esc binding from other desktop platforms.
Chromium source — ChromeOS browser accelerators (documented snapshot) |
| Settings | Alt + Shift + S | Open the quick settings panel (clock area) |
| Toggle Caps Lock | Search + Alt | Turn Caps Lock on or off with Search+Alt (or Launcher+Alt); keyboard remapping may change this. |
| Brightness Up | Brightness Up | Increase screen brightness |
| Brightness Down | Brightness Down | Decrease screen brightness |
| Volume Up | Volume Up | Increase the speaker volume |
| Volume Down | Volume Down | Decrease the speaker volume |
| Mute | Volume Mute | Mute or unmute the speaker |
| Clipboard History | Search + V | Open the clipboard history panel |
| Emoji Picker | Search + Shift + Space | Open the emoji picker |
| Full Screen | Full Screen | Toggle full screen mode for the current window |
Text Cursor & Selection
| Action | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Move Word Left | Ctrl + Left | Move the cursor one word to the left |
| Move Word Right | Ctrl + Right | Move the cursor one word to the right |
| Move to Line Start | Search + Left | Move to the beginning of the line; simulated Home behavior may be remapped in keyboard settings. |
| Move to Line End | Search + Right | Move to the end of the line; simulated End behavior may be remapped in keyboard settings. |
| Move to Document Start | Ctrl + Search + Left | Move cursor to the very beginning of the document |
| Move to Document End | Ctrl + Search + Right | Move cursor to the very end of the document |
| Select Word Left | Ctrl + Shift + Left | Extend selection one word to the left |
| Select Word Right | Ctrl + Shift + Right | Extend selection one word to the right |
| Select to Line Start | Search + Shift + Left | Extend selection to the beginning of the line |
| Select to Line End | Search + Shift + Right | Extend selection to the end of the line |
| Select to Document Start | Ctrl + Search + Shift + Left | In Chrome’s standard editable text controls, extend the selection to the start of the document. Search+Left simulates Home while Ctrl+Shift is preserved; custom editors or keyboard remapping may differ.
Chromium source — ChromeOS Home/End key rewrites (documented snapshot) |
| Select to Document End | Ctrl + Search + Shift + Right | In Chrome’s standard editable text controls, extend the selection to the end of the document. Search+Right simulates End while Ctrl+Shift is preserved; custom editors or keyboard remapping may differ.
Chromium source — ChromeOS Home/End key rewrites (documented snapshot) |
Chrome Browser (ChromeOS)
| Action | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| New Tab | Ctrl + T | Open a new browser tab |
| New Window | Ctrl + N | Open a new browser window |
| New Incognito Window | Ctrl + Shift + N | Open a new incognito (private) window |
| Reopen Closed Tab | Ctrl + Shift + T | Reopen the most recently closed tab |
| Go to Tab (1-8) | Ctrl + 1-8 | Jump directly to the tab at that position |
| Go to Last Tab | Ctrl + 9 | Jump to the last open tab |
| Open current URL in new tab | Ctrl + L then Alt + Enter | Focus the address bar, then open its URL in a new tab. This reloads the URL; it does not clone tab history or unsaved page state. |
| Bookmark Page | Ctrl + D | Bookmark the current page |
| Bookmark All Tabs | Ctrl + Shift + D | Save all open tabs as bookmarks in a new folder |
| Open Bookmark Manager | Ctrl + Shift + O | Open Chrome’s Bookmark Manager with Ctrl+Shift+O; the non-Mac accelerator table also applies to ChromeOS.
Chromium source — ChromeOS browser accelerators (documented snapshot) |
| Open History | Ctrl + H | View your browsing history |
| Focus Address Bar | Ctrl + L | Focus the address bar and select its text |
| Hard Reload | Ctrl + Shift + R | Reload the page bypassing the cache |
| Developer Tools | Ctrl + Shift + I | Open Chrome Developer Tools |
| View Page Source | Ctrl + U | View the source code of the current page |
| Zoom In | Ctrl + + | Zoom into the current page |
| Zoom Out | Ctrl + - | Zoom out of the current page |
| Reset Zoom | Ctrl + 0 | Reset page zoom to default (100%) |
Accessibility
| Action | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Toggle ChromeVox | Ctrl + Alt + Z | Toggle ChromeVox, the built-in screen reader for ChromeOS |
| ChromeVox Modifier Key | Search | With ChromeVox enabled, use Search (or Launcher) as the modifier for its documented screen-reader commands. |
| Zoom In (Display) | Ctrl + Shift + + | Increase the display zoom level |
| Zoom Out (Display) | Ctrl + Shift + - | Decrease the display zoom level |
| Toggle Full Screen Magnifier | Ctrl + Search + M | Toggle the full-screen magnifier |
| Magnifier Zoom In | Ctrl + Alt + Brightness Up | Zoom in with the ChromeOS magnifier |
| Magnifier Zoom Out | Ctrl + Alt + Brightness Down | Zoom out with the ChromeOS magnifier |
| Toggle High Contrast | Search + Ctrl + H | Enable or disable high contrast mode |
| Read selected text (Select-to-speak) | Search + S | First enable Select-to-speak in Settings → Accessibility → Text-to-speech, then highlight text and press Search+S to read it. This shortcut does not toggle the feature. |
Linux Terminal (Crostini)
Terminal app shortcuts depend on its Keyboard & mouse settings. Bash shortcuts below are scoped to the default Emacs/Readline editing mode, not every shell or app.
| Action | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Open Linux Terminal | Search then Type Terminal then Select the Terminal app result | After enabling Linux development environment on a supported Chromebook, press Search/Launcher, type Terminal, then select the Terminal app result. This is an app-launch workflow, not a dedicated hotkey; administrator policy may disable Linux. |
| New Tab | Ctrl + Shift + T | Open a new tab in the current xterm.js-based ChromeOS Terminal with Ctrl+Shift+T. The legacy hterm implementation and customized key bindings can differ.
Chromium libapps — Terminal key handlers (documented snapshot) |
| New Window | Ctrl + Shift + N | Open a new window in the current xterm.js-based ChromeOS Terminal with Ctrl+Shift+N. Custom key bindings and older Terminal versions can differ.
Chromium libapps — Terminal key handlers (documented snapshot) |
| Close Tab | Ctrl + W | Close the current Terminal tab with Ctrl+W only after enabling the Ctrl+W close-tab behavior in Terminal Keyboard & mouse settings. With the setting off, Ctrl+W is sent to the shell; closing a tab may end its session. |
| Copy | Ctrl + Shift + C | Copy selected text with Ctrl+Shift+C when Terminal’s Ctrl+C copy setting is off (the documented default). If that setting is on, use Ctrl+C instead; without selected text, the command is sent to the shell.
Chromium libapps — Terminal preference defaults (documented snapshot) |
| Paste | Ctrl + Shift + V | Paste with Ctrl+Shift+V when Terminal’s Ctrl+V paste setting is off (the documented default). If that setting is on, use Ctrl+V instead. Review pasted commands before executing them.
Chromium libapps — Terminal preference defaults (documented snapshot) |
| Clear Screen | Ctrl + L | In Bash’s default Emacs editing mode, clear the display and redraw the current command line; not a system-wide shortcut. |
| Interrupt / Cancel | Ctrl + C | Send Ctrl+C to the shell to request an interrupt under the standard terminal/shell configuration. When Ctrl+C copy is enabled and text is selected, it copies instead. Programs can handle or ignore the interrupt.
Chromium libapps — Terminal key handlers (documented snapshot) |
| End of File / Exit Shell | Ctrl + D | In Bash, Ctrl+D sends EOF on an empty command line; with text at the cursor it deletes a character. Other shells or applications may differ. |
| Autocomplete | Tab | Complete commands and filenames in Bash with the default Readline bindings; completion depends on the shell and configuration. |
| Previous Command | Ctrl + P | In Bash’s default Emacs editing mode, recall the previous command from history. |
| Reverse History Search | Ctrl + R | In Bash’s default Emacs editing mode, incrementally search backward through command history. |
| Move to Start of Line | Ctrl + A | In Bash’s default Emacs editing mode, move to the beginning of the current command line. |
| Move to End of Line | Ctrl + E | In Bash’s default Emacs editing mode, move to the end of the current command line. |
| Delete to Start of Line | Ctrl + U | In Bash’s default Emacs editing mode, remove text from the cursor back to the beginning of the line. |
| Delete to End of Line | Ctrl + K | In Bash’s default Emacs editing mode, remove text from the cursor to the end of the line. |
| Delete Word Left | Ctrl + W | In Bash’s default Emacs editing mode, remove the whitespace-delimited word before the cursor. |
| Zoom In (Terminal) | Ctrl + = | Increase the Terminal font size with Ctrl+= (the + key without Shift) when the Ctrl++/-/0 zoom setting is enabled (the documented default). When disabled, the implementation uses Ctrl+Shift+= instead.
Chromium libapps — Terminal key handlers (documented snapshot) |
| Zoom Out (Terminal) | Ctrl + - | Decrease the Terminal font size with Ctrl+- when the Ctrl++/-/0 zoom setting is enabled (the documented default). When disabled, use Ctrl+Shift+-; otherwise Ctrl+- is sent to the shell.
Chromium libapps — Terminal key handlers (documented snapshot) |
Touchpad Gestures
| Action | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scroll | Two-Finger Swipe | Slide two fingers on the touchpad to scroll up, down, left, or right |
| Go Back | Two-Finger Swipe Left | Swipe two fingers left to navigate back in the browser |
| Go Forward | Two-Finger Swipe Right | Swipe two fingers right to navigate forward in the browser |
| Open Overview / All Windows | Three-Finger Swipe Up | Show all open windows in the Overview (equivalent to pressing the Overview key) |
| Show All Desks | Three-Finger Swipe Up | Open overview to access the desks bar. Google documents three-finger swipe up, not four-finger swipe up. |
| Switch Between Desks | Four-Finger Swipe Left/Right | Swipe horizontally with four fingers to move between virtual desks |
| Switch Between Browser Tabs | Three-Finger Swipe Left/Right | Swipe horizontally with three fingers to switch browser tabs, not recent application windows. |
| Right-Click | Two-Finger Tap | Tap the touchpad with two fingers simultaneously to open the right-click context menu |
| Click and Drag | Press and Slide (one finger) | Click and hold with one finger while sliding to drag items |
| Zoom In / Out | Two-Finger Pinch | Touchpad pinch support varies by device and application. Ctrl++ / Ctrl+- are documented page-zoom alternatives. |
Printing
| Action | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl + P | Open Chrome’s print dialog for the current webpage; individual apps can use different bindings. | |
| Save Page as PDF | Ctrl + P | In the print dialog, select 'Save as PDF' as the destination |
ChromeOS Tips & Tricks
- Keyboard layout and settings matter: The documented Google shortcut tables target US English QWERTY Chromebooks. Search and Launcher work alike; customized bindings, international layouts, and external keyboards can differ.
- Virtual desks: Create a desk with Shift+Search+=. Use Shift+Search+the desk number to jump to a desk, or Search+[ / Search+] to move between desks.
- Clipboard history: Search+V opens the clipboard menu. Google documents up to five copied items.
Common Chromebook keyboard questions
- How do I close a tab on a Chromebook?
- Ctrl + W. Close the whole window with Ctrl + Shift + W.
- How do I undo on a Chromebook?
- Ctrl + Z. Redo with Ctrl + Shift + Z.
- How do I underline on a Chromebook?
- In Google Docs or another editor that supports it, select the text and press Ctrl + U. In Chrome outside an editor, Ctrl + U opens page source.
- How do I paste without formatting on a Chromebook?
- Press Ctrl + Shift + V. Learn how to paste without formatting.
- How do I minimize a window on a Chromebook?
- Press Alt + – (minus). Press Alt + = to maximize.
- How do I search for a word on a page?
- Ctrl + F.
- What is the magnifying glass key on a Chromebook?
- It's the Search (Launcher) key, where Caps Lock sits on other keyboards. Press Alt + Search to turn Caps Lock on or off.
- Does a Chromebook have an Option key?
- No. Alt is the closest counterpart to Mac's Option key, but shortcut combinations are platform-specific and are not always interchangeable.
- How do I see every shortcut on my Chromebook?
- Google’s current help documents Ctrl + Search + S (or Ctrl + Launcher + S). You can also open Settings → Device → Keyboard and inputs → View keyboard shortcuts.
- What are the most important ChromeOS keyboard shortcuts?
- Key ChromeOS shortcuts include Ctrl+Alt+T (open Crosh terminal), Alt+[ and Alt+] (snap windows), Search+L (lock screen), Ctrl+Show Windows (screenshot), Alt+Tab (switch windows), and the Launcher key to open the app launcher.
- How do I take a screenshot on a Chromebook?
- Press Ctrl+Show Windows for a full-screen screenshot. Press Ctrl+Shift+Show Windows to open Screen Capture, choose screenshot, then select a region. On external keyboards without Show Windows, Google documents Ctrl+Shift+F5 for Screen Capture. Downloads is the default save folder, but it can be changed.
- How do I open Task Manager on ChromeOS?
- Press Search+Esc (or Launcher+Esc) for Chrome Task Manager on ChromeOS. Chromium’s platform-specific source confirms this binding; Shift+Esc is the shortcut for other desktop platforms, not the ChromeOS binding.
- How do I close a tab on a Chromebook with the keyboard?
- Press Ctrl + W. To reopen it, press Ctrl + Shift + T. Read the reopen closed tab guide.
- How do you undo on a Chromebook?
- Press Ctrl + Z. To redo, press Ctrl + Shift + Z.
- How do I duplicate (mirror) my screen on a Chromebook?
- Press Ctrl + the Full screen key in the top row to mirror your display on an external monitor. Press it again to switch back to extended mode.
- Is there an Option key on a Chromebook?
- No. The Alt key is the closest counterpart to Mac Option, but shortcuts are platform-specific and the two keys are not always interchangeable.
- How do I search for a word on a page on a Chromebook?
- Press Ctrl + F and type the word.
- How do I turn on ChromeVox?
- Press Ctrl + Alt + Z to turn the ChromeVox screen reader on or off.
- How do I switch desks on a Chromebook?
- Press Search + ] for the next desk and Search + [ for the previous one. Create a new desk with Search + Shift + =.
- How do I open Task Manager on a Chromebook?
- Press Search + Esc.
- How do I see clipboard history on a Chromebook?
- Press Search + V to see the last 5 items you copied.
- How do I turn off the touchscreen on a Chromebook?
- Enable chrome://flags/#ash-debug-shortcuts, restart, then press Search + Shift + T to toggle the touchscreen.
- How do I sign out of a Chromebook with the keyboard?
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Q twice.
- How do I split the screen on a Chromebook?
- Press Alt + [ to dock a window left and Alt + ] to dock it right.
How to Learn Chromebook Keyboard Shortcuts
ChromeOS is built around the browser, so the most valuable shortcuts to learn first are the browser navigation ones: Ctrl+T (new tab), Ctrl+W (close tab), Ctrl+Shift+T (reopen closed tab), and Ctrl+Tab/Ctrl+Shift+Tab (move between tabs). These work in every Chrome window and cover the most common tab management actions. ChromeOS's Search key (the key where Caps Lock normally lives) is the gateway to the launcher — press it once to open the launcher and type to search apps, files, and web content, press Search+shortcut for system actions. If you use Caps Lock regularly, you can re-enable it via the keyboard settings.
Google’s current help documents Ctrl+Search+S to open ChromeOS's built-in shortcut reference. Alt+[ and Alt+] dock a window left or right, Alt+= maximizes it, and Alt+- minimizes it. Press Show Windows to see open windows and desks. Newer keyboards may call Search the Launcher or Everything key and may include a dedicated screenshot key. Custom mappings and international layouts can differ.