Quick Answer
The shortcuts you’ll use most: Ctrl + Show Windows for a screenshot, Alt + Search for Caps Lock, Ctrl + Shift + Q (twice) to sign out, and Ctrl + Alt + / to open the full keyboard shortcut viewer built into ChromeOS. The full list below covers everything else.
Window and Tab Shortcuts
- Ctrl + T — Open a new tab
- Ctrl + N — Open a new window
- Ctrl + Shift + N — Open a new Incognito window
- Ctrl + W — Close the current tab
- Ctrl + Shift + T — Reopen the last closed tab
- Alt + [ / Alt + ] — Snap the current window to the left or right half of the screen
- Alt + Tab — Switch between open windows
Navigation Shortcuts
- Alt + Left/Right Arrow — Go back or forward a page
- Ctrl + L — Jump to the address bar
- Ctrl + Tab — Switch to the next tab
- Search + Left/Right/Up/Down — Move the cursor to the start/end of a line or page
Text Editing Shortcuts
- Ctrl + C / Ctrl + V — Copy and paste
- Ctrl + Shift + V — Paste without formatting
- Ctrl + Z / Ctrl + Shift + Z — Undo and redo
- Alt + Search — Toggle Caps Lock
- Ctrl + A — Select all
System and Screenshot Shortcuts
- Ctrl + Show Windows — Full-screen screenshot
- Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows — Partial screenshot
- Ctrl + Shift + Q (twice) — Sign out
- Ctrl + Shift + = / Ctrl + – — Zoom in or out
- Ctrl + Alt + / — Open the full shortcut list on-screen
For the full breakdown of every screenshot option, see our complete screenshot guide.
Still Not Working?
If a shortcut does nothing, it may have been remapped. Check Settings > Device > Keyboard to see how your top-row and modifier keys are configured. If keys aren’t registering at all, work through our keyboard not working guide before assuming the shortcut is wrong.
FAQ
Is there a built-in list of all shortcuts?
Yes. Press Ctrl + Alt + / to open ChromeOS’s searchable shortcut viewer, which shows every shortcut for your specific keyboard layout.
Can I customize keyboard shortcuts?
ChromeOS lets you remap top-row and modifier keys in Settings, but most built-in shortcuts themselves can’t be reassigned to different key combinations.
Do these shortcuts work the same on all Chromebooks?
Mostly yes, though external keyboards and older Chromebook models with a physical Caps Lock or function-row layout may differ slightly.
