How to turn on live captions on a Chromebook
Similar to Android phones, Chromebooks have a live captions accessibility feature that lets you get real-time readouts of videos and audio.
If you're hard of hearing or just need captions on your great Chromebook or ChromeOS tablet, Google has you covered. ChromeOS has a feature known as live captions, similar to the feature on the best Android phones. With it, your Chromebook will automatically generate captions for any audio that's currently playing in Google Chrome. Like many other accessibility settings, the feature is right within reach in your ChromeOS settings app, and here's a quick look at how to find it.
How to use tap dragging on a Chromebook
Tap dragging on a Chromebook lets you double-tap an item on your screen to start dragging it. Here's how to enable the feature.
The best ChromeOS tablets, along with the best Chromebooks with a touchscreen have a nifty accessibility feature. Similar to what you'll find on the best laptops, ChromeOS has a feature known as tap dragging, where you can double-tap on your screen using your finger to start dragging windows and other objects around, instead of having to hold it once and then drag it with another finger. The feature isn't on by default, so here's a look at how you can enable tap dragging on your Chromebook.
How to change the text size on a Chromebook
Need to switch up your Chromebook's font so the text is bigger or smaller? You just need to visit a few settings menus to get this done.
Owning one of the best Chromebooks or ChromeOS tablets doesn't mean you have to stick with how your ChromeOS device came out of the box. So, if you want to change the text size on your Chromebook, it's quite an easy feat. There are actually two ways to do it. You can change the text size so the webpages you see in the Chrome web browser get bigger and smaller, independent of the operating system. Or, you also can change the display scaling to make everything bigger or smaller, including webpages and system apps and areas. We have a look at both of these for you right here today.
How to Fast Pair headphones on a Chromebook
Own a Chromebook, an Android phone, and a pair of compatible headphones? You can fast pair your favorite headphones to your Chromebook in an instant.
Owning a Chromebook and an Android phone and being invested in Google's ecosystem of devices has its benefits. One of those is a new "fast pair" functionality that has recently been adopted across Android and ChromeOS. You can connect your favorite headphones or a great pair of earbuds to your excellent Chromebook without going through multiple Bluetooth pairing menus. You'll need an Android phone for this, but it works by linking the device to your Google Account and is quite easy to get started with.
Keyboard shortcuts on ChromeOS in 2023: Everything you need to know
Want to save some time when doing things on your Chromebook? Any of these nifty keyboard shortcuts can help.
Switching from a Mac or PC to one of the top Chromebooks can be a bit scary. After all, you're moving to a cloud-based computing platform and probably implementing a new workflow. Keyboard shortcuts are also a little different on ChromeOS. If you use an external keyboard designed for Windows or macOS, you'll also need to learn how specific keys behave in ChromeOS.
How to use reading mode on a Chromebook
Reading mode is the newest ChromeOS accessibility feature. It makes reading web pages easier. Here's how you can get started with it.
The best Chromebooks and ChromeOS tablets recently got a new accessibility feature. Freshly announced at the end of March 2023 is reading mode. Just as the name suggests, this feature helps make webpages easier to read for those who might have reading difficulties. Unlike reading mode on the best Windows laptops and Microsoft Edge, though, the feature lives in the side panel of Google Chrome and isn't quite easy to find. Here's where you can find it.
How to use high contrast mode on a Chromebook
Have weak eyesight and a hard time seeing things in ChromeOS? You can turn on high contrast mode on a Chromebook to help increase legibility.
If you own a great Chromebook or a great ChromeOS tablet but have trouble reading or seeing what's on the screen, we have some good news for you. Thanks to a feature on ChromeOS known as color inversion, more popularly known on other operating systems as high contrast mode, you can alter the way the colors on your screen look to help things like webpages become more legible. Similar to the process of turning on these features on a great Windows laptop, it doesn't take much to enable the setting, either. Here's how.
How to use a screen reader on Chromebooks
On Chromebooks, you can use Google's ChromeOS screen reader called ChromeVox. It can read a page out loud, and it even has keyboard shortcuts.
The best Chromebooks and ChromeOS tablets are designed for everybody to use, regardless of your technical know-how. That includes those with disabilities. Screen readers are common tools for the visually impaired, and luckily, ChromeOS has one, called ChromeVox.
How to back up and restore a Chromebook
Leaving an old Chromebook behind for a new one or having an issue and need to reset it? Here's how you can back up and restore your Chromebook.
A lot of the best Chromebooks and even some great ChromeOS tablets are lightweight and efficient machines when you compare them to the best Windows laptops. As a web-based operating system, much of ChromeOS lives online. That means that the data you carry in Google Chrome is likely already being synced and saved with your Google Account. But if you run into an issue with your Chromebook, or want to move to a new one, then there are multiple ways you can back up your data.
How to use emojis on a Chromebook
You can express yourself when typing out messages on your Chromebook with emojis. All you need to trigger the emoji menu with a keyboard combination.
Sometimes when you're on a great Chromebook or a great ChromeOS tablet browsing social media or sending messages to your colleagues, there's the need to be extra expressive. You might want to send out a generic old-school ":)" or ":(" text emoji to express happiness or sadness, or some other type of text emoji.
How to take a picture with a Chromebook
Want to use your Chromebook's webcam to take a photo? All you have to do is fire up the camera app
There are many great ChromeOS tablets that you can buy that have webcams, and also a great selection of Chromebooks. ChromeOS tablets especially are suitable for photography, since they tend to have world-facing webcams. This is a webcam at the rear of the device.
How to set up an RGB keyboard on a Chromebook
Got a fancy new Chromebook with an RGB keyboard? You can customize the way the lighting effects look in a few simple steps.
Together with partners, Google recently released a new wave of cloud gaming Chromebooks. Joining the already great Chromebooks and great ChromeOS tablets, that you can buy, these new Chromebooks have fancy features like RGB keyboards.
How to watch Netflix offline on a Chromebook
You don't always need to be online to watch Netflix on a Chromebook. You can download the series or movie you want to watch when you're offline later.
Chromebooks are great for the multimedia experience and not just for browsing the web. The best Chromebooks like the HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook are convertibles, letting you flip the screen around and watch movies or YouTube online. A great ChromeOS tablet like the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook might also have an OLED screen that brings the content on the screen to life.
How to change the language on a Chromebook
Speak or write a language other than English? It's easy to change to your preferred language on a Chromebook.
If you just purchased a great Chromebook or a great ChromeOS tablet, you'll be happy to know you can make it your own. Along with basic tweaks like changing the wallpaper or personalizing your Chromebook experience, you can also swap out the language.
How to use PowerShell on a Chromebook
Microsoft Powershell is best known for running on Windows, but did you know it also can be installed on a Chromebook for development?
Part of the benefit of owning a great Windows laptop is the ability to run Microsoft PowerShell, a task-based command-line tool often leveraged for system management and task automation. But did you know that if you own a great Chromebook or even an excellent ChromeOS tablet, you can use PowerShell on it, too?
How to personalize your Chromebook
You don't have to stick with how your Chromebook looks right out of the box. There are many ways you can personalize it.
If you just purchased a great new Chromebook or already have one, you should know you don't need to stick with how it looks by default. You can customize it to suit your needs. Asides from the basics like downloading apps from the Google Play Store, you can tweak the wallpaper, pin your favorite apps to the shelf, and even create folders in the ChromeOS launcher. Here's a look at those three ways to make your Chromebook your own.
How to edit Office files on a Chromebook
Have to edit an Office file like a Word document on a Chromebook? There are three ways you can do it.
Unlike the best Windows laptops, ChromeOS devices are intended to be used online. Doing a lot of tasks on a Chromebook or great ChromeOS tablet initially depend on connecting to the internet. One of those things is editing Office files.
How to check battery health on Chromebook
Worried about the battery health on your Chromebook? You can easily check it through the Diagnostics app, or download an app to look into it for you.
The more you use your ChromeOS device, the more the battery drains, so it's natural to worry about your battery's longevity. An unhealthy battery will hold less of a charge than a battery in newer condition. And, the longer you plug your Chromebook into power and the more you recharge it, the higher the chance the health can dip faster.
How to use a Chromebook without a Google Account
It's not possible to use a Chromebook without a Google Account, but you can browse as a guest to avoid using one.
If you just purchased a new Chromebook and are setting it up for the first time, you'll be asked to sign in with your Google Account. But do you need one? Unfortunately, it's not possible to use ChromeOS on your own without a Google Account. Since Chromebooks are mainly web-based machines powered by ChromeOS, which is a Google operating system, you're pretty much forced into using a Google account with it.
How to use gestures on a Chromebook
Control your Chromebook and avoid extra mouse clicks with any of these gestures.
Similar to a great Windows laptop, owning one of the best Chromebooks means you can unlock some extra productivity by using gestures on your trackpad. These gestures can help you save a few clicks with common tasks like opening virtual desks, the overview mode to switch apps, and even moving between webpages. You can even do this on a great ChromeOS tablet, too, depending on your keyboard.