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How to create shortcuts on external keys on Chromebook

create shortcuts on external keys on Chromebook

Now, you’re undoubtedly in the correct spot if you’re trying to add shortcuts to Chromebook’s external keys specifically for the keyboard that you’ve wirelessly connected to the device. 

Simple actions should be taken because the process is quick and straightforward. You won’t have to struggle with the procedure because we will walk you through the necessary steps.

Let’s begin immediately.

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Creating shortcuts on external keys on Chromebook

You need to connect your Chromebook to an external keyboard before you can proceed. Depending on what works best for the situation, this can be done wirelessly via Bluetooth or through a cable connection. 

The next step is to access the “Settings” area once you’ve completed the first step. The latter is located on a shelf and in your launching area.

Click on the “Device” option in the side panel after launching the “Settings” program, then choose “Keyboard.”

You will be directed to a part in the “Keyboard” section where you can map the keys on your external keyboard to several essential operations. 

The “Search” key is the most crucial key you’ll need to adjust the function. Instead of the “Search” key on a Windows keyboard, you’ll find the Windows key.

As a result, rather than making the Windows key worthless, you can map it to execute another task. To change the “Search” key’s behaviour to, say, Caps Lock, use the “Keyboard” section of your Chromebook’s settings. 

Additionally, the latter is absent on Chromebooks with a standard keyboard.

You are welcome to change the key to one of the other accessible functions. You can map the keys on your external keyboard to a total of 7 keys, as you can see from the screenshot below. Which are:

  • Search
  • Ctrl
  • Alt
  • Caps Lock
  • Escape
  • Backspace
  • Assistant

Additionally, you can disable a specific key on your end so that it doesn’t obstruct your normal working procedures. However, given that a Chromebook may be used to make life easier, we doubt anyone will leave an essentially worthless key.

Explore the options offered by this versatile key designation, and don’t be afraid to try out alternative key operations to see which ones suit you the best. When finished, close the window and continue to type with ease on your high-quality keyboard.

Before we wrap off this article, it’s important to mention another alternative approach you might use to make shortcuts for your external keyboard in the context of Google Chrome extensions. In the section after this one, let’s look at it.

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Making shortcuts for Chrome extensions on external keys

Let’s take a quick look at Google Chrome extensions for a moment to see how your internal and external keyboard can be utilized for a very useful reason. 

It turns out that you can set up shortcuts to launch and interact with the various Chrome add-ons in a specific section of Chrome’s “Extensions manager.”

Open Google Chrome on your end, select “Customize and control Google Chrome,” then “More tools,” and lastly “Extensions” to find out how to move forward from here.

When finished, your Chrome browser will take you directly to the main extensions page. The goal is to click the hamburger icon in the top-left corner of the page and then select “Keyboard shortcuts.”

After completing the final step, you can easily set up Chrome extension keyboard shortcuts on your Chromebook’s external keys. The screen will display a page where you can customize the different shortcuts connected to each of your Google Chrome extensions.

To prevent unrestricted access to the contents of the clipboard, for example, we may set the “Lock Now” functionality to “Ctrl” and “O.” 

Please feel free to carefully consider your alternatives and decide for yourself how best to make use of this keyboard creation convenience.

That is all there is to know about setting up shortcuts on Chromebook’s external keys.

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The bottom line on creating external keys on Chromebook

By providing consumers with a huge selection of Google Play Store apps and Linux software to choose from, Chromebooks enable users to get the most out of the operating system. 

In 2022, ChromeOS is capable of running a wide range of applications, including WordPress, Kali Linux, and OpenShot.

Additionally, Chromebooks’ vast wealth of well-chosen shortcuts enable users to navigate the user interface more swiftly and easily. 

Let us know what you think in the comments area now that you know how to create shortcuts on external keys on a Chromebook.