How to Enable Caps Lock on Chromebook

Jason

By Jason

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Caps Lock on Chromebook

Turning on Caps Lock on a Windows or Mac computer is as easy as possible. All you do is press a keyboard key, and you’re done – it couldn’t be any simpler.

Other types of computers don’t make it as easy as that though. One example is when someone wants to enable Caps Lock on Chromebook.

There isn’t a simple keyboard button to press with a Chromebook laptop that turns on the caps lock. This is, of course, incredibly inconvenient. Considering caps lock has been the main feature of the QWERTY keyboard for so long, it’s strange that Google didn’t include it in their laptop designs.

So, let’s look at Chromebooks and how you can turn on the Caps Lock.

Method #1 – Default Keyboard Shortcut

The lack of a keyboard shortcut makes most people assume you can’t enable Caps Lock on Chromebook, but you can do so easily.

You’ll notice that in place of where the caps lock key is on most keyboards is a “Search” key. All you have to do is press “Alt” and “Search” simultaneously, and the Caps Lock turns on. It’s that simple, and to disable caps lock, you can either use this shortcut again or press shift.

You can try another approach if this combination doesn’t work to turn off Caps Lock. At the bottom right of your display, click on your profile picture. A menu will appear, and if you have caps lock on your Chromebook, it will say, “CAPS LOCK is on.” Just click this, and it’ll turn it off for you.

CAPS LOCK is on

If you’ve got into the habit of typing on a laptop with the Caps Lock in the generic position, this will take you a bit of getting used to. That’s why some people opt for changing the shortcut.

Method #2 – Create Your Own Shortcut

If you prefer having a caps lock button in the traditional place, you can change a few settings. Follow these easy steps, and you’ll be done.

#1 – Start by clicking on your Google account’s profile picture at the bottom-right of your monitor.

#2 – Click the settings cog icon and scroll down to the “Device” section when the menu appears.

Chromebook Settings

#3 – Select the “Keyboard” option and look for the “Search” key from the list that appears.

Keyboard Setting on Chromebook

#4 – Finally, click on the drop-down menu next to the “Search” entry and change it to “Caps Lock” before closing this page.

change "Search" to "Caps Lock"

Doing this will switch the Chromebook’s search key so that it now acts as a caps lock enable key. As we said before, this approach is more user-friendly if you’ve always been a keen fan of Windows or Mac computers.

Other Solutions to Enable Caps Lock on Chromebook

Although the methods we’ve shown you above are the most effective and simplest ways of enabling Caps Lock on your Chromebook, there are other ways.

  • Use an External Keyboard. Laptops are convenient simply because users can move them around easily, as opposed to desktop computers. Adding an external keyboard does make it more difficult to move around. However, this will solve your problem if the keyboard has a caps lock key.
  • Hold Down the Shift Key. Understandably if you want to type a lot of words in all caps, then holding down shift the whole time can strain your fingers. That said, consider using the shift key if you’re habit of enabling Caps Lock on Chromebook for a single letter. If you hold down shift and then type, whatever you type will be in caps.

It’s easier to make one of the adjustments that are in the previous methods. Nonetheless, you can give them a shot if you prefer one of these fixes!

Other Chromebook Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts are well, shortcuts. They don’t just save you a few seconds; they also reduce stress.

Let’s say you’re using Microsoft Word to write an essay and want to save it every few minutes in case the application or your laptop crashes.

It’s much easier to hit CTRL + S every so often than to navigate your way into the “File” menu. Here are some other useful shortcuts to remember:

  • CTRL + T opens a new browser tab
  • CTRL + W closes your current browser tab
  • CTRL + F5 screenshots your laptop display and saves it
  • CTRL + D bookmark your current browser tab
  • ALT + “-” (Minus) minimizes the application window
  • ALT + Left Arrow goes to the previous browser page
  • ALT + Right Arrow goes to the next browser page (if you have already pressed back)
  • Shift + Alt + N displays all of your Chromebook’s notifications
  • CTRL + Shift + Q signs you out of the Google account you are currently using
  • Shift + Left Click opens whichever link you click on in a new browser tab

And, best of all…

  • CTRL + ALT + ? will display all of the Chromebook’s keyboard shortcuts

Now that you know how to enable Caps Lock on Chromebook on top of the other shortcuts we’ve just shown you, you can become a more efficient computer user. Once you get the hang of these, even the easiest tasks – like opening a new tab – will be easier!

Are the Caps Lock Not Working After Making Changes?

Are you experiencing some problems with your Chromebook’s keyboard after making changes? Don’t worry just yet; this doesn’t mean your laptop is broken.

After changing the caps lock on Chromebook, you may have to follow these steps to fix keyboard problems.

  • #1 – First, you should turn your Chromebook off, wait a few minutes, and turn it back on.
  • #2 – If the issue persists, try signing in as a guest and check if the problem still happens.
  • #3 – If you can use your keyboard fine while using a guest account, the issue lies with your Chromebook account.
  • #4 – To delete a Chromebook account, go to the account sign-in menu and select your profile.
  • #5 – At the bottom-right of the account’s profile picture, click the arrow and select “Remove this user.”

After doing this, your account will no longer be active on your Chromebook. You’ll then be able to sign in using your Google account once again and check if this has fixed your keyboard problems.

Removing the Owner’s Account

One issue is that if your account is the owner’s account, you can’t remove it. Instead, you’ll have to do a factory reset to remove it. If this is the case, follow these steps instead.

  • #1 – Take a data backup using a cloud storage service or USB flash drive.
  • #2 – Click your profile picture at the bottom-right of your screen and click the settings icon.
  • #3 – Scroll to the bottom of this page and click “Advanced.”
  • #4 – Locate the “Powerwash” section and from this menu, click on “Restart” and then “Continue.”
  • #5 – Allow the Chromebook to complete the factory reset process. Once it is complete, you can sign in with your account again, and the issue should be gone.

Regardless of if your keyboard issues arise after you change the settings or out of the blue, you can use this method to try and fix them. If this doesn’t help and you still have keyboard problems, there could be a hardware issue. In this case, contact the laptop’s manufacturer.

Also, let’s learn more about how to rotate the screen on a Chromebook.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  1. Can I use an external keyboard with my Chromebook? Yes, Chromebooks support external keyboards. Simply connect your preferred keyboard to one of the USB ports or use a wireless Bluetooth keyboard for added convenience.
  2. What other keyboard shortcuts are available on Chromebooks? Chromebooks offer a variety of keyboard shortcuts to enhance productivity. Some common shortcuts include Ctrl + C for copy, Ctrl + V for paste, and Ctrl + Z for undo.
  3. Can I remap other keys on my Chromebook? Chrome OS allows limited key remapping options. You can remap certain keys using the settings menu, but extensive remapping options may require third-party applications or extensions.
  4. Is there a way to disable the Caps Lock functionality on Chromebook? Yes, if you rarely use the Caps Lock key, you can disable its functionality altogether. Follow the steps mentioned earlier in this article and select the “Disabled” option in the drop-down menu.
  5. Do Chromebooks have an on-screen keyboard? Yes, Chromebooks have an on-screen keyboard that can be accessed by clicking on the system tray and selecting the “Keyboard” option. It is particularly useful for touchscreen devices or when the physical keyboard is not available.

To Conclude

Hopefully, we will see Google add Caps Lock keys to their future Chromebook models. The caps lock key can be very helpful for writers, gamers, and anyone who uses a laptop or a computer.

Sure, you can hold down the shift key as you type, but if you’re typing lengthy sentences all in caps, this can be difficult.

Fortunately, this is one computer issue that isn’t hard to fix. By just adjusting your Chromebook’s keyboard settings, you’re good to go and can enable Caps Lock on the Chromebook with ease.

Jason
Jason

Skilled software testing specialist with expertise in comparisons and research, passionate about blogging, reviews, and creating video tutorials.

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