Customize your keyboard shortcuts

You can add, edit, delete, reset, or fix your keyboard shortcuts through the Shortcuts app . When you customize your keyboard shortcuts, you can:

Tailor your shortcuts to what you're familiar with
Customize your external keyboard's functionality
Better support your ergonomic needs

Manage your keyboard shortcuts

Important:

You can't modify shortcuts with a Lock .
To avoid potential conflicts with browser apps, system shortcuts should always contain the Search key .
Some key combinations aren't possible.
You can't use top row keys as part of a customized shortcut. Use the Function keys instead.

Add a keyboard shortcut

On your Chromebook, open the Shortcuts app .
On the left, select either:
- General
- Device
- Browser
- Text
- Windows and desks
- Accessibility
In the shortcut list, hover over the shortcut you want to edit.
Select Edit .
In the customization dialog, select Add shortcut.
Press and hold 1â€“4 modifier keys and 1 other key on your keyboard.
To save, release the keys.
Select Done.

Tips:

Shortcuts without a Search key or Launcher key might conflict with some apps' shortcuts.
You can only add 5 custom shortcuts for each action.

Edit a keyboard shortcut

On your Chromebook, open the Shortcuts app .
On the left, select either:
- General
- Device
- Browser
- Text
- Windows and desks
- Accessibility
In the shortcut list, hover over the shortcut you want to edit.
Select Edit .
In the customization dialog, next to the shortcut you want to change, select Edit .
Press and hold 1â€“4 modifier keys and 1 other key on your keyboard.
To save, release the keys.
Select Done.

Tip: You canâ€™t edit keyboard shortcuts with lock icons.

Delete a keyboard shortcut

On your Chromebook, open the Shortcuts app .
On the left, select either:
- General
- Device
- Browser
- Text
- Windows and desks
- Accessibility
In the shortcut list, hover over the shortcut you want to delete.
Select Delete .
In the customization dialog appears, select Delete Done.

Reset shortcuts for an action

On your Chromebook, open the Shortcuts app .
On the left, select either:
- General
- Device
- Browser
- Text
- Windows and desks
- Accessibility
In the shortcut list, hover over the shortcut you want to edit.
Select Edit .
In the customization dialog, select Restore defaults Done.

Tip: The reset button only appears when there are any custom shortcuts.

Reset shortcuts for all actions

On your Chromebook, open the Shortcuts app .
On the left, select Reset all shortcuts Reset.

Fix keyboard shortcuts issues

Conflict with a locked shortcut

If you encounter an error â€œShortcut is used by [name of the shortcut]. Press a new shortcut to replace.,â€ you need to press a new key combination to assign a new shortcut because the key combination you are trying to use is already used by another locked action.

Conflict with an editable shortcut

If you encounter an error â€œShortcut is used by [name of the shortcut]. Press a new shortcut to replace or press the same one again to use it for this action instead.,â€ you need to either:

Press a new key combination to assign a new shortcut.
Press again the same key combination. This shortcut is removed from the other action.

Tip: This also applies when you encounter the same error in restore default.

Conflict with a changed shortcut

If a notification shows that the keyboard shortcut has changed:

In the notification, select Edit shortcut.
When the Key Shortcuts app opens, find the shortcut.
Select Edit .
In the customization dialog, select Edit .
Press and hold 1â€“4 modifier keys and one other key on your keyboard.
To save, release the keys.
Select Done.

Tip: A warning message shows if you assign a shortcut without the Search key or Launcher key.

Fix alt + click issues

When you encounter issues with alt + click, you can choose if you want to turn on right-click with your touchpad and keyboard.

On your Chromebook, select Settings .
In the â€œDeviceâ€ section, select Touchpad.
Under â€œUse keyboard and touchpad to right-click,â€ select from the following:
- Search/Launcher + click
- Alt + click
- Off

Tip: This setting is set to "Off" by default for new users.

Fix alt-based 6-pack issues

When you encounter issues with alt-based 6-pack keys, you can remap the 6-pack keys. This automatically remaps the key based on whether you commonly use Search or Alt to perform 6-pack actions.

Go to Settings Keyboard.
Select Customize keyboard keys.

Fix F11 & F12 issues

When you encounter issues with F11 and F12 keys, you can remap these keys.

Go to Settings Keyboard.
Select in the Customize keyboard keys.

Important: These key options assume that the keyboard has Back in F1 position and Refresh in F2 position.

For Chromebook keyboards with less than 12 top row keys are:

The key options for F11 if top-row keys as function keys are on:
- Disabled
- Shift + Back
- Alt + Back
- Ctrl + Shift + Back
The key options for F11 if top-row keys as function keys are off:
- Disabled
- Search + Shift + Back
- Search + Alt + Back
- Search + Ctrl + Shift + Back
The key options for F12 if top-row keys as function keys are on:
- Disabled
- Shift + Refresh
- Alt + Refresh
- Ctrl + Shift + Refresh
The key options for F12 if top-row keys as function keys are off:
- Disabled
- Search + Shift + Refresh
- Search + Alt + Refresh
- Search + Ctrl + Shift + Refresh

Tip: This setting is disabled by default.

Related resources

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