The touchpad on a Chromebook can be utilized for various functions, such as right-clicking and switching between tabs. Instructions on how to use it can be found below.
Utilize the touchpad
For those wanting to quickly access contextual menus through a simple right-click, it might take some getting used to. Chromebooks don’t feature the same shortcut associated with Windows and Mac trackpads – the second lower area of the touchpad dedicated to the physical right click. Instead, anywhere on the bottom part of a Google-powered laptop’s touchpad will result in an ordinary left-click.
Chromebooks are constructed with some unique features that can take a bit of time to figure out. For instance, while they don’t have specific hotkeys dedicated towards right-clicking, you’re still able to access contextual menu options by using two fingers on your trackpad at once— similar to a long press of your mouse button for Windows or Mac users. This two finger tap is equivalent for both types of side buttons click sensitivity and allows for useful actions like copy, paste and opening files from one location to another. All you need to do is get comfortable with mapping the two finger stylus motion onto your Chromebook’s touchpad surface.
Learn Chromebook keyboard right-click
Right-clicking on the Chromebook keyboard can be a useful and efficient way to navigate on your device. It allows you to access options such as cut, copy, paste, delete, and more without relying on the mouse or touchpad. To right-click with the Chromebook keyboard simply hover your cursor over the item you want to right click, press and hold the Alt key, then tap the touchpad with one finger.
The shortcuts provided by this combination of keys can be extremely helpful when speed is an issue or when working on multiple documents simultaneously. It saves time from having to move from a keyboard shortcut to a mouse action for every operation and instead provides all the operations necessary in one quick step. This makes accessing all your options incredibly intuitive and allows for great efficiency across all platforms supported by Chrome OS.
Instructions for enabling the two-finger right click feature
The two finger right click on Chromebooks is an incredibly helpful feature that allows you to open menus and perform various tasks with a simple double tap of the trackpad. Unfortunately, some users have reported that this command isn’t being registered for them. If this is happening for you, it likely means that the feature was accidentally turned off. Fortunately, it’s very easy to get it back up and running again in no time.
To set up your two finger right click on your Chromebook again, first head over to the device settings by clicking on the system tray at the bottom right corner of your screen. Once there, search for ‘touchpad’ and from there select ‘Pointing Device’. You will now see several different options – look for ‘Enable Two-Finger Right Click’ and make sure this option is checked-off. Save any changes if necessary, close out of the settings page and give it a try – you should find that two-finger tapping has been restored!
