How to Turn Caps Lock On and Off on a Chromebook
New to Chromebooks and wondering where the Caps Lock key went? You're not imagining it, there isn't one. Google swapped it for a Launcher (search) key. Caps Lock still works, you just use a shortcut. And if you miss the real key, you can bring it back in about thirty seconds.
The shortcut
Press Alt + Launcher (the magnifying-glass / circle key where Caps Lock used to be) to turn Caps Lock on. A small "Caps Lock is on" note appears and an up-arrow shows in the bottom-right. Press Alt + Launcher again, or just tap Shift, to turn it off.
Turning Caps Lock on and off
- Turn on: Alt + Launcher (older Chromebooks call it Alt + Search).
- Turn off: Alt + Launcher again, or simply press Shift once.
- How to tell it's on: an up-arrow icon appears near the clock in the bottom-right corner.
The Launcher key is the one with a magnifying glass or a circle, sitting just above the left Shift, exactly where Caps Lock lives on other keyboards.
Shortcut not working?
Press the two keys at the same time, not one then the other. If it still won't trigger, restart the Chromebook and try again. On a few older or non-Google keyboards the key is labeled "Search" instead of "Launcher," but the shortcut is the same.
Want a real Caps Lock key back?
If you type capitals often and the shortcut is a pain, remap the Launcher key to behave like a normal Caps Lock:
- Click the clock (bottom-right) > gear icon to open Settings.
- Go to Device > Keyboard (on some versions it's under Settings > Keyboard and inputs).
- Find the dropdown next to Launcher (or "Search").
- Change it to Caps Lock.
Now that key works like a traditional Caps Lock: press once to turn on, again to turn off. The trade-off is you lose the one-press Launcher, but you can still open it from the corner of the screen or with the Search shortcut.
Why Chromebooks dropped Caps Lock
Google decided most people rarely use Caps Lock and would get more value from instant search. So the prime spot above Shift became the Launcher key. The shortcut keeps Caps Lock around for the times you do need it, like filling out a form that asks for capitals.
Stuck in all caps?
If everything you type is suddenly uppercase, Caps Lock is on. Tap Shift once or press Alt + Launcher to switch it off. (If only the first letters keep capitalizing, that's autocorrect, not Caps Lock, a different setting in your app.)
Chromebook quirks driving you nuts?
Chromebooks do a few things differently. Isaac is happy to walk you through the shortcuts and settings so it works the way you expect.