ChromeOS 123 update has brought a new era of personalization, enhancing your Chromebook experience like never before.
The introduction of custom keyboard shortcuts and mouse button customization helps you to boost your productivity significantly.
While ChromeOS has always offered a robust set of default shortcuts, ChromeOS 123 allows you to craft shortcuts according to your workflow, incorporating offline text-to-speech commands.
You can create a one-click shortcut for your most used Chrome extension or assign a key combination to mute your microphone during a video call instantly.
Read this article to learn how to set custom keyboard shortcuts and use them in detail.
Also read: How to connet AirPods to Chromebooks
Enabling and Setting Custom Keyboard Shortcuts
ChromeOS 123 utilizes a flag to activate custom shortcuts.
Follow this step-by-step guide to know how to enable and set Custom Keyboard Shortcuts.
How to enable and set ChromeOS 123 Custom Keyboard Shortcuts?
Open Chrome, type chrome://flags in the address bar, and press Enter.
Within the flags menu, utilize the search bar to find the flag labeled ‘#enable-shortcut-customization’ to make the most of the latest Chromeos update. Click on the dropdown menu next to the flag and select “Enable.”
Once you’ve enabled the flag, restart the Chromebook to ensure the changes take effect.
When the Chromebook boots up, open your Chromebook Settings. You can access Settings by clicking on your profile picture in the corner of the shelf and selecting Settings.
Next, navigate to “Device” followed by “Keyboard and inputs.” Within this menu, select “View keyboard shortcuts.”
Now, click on “Overview mode” from the left-hand panel. This mode displays all available system and app shortcuts.
Locate the shortcut you wish to modify or find an action for which you want to create a new shortcut, such as utilizing offline text-to-speech commands. Click the pencil icon next to an existing shortcut to edit it or the “+” icon to add a new one.
In the edit or create menu, designate the desired action for your shortcut, now enhanced with ChromeOS 123’s new features such as offline text-to-speech. ChromeOS offers a vast library of actions to choose from, from system functions and Chrome functionalities to even extension shortcuts and new text-to-speech voices.
Click on the field labeled “Shortcut” and press the key combination you’d like to assign to the chosen action. Remember to choose a combination that’s comfortable to use and doesn’t conflict with existing shortcuts.
Once you’ve selected your action and key combination, click on “Done” or Save.
ChromeOS will now recognize your custom shortcut, now including offline capabilities.
Also Read: How to Take a Screenshot or Record Your Screen on Chromebooks?
Customizing Mouse Buttons for Enhanced Efficiency
If you want to use a mouse with extra buttons, ChromeOS 123 makes it easy.
You can now assign specific actions to these additional buttons, eliminating the need for clicks or menu navigation.
Here’s how to customize your mouse buttons:
Open the ChromeOS Settings menu.
Within Settings, select “Device” followed by “Mouse.”
Next, click on “Customize mouse buttons.” This will present a visual representation of your mouse buttons. Follow the onscreen instructions for assigning various actions to the extra mouse buttons.
Click on the on-screen representation of the button you want to customize. A menu will appear, allowing you to select the desired action for that button, including screenshot functions introduced in ChromeOS 123. Choose from actions like taking screenshots, muting/unmuting the microphone, or opening the app launcher.
Click “Save” to apply the customization. Now, whenever you press the designated mouse button, the assigned action will be immediately executed, including new actions introduced in the latest ChromeOS update.
ChromeOS 123 – Beyond Productivity
Along with new features, ChromeOS 123 introduces some improvements that enhance your overall Chromebook experience.
App Languages – a feature enhanced in the new ChromeOS update to support per-app language settings. With this tailored app language, you need no more struggle with apps in a language you don’t understand. ChromeOS 123 lets you set individual language preferences for each Android app.
For this, go to Settings > Apps > Manage your apps and select the app you want to adjust.
Natural-Sounding Voice – ChromeOS 123 boosts the text-to-speech experience with new, natural-sounding voices available in 31 languages. You can access these voices through the Accessibility settings on your Chromebook.
Share Your Connection – ChromeOS 123 allows you to turn your Chromebook into a Wi-Fi hotspot, sharing your cellular network connection with other devices. This is currently available for T-Mobile users in the US. To activate the hotspot, head over to Network Settings and toggle on Hotspot.
Expanded Data Control – ChromeOS 123 extends the Data Processor mode to Norway and Belgium, an important update also noted for its privacy enhancements. This mode, accessible through the Admin console, gives organizations more control over the data sent to Google from Chromebooks.
Enhanced Security for Businesses – ChromeOS 123 prioritizes security for businesses by now defaulting to deactivating Android apps for users outside of the managed domain on new enterprise accounts. This ensures better control over app usage within an organization. If needed, admins can adjust this setting through the Help Center.
Closing Thoughts
With ChromeOS 123’s custom shortcuts and mouse button customization features, you can personalize your Chromebook experience to a great level.
So, explore the possibilities and create a setup that fits your needs and work style. If you have any further queries, ask us in the comments section below.