Chrome OS Hidden Gems: 10 Features You Should Be Using

Chromebooks are often praised for their speed, simplicity, and security. But beneath the surface of Chrome OS lies a hidden gem of lesser-known features that can significantly enhance your productivity and elevate your overall experience.

Many users limit themselves to the basics—browsing, email, and Google Docs—overlooking the powerful tools available that could significantly enhance their productivity. Whether you’re a long-time Chromebook user or just getting started, here are 10 hidden gems you should be using:

1. Built-in Screen Recorder (No Extensions Needed!)

Forget clunky third-party extensions. Chrome OS has a fantastic screen recorder built right in. Need to create a quick tutorial, report a bug, or capture some gameplay? Just press Ctrl + Shift + Show windows (the overview key) to bring up the screen capture toolbar.

You can choose to record your entire screen, a specific window, or a custom-selected area. You can even include audio from your microphone or system audio. It’s surprisingly versatile and saves recordings directly to your Downloads folder.

2. Virtual Desks: Conquer Your Digital Clutter

Do you often find yourself juggling dozens of open windows and tabs? Virtual Desks are your solution. Think of them as separate workspaces within your Chromebook. You can have one desk for work, another for personal browsing, and another for a specific project. To create a new desk, simply Search + Shift + =.

Switch between desks with Search + ] (next desk) or Search + [ (previous desk), or use a four-finger swipe forward or back on the trackpad. You can also do the three-finger swipe up to enter Overview Mode and select a desk. This keeps your workflow organized and prevents that overwhelming feeling of having too much open at once.

3. Partial Screenshots (and Instant Editing!)

Full-screen screenshots are useful, but often you only need a small portion of the screen. Chrome OS makes this incredibly easy. Press Ctrl + Shift + Show windows, and then drag your cursor to select the exact area you want to capture. The best part? An editing window option opens instantly, letting you crop, annotate, and rotate the screenshot before saving. No need to open a separate image editor for basic tweaks.

4. Powerwash and Safety Reset: System Maintenance Made Easy

Is your Chromebook running slow, acting buggy, or are you preparing to sell it? Powerwash is your best friend. It’s a built-in factory reset that wipes all local data and restores your Chromebook to its pristine, out-of-the-box state. Don’t worry, your Google account data (synced files, settings, etc.) is safe in the cloud.

For a less invasive reset, you can use the Safety Reset option instead. This removes unwanted pop-ups, fixes network issues, and more by restoring your settings to safe defaults.

Find Powerwash and Safety Reset in Settings > System Preferences, and scroll to the bottom. It’s a quick and easy way to ensure your Chromebook is secure and always in tip-top shape.

5. Built-in Diagnostic Tools (For the Tech-Savvy)

If you’re comfortable digging into system details, Chrome OS has a surprisingly powerful diagnostics tool hidden away. Type chrome://system into your browser’s address bar to access it. This provides a wealth of information about your Chromebook’s hardware, software, running processes, and network connections. It’s a valuable resource for troubleshooting performance issues or just satisfying your curiosity about what’s going on under the hood.

6. Offline Access to Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides

While Chrome OS is cloud-first, you can work offline. Enable offline access within the settings of Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. Ensure your files are synced in advance to edit and create documents offline. Changes will automatically sync when you’re back online.

7. Phone Hub: Seamless Android Integration

If you have an Android phone, Phone Hub is a game-changer. By linking your phone to your Chromebook, you’ll gain access to notifications, view recent Chrome tabs from your mobile device, and even manage certain phone functions—such as activating a hotspot or silencing calls—right from your Chromebook’s shelf. This tight integration streamlines your workflow and minimizes distractions.

8. Quick Share: Wireless File Transfers Made Easy

Need to quickly share a file with a nearby Android device or another Chromebook? Quick Share (formerly known as Nearby Share) is the answer. It’s like AirDrop for the Chrome OS/Android ecosystem. No need for cables or emailing files to yourself. Just select the file, choose the share option, and select Quick Share.

9. Built-In Document Scanner (Easy Scanning with Your Camera)

Use your Chromebook’s camera to scan physical documents. Once scanned, you can edit the document, and it will be saved as a PDF file. A really handy tool.

You can start scanning by opening your Camera App > Scan. You have the option to scan a document or a QR code.

10. Live Captions (Real-Time Subtitles for Audio and Video)

Chrome OS offers Live Captions, which automatically generate captions for any audio or video playing on your Chromebook, even offline! This is incredibly helpful for accessibility, noisy environments, or when you just prefer to read along.

To enable it, go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio and Captions > then toggle the Live Caption switch. You can customize Live Captions by adjusting the font size, color, and opacity, as well as changing the caption’s position on the screen.

Chromebook Plus: Enhanced Features

If you have a Chromebook Plus laptop, you unlock even more powerful features.
These include enhanced offline file access (File Sync), background blur and lighting adjustments for video calls, and other AI-powered enhancements. Learn more about the difference between Plus and the regular Chromebook: Chromebook vs Chromebook Plus: Is Plus Worth It?

Beyond the Basics

These hidden gems demonstrate that Chrome OS is much more than just a web browser. It’s a powerful and versatile operating system with features that enhance your computing experience, making it easier and more productive. So, take some time to explore these capabilities – you might be surprised at what your Chromebook can do!

March 20, 2025