How to Use Caps Lock on a Chromebook (and Turn It Off)

If you’ve just switched to a Chromebook, you’ve probably noticed one big difference — there’s no Caps Lock key. Instead, you’ll find a key with a small magnifying glass or circle icon. That’s called the Everything Button (previously known as the Search key), and it replaces the traditional Caps Lock function.

Don’t worry — turning on Caps Lock is still easy once you know how.

Where to Find the Everything Button

On every Chromebook, the Everything Button sits right above the left Shift key. Depending on your model, the icon might look like a magnifying glass or just a circle. Its main job is to open the app launcher or let you search — but it can also act as a Caps Lock key.

1: Turn On Caps Lock Temporarily

If you only need Caps Lock once in a while, use this quick shortcut:

1. Hold down the Alt key.
2. Press the Everything (Search) key.
3. You’ll see a small pop-up on your screen confirming that Caps Lock is on.
4. To turn it off, press the same Alt + Everything keys again.

That’s it! This method works on all Chromebook brands — Acer, HP, Lenovo, Samsung, and others.

2: Make Caps Lock Permanent

If you prefer a traditional setup where one key toggles Caps Lock on and off, you can remap the Everything Button in your settings.

Here’s how:

1. Click the time in the bottom-right corner of your screen.
2. Select Settings.
3. Go to Device > Keyboard.
4. Find the option for the Search key.
5. Change it to Caps Lock.

Now your Everything Button will behave exactly like a regular Caps Lock key — no shortcuts needed.

Tip: You can also customize other keys in this menu, such as enabling function keys (F1–F12), changing language layouts, or turning on key repetition.

Troubleshooting Keyboard Issues

If your Chromebook keyboard stops working or certain keys don’t respond, try these quick fixes:

1. Restart your Chromebook.
2. Try Guest Mode to see if the problem is profile-specific.
3. Check keyboard settings to confirm your layout and key mappings.
4. Do a hard reset if the problem continues.
5. Use the Diagnostics tool under Settings > About ChromeOS > Diagnostics to test hardware.

If the issue persists, you can connect an external keyboard to check if it’s a hardware problem. As a last resort, you can perform a Powerwash (factory reset) to clear any software errors.

Function Keys and Special Shortcuts

Chromebooks replace the traditional function row (F1–F12) with special shortcut keys. These let you adjust brightness, volume, and other features. If you prefer using regular function keys, you can enable them from:

Settings > Device > Keyboard > Treat top-row keys as function keys.

Accessibility and Input Options

Chromebooks also offer flexible input options:

• On-screen keyboard for touch use
• Voice typing (press Search + D)
• Auto-correct for supported languages
• External keyboard support

For users who switch between languages, you can easily change input methods in Settings > Device > Keyboard > Input methods.

And yes — if you’re using a Chromebook in another language (like Spanish), the same Alt + Search shortcut works to turn Caps Lock on or off.

Conclusion

• Alt + Search → Turns Caps Lock on or off temporarily
• Remap Search key to Caps Lock → Makes it permanent
• Works across all Chromebook models
• Extra settings let you personalize your keyboard to match your habits

So even though Chromebooks dropped the old Caps Lock key, you can still type in all caps anytime — whether for emphasis, passwords, or just out of habit.