If you’re new to Chromebooks, one of the first things you might notice is that there’s no dedicated Caps Lock key on the keyboard. Instead, ChromeOS replaces it with a Search key (sometimes labeled as a launcher or magnifying glass icon). This design choice keeps the keyboard clean, but it can be confusing if you rely on Caps Lock for typing.
The good news is that Caps Lock is fully supported on ChromeOS, and once you know the shortcuts and settings, turning it on (and off) is easy.
Now, if you are here reading about how to turn on Caps Lock on a Chromebook, we assume you want a quick, reliable way to use it without guessing. In this detailed guide, we’ll walk you through all the working methods, step by step.
How Caps Lock Works on Chromebook
On ChromeOS, Caps Lock is enabled using a keyboard shortcut rather than a dedicated key. If you prefer, you can remap your keyboard to assign a dedicated Caps Lock key. An on-screen indicator also appears to show when Caps Lock is active.
Once enabled, it functions just like Caps Lock on other computers.
1. Turn On Caps Lock Using Keyboard Shortcut
This is the fastest and most common method.
Steps to Enable Caps Lock:
1. Press and hold the Search key on your Chromebook keyboard.
2. While holding the Search key, press the Alt key.
3. Release both keys and Caps Lock is now turned ON.
4. To turn it OFF, press Search + Alt again.
5. When Caps Lock is turned on, you’ll see an on-screen notification indicating that it’s active. Any letters you type will appear in ALL CAPS, making it easy to notice the change. This visual confirmation helps you avoid accidental “shouting” in emails or messages.
2. Enable Caps Lock from Accessibility Settings
If you prefer using on-screen controls or have keyboard issues, you can enable Caps Lock from Settings.
Steps to enable Caps Lock via accessibility:
1. Click on the time in the bottom-right corner and click the gear icon to open Settings.
2. Scroll down and select Accessibility.
3. Click on Keyboard and text input options and enable the on-screen keyboard.
This method is especially helpful for users with accessibility needs.
3. Remap a Key to Act as Caps Lock
If you use Caps Lock frequently, you can remap the Search key (or another key) to function as Caps Lock.
Steps to Remap Search Key to Caps Lock:
1. Open Settings on your Chromebook.
2. Click on the Device Tab.
3. After that, on the left pane, click on the Keyboard and Input option.
4. You will find the option to customize keyboard keys. Click on it.
5. If your Chromebook has a Search key instead of a Caps Lock key, don’t worry. You can set it to function as Caps Lock, as it is the ideal place for a Caps Lock key.
6. To do so, on the drop-down menu of Search, select Caps Lock, and you are done.
After this, pressing the Search key alone will toggle Caps Lock on and off.
How to Turn Off Caps Lock on Chromebook
Turning off Caps Lock works the same way. You can press Search + Alt again or use the remapped key if you’ve assigned one.
ChromeOS will also notify you when Caps Lock is disabled.
However, to turn a letter to uppercase, you can use Shift + the Key. It will only turn one letter to uppercase.
Why Chromebook Doesn’t Have a Caps Lock Key
Google replaced the Caps Lock key to encourage search-based workflows, reduce accidental Caps Lock presses, and simplify the overall keyboard layout.
That said, ChromeOS still gives you full control if you prefer a more traditional typing experience. behavior.
Wrapping Up
With that, we wrap up our detailed guide on how to turn on Caps Lock on a Chromebook. While ChromeOS doesn’t include a dedicated Caps Lock key, the shortcut and remapping options make it just as easy to use.
Once you get used to the Search + Alt shortcut or remap the key entirely, Caps Lock becomes second nature. We hope this guide helped you enable and use Caps Lock confidently on your Chromebook.
