Similar to a great Windows laptop, owning one of the best Chromebooks means you can unlock some extra productivity by using gestures on your trackpad. These gestures can help you save a few clicks with common tasks like opening virtual desks, the overview mode to switch apps, and even moving between webpages. You can even do this on a great ChromeOS tablet, too, depending on your keyboard.
There are seven important gestures on ChromeOS, and we've got them all right here for you.
How to use gestures on a Chromebook
To use gestures on a Chromebook, you don't need to do much. You have to move your fingers over the touchpad in one of the ways we've listed below. These features work with any Chromebook and don't require any special hardware. Just set your hands over your trackpad, and follow the instructions in the table below to accomplish the task.
Task accomplished |
Gesture required |
See all your open windows and apps |
Swipe up from the bottom of your trackpad with three fingers |
Switch between virtual desks |
Swipe left or right on the trackpad with four fingers |
Switch between tabs in Chrome |
Swipe left or right with three fingers when in Chrome |
Go back to a webpage in Chrome |
Swipe left on the trackpad with two fingers |
Go forward to a webpage in Chrome |
Swipe right on the trackpad with two fingers |
Close a tab in Chrome |
Scroll to the tab and then on the trackpad with three fingers |
Right-click on a Chromebook |
Tap the lower right corner of the trackpad with two fingers |
If you'd like to see more trackpad controls, you can go to the ChromeOS settings app, choose Device and look under the Touchpad section. From there, there are controls for things like turning tap-to-click on or off, tap dragging, touchpad acceleration, pointer speed, and more.
This is one of many settings you can tweak in ChromeOS. We've also looked at changing wallpapers and have a separate guide for ChromeOS settings if you're curious about some of the other functionality on your Chromebook or ChromeOS tablet.