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.