If you're new to a Chromebook, you might consider it more limited than Windows or Mac, but you'll get it wrong. Not much is going on out of the box, of course, but with some customization and a few well-chosen apps, you can turn your Chromebook into something that screws upward by its weight. Today we are considering adding shortcuts and some common customizations to enhance your Chromebook experience.
In Chrome OS, the taskbar is called a shelf. It is a quick launcher in macOS that allows you to launch your favorite programs with one click quickly. Like it on a Mac, you can add or remove shortcuts to that launcher so that it works how you want it. This is one of the first customizations a new Chromebook user makes. Once you load some apps on your machine, you can add shortcuts to those on your Shelf.
*Add taskbar shortcuts to your Chromebook
If you want to add a shelf shortcut to your Chromebook, it is as simple as it can be. I'll cover adding apps in a minute, but the title of this tutorial is adding shortcuts. I'll cover it first. If you are setting up your Chromebook for the first time, any app you install will automatically add it to your Shelf. Do otherwise:
Find the app you want to add to your Shelf.
Right-click on the app and select the pin on the Shelf.Repeat for the app you want to add.
Once done, a shortcut to that app will appear wherever your Shelf is. Now you can click on the icon to launch that program.
You can also add custom shortcuts to web bookmarks such as Shelf. This can be useful if you want to view the score or view a twitch stream with one click. Open Chrome and navigate to the web page you want to use as a shortcut. Select the three-dot menu icon and then more tools. Select Add to Shelf ...
A shortcut to that page will now appear on your Shelf.
*Reshuffle the Shelf in chrome os
By default, your Shelf will appear below the screen, and it will probably be sufficient for most Chromebook users. However, if you want to change it, then it appears on the side, you can.
Right-click on the Chromebook desktop and select the shelf position.
Select Left, Down, or Right from the selection.
Once selected, the Shelf will immediately move to your chosen location. If you want to change it back, repeat the above to change it again.
*Add apps to your Chromebook
Chromebooks are very bare when you first unbox it, but you can add apps quickly. Once you are connected to the internet, it is just a matter of downloading and installing. There is a challenge, though. Older Chromebooks are not fully compatible with the current range of Google Apps. Only new Chromebooks work without small fettling.
* If you have a new Chromebook, do so to add new apps:
Select your account photo in the status tray of your Chromebook.
Select Settings and Google Play Store.
If you see the option, then select Enable Google Play Store on your Chromebook. You may need to install the store. Not all Chromebooks will need to do this.
Choose an app from the Google Play Store as you would on the phone and install it.
If you have an old Chromebook, all is not lost. You can access the beta channel for the Google Play Store. It is not as stable for new devices, but it works. Google is your friend because I have no experience with beta channels.
* Change desktop wallpaper on a Chromebook
Once you have some apps and you have configured your Shelf, how about changing the default wallpaper? The default is OK, but nothing makes the computer like a personal wallpaper choice. Grab some good quality HD images and then:
-Select your account photo in the status tray of your Chromebook.
-Select settings and browser themes.
-Use the Chrome Web Store to find your favorite music. It will only be compatible with your device.
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