How to fix a Chromebook!
Your Chromebook (may) not be broken! Here are some simple things you can try before you call for help!
Is the caps lock stuck on?
There is no caps-lock button on a Chromebook, but you can still enable this unwise feature by pressing alt + search (magnifying glass key). Its’ easy to forget how to turn it back off! Just press alt + search to toggle caps lock off.
Chromebook screen not working?
Make sure students haven’t dimmed the screen using the screen brightness keys. Press the increase brightness key a few times to check.
Is the screen rotated sideways or upside down? 
If you have Chromebooks that fold into a tablet, they should automatically rotate between portrait and landscape mode, just like your phone.
Rotating the screen manually will disable the auto-rotate feature. If stududents figure this out, it can make life a bit interesting for the next person to use that Chromebook!
There is a simple fix to rotate your Chromebook sreen. Just press Ctrl + Shift + refresh to rotate your screen back to normal!
Do you have a yellow or pink box “dancing” around your Chromebook screen?
Chrome Vox or Select-to-speak is enabled. Click the time, select accessibility, and disable any features that are enabled.
Every teacher should be familiar with the accessibility features built into the Chromebook. Read this post for a full overview!
Are the colors on your Chromebook screen all weird?
High contrast mode is enabled. This is another accessibility feature that you can easily turn off.
Note: If your students share Chromebooks throughout the day I recommend that you disable accessibility features on log out to avoid annoying students who don’t need them. This is a setting that can be enabled through the Google Admin console. Instructions are available here.
What if your Chromebook’s touch screen stops working?
Sometimes my Chromebook touch screen gets cranky. Usually restarting my Chromebook fixes whatever funkiness was happening.
If you have a convertible device, closing the Chromebook, or flipping it to tablet mode and back will reset the touchscreen.
Is your Chromebook keyboard not working?
This can occasionally happen on convertible Chromebooks than can convert into a tablet. Usually, you can fix it by flipping the device back to tablet mode, waiting for a second, and flipping it back to laptop mode. If not, try a quick restart.
Can’t find your Chromebook tabs?
Easy fix! Press the full-screen button at the top of the screen to enter/leave full-screen mode.
What to do if the shelf (black bar) is missing from your Chromebook:
It may be hidden. Put your mouse at the bottom of the screen and wait a few seconds for the shelf to appear. Right-click on the shelf and select “always show” if you don’t want it to disappear again.
Shelf moved to the left, right of the screen – a favorite for students! Right-click on the shelf and select “position” to move it back to your desired location.
I have a chromebook that no longer allows students or myself to sign in. It kind of works In Guest mode but the students can’t access everything I need them to in guest mode. Any help you be incredible!
Do you get an error message when you try to sign in?
It sounds like some settings need to be adjusted in the admin console. It is possible to restrict sign in to a domain or specific group of users. That’s what I would look at first.
Our IT administrator says that some of our CB can’t be used as the battery has swollen because of over charge. It’s difficult for me to identify the swell but he is quite sure. What’s your advice in this situation? Hope so we protect the other devices.
Thank you
Yikes! That’s a big concern!
This is definitely a manufacturer defect. The devices should be reported and returned to the manufacturer for repair or replacement.
Modern batteries (i.e. all Chromebooks) have safeguards in place to prevent overcharging. There are instances when these safeguards fail, like in your situation, and the manufacturer will issue replacement devices.
We’ve had MANY with the same problem. It is a manufacturer defect, contact them for sure!
I have quite a few Chromebooks that seem to charge but when I press the power button all I get is a flash of the power light. They will not power on. Any ideas?
Most likely there is an issue with the battery and you will need to contact the manufacturer for repair or replacement.
There is a “deep sleep” setting that is designed for long term storage. This setting will disable the power button. The Chromebook must be plugged in before it will power on.
I don’t think this is your issue, but you can give it a try: https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/9139543?hl=en
We have to plug them in quite often. They start up, but it’s a pain.
My district recently bought about 500 chromebooks this year and in we have already noticed about 75 that are having major problems with the keys not working, as in regardless of how many times you tap the letter, nothing will appear. Is this normal for such a larger quantity to not be responsive to certain letters. (Mostly only a handful of letters will not work, but they are sporadic around the keyboard). Any advice or tips on getting this fixed?
It is very unusually for so many devices to have the same issue. This is most certainly a manufacturer defect.
I would contact the company ASAP and explain the issue. Hopefully, they will do the right thing and repair or replace them.
When ever i am using my Chromebook the screen will go purple in some areas and the screen with freeze so i cant do anything so i have to violently shake it until it is gone and i can use it again
Oh, wow!
I had something similar happen to one of my Chromebooks. I eventually figure out that the cable that is attached to the screen was loose. I had to open up the case and play around with it to keep it connected.
My son’s chromebook is now displaying characters upside down when he types. The screen/display is in regular orientation, just the typing is upside down. I’ve searched, but only get direction on how to rotate the image on the screen.
Ooh! That’s a new one!
Is this a device that can convert into a tablet? You might try putting it back into tablet mode…waiting 5 seconds, and then flipping it back into laptop mode. Sometimes the orientation gets confused.
Secondly, disable any extensions he has installed. I have a feeling there might be a mouse pointer extension or some kind of text-decoration extension that is causing the issue.
If none of those tricks work, do a powerwash of the device…that usually fixes things.
My Asus C302 has lost touch screen capability when in tablet mode. Is there a setting for this? If I start the the laptop in tablet mode it will have touch screen capability for signing in etc, but as soon as the Browser screen shows touch screen does not work.
I’ve watched many reviews before purchasing ASUS c436 i3 and found a bug with either hardware or software…
When I place the laptop on the table in tent, reverse ten with keyboard facing down or tablet mode, the screen doesn’t respond to touches. Unless I touch a portion of the pc in any way then the screen responds just fine. Weird. I don’t have this issue with the c434 model.
If holding it in my laptop in reverse tent or tablet in hand the touch screen responds just fine. Has anyone here tried this or seen it respond the same way? I then returned the product for a refund and purchased the i5 version with same results. I assume using the pen would work but why lose the finger capability from it’s ASUS c434 predecessor?
My shelf is completely gone, when I click Autohide shelf, the browser goes all the way to the bottom of the screen. When I click “always show shelf”, I see the desktop pattern, no shelf at all. No clock, no battery status, no open apps, nothing. Could I have accidently selected this hideous option?
Are you in full-screen mode?
Click the full-screen button (top row of keys…just above the #5).
horizontal schrolling function is not working with either touchscreen or scroll bar. there is no schroll bar hidden or viasble.
I would make sure that you aren’t zoomed in by pressing ctrl + 0.
If all else fails, powerwash the device.
Trying to open Gmail on an HP Chromebook, and it keeps defaulting to My Account settings.
Sounds like you need to sign in to your account.
Screen is black. Tried charging nothing comes on. Can we have another chromebook while you troubleshoot this one?
Hi Molly, you should reach out to your school IT department and ask they to take a look at it.
I have the same problem. Samson wants me to send it in with $80. to go towards any repair if possible. Bad situation for me. I’m using the guest mode which is workig out fine except it won’t let me bring up my music apps like Amazon. Pissed about that.
On our chrombook the text to speech was working great. Now, it does not highlight the word being read with the reader voice. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks
My guess is that you have a Chrome Extension that is messing with select-to-speak. Try disabling your extensions. If that fixes, it, you need to figure out which extension is causing the issue. My guess is it is another text-to-speach tool.
My Chromebook keeps switching to tablet mode randomly. It usually happens when I am typing, so it turns off my keyboard. It doesn’t matter if my computer is sitting on a flat surface or if the lid is open 90 degrees or less, it will still glitch. I have tried to leave it in tablet mode for a couple of seconds, but that doesn’t do anything. I am not sure what to do. Thanks for the help.
The first thing I would do is restart your Chromebook.
Next, I would powerwash the device.
If those two options don’t work, you may have a bad sensor that is confusing the device about what orientation it is in.
when i try to fold my chromebook in tablet mode., the hinge thing just stays in place
Do you have a convertible Chromebook?
When we press the letter “a”, the text being written all highlights. Also, left shift is now the letter “z” and the right shift is now the letter “q”. Any suggestions? Thank you!
There are a few things to check.
– Make sure “sticky keys” isn’t turned on. This is an accessibility setting.
– Someone may have altered the standard keyboard shortcuts. You can view the shortcuts in the settings menu. Just search for “shortcuts”
– Check to see if there are any unusual extensions installed. There are a few prank extensions that will swap letters or insert random words when you type.
I signed into coolmathgames and I want to delete my account and my websites now look different colors and people pictures look blue instead of regular. Can you help? Thanks
Is high-contrast mode enabled?
The pictures are blue whenever I see or google things like avengers and stuff the faces are blue, can you help? Thanks
Is high contrast mode enabled?
This goes along with all of the other comments I sent. The colors on everything have been changed to were it is like what was blue is now red and what was red is now blue and that has throughout my entire Chromebook account can you help? thanks.
It kinda sounds like you have high-contrast mode turned on. Check your accessibility settings to disable it.
My Chromebook has been working great until this morning when tablet mode stopped working, when I flip the screen back the computer doesn’t go into tablet mode. I’ve tried power-washing my Chromebook, talking to the manufacturer, updating my Chromebook but nothing seems to work.
It could be a bad sensor.
The accelerometer tells the device which orientation it is in.
My screen cracked and there is a black circle around the crack.
I would love it if you could help.
You will need to replace the screen.
my chrome book won’t let me fold it so i can write it while using split screen anymore. do you know how i could fix this? thanks
This doesn’t have to do anything with the Chromebook screen my joint been the wrong way and my Chromebook the thing that would let it fold backwards it won’t let me fold it backwards anymore
Yes, my wife has the Samsung Chromebook Pro and it has a similar issue.
I can usually bend the hinge back by hand, but when it folds into tablet mode, it doesn’t line up like it should.
My husband left daughters chromebook sitting on top of our cable box all day and I have not been able to get it to turn on.
That shouldn’t cause any long-term issues.
My guess is that it needs to be charged. Some Chromebooks won’t turn on until the battery reaches ~5%. Plug it in for a few hours (to be safe) and see if it boots up.
My Chromebook shelf won’t let me open or load anything. I tried but every time they just buffer and won’t open at all.
Sounds like issues with Android Apps.
I would do a quick restart to see if that fixes things.
If not, you may need to do a powerwash to clear out whatever issue is happening.
My screen keeps randomly pressing things, like I can be typing and it presses something else. I dont know what to do can you please help.
Here are some things to try:
Flip your Chromebook into tablet mode and back to laptop mode.
Restart the Chromebook.
Powerwash the Chromebook
If none of these things help you may have a bad digitizer. ?
?
I’m trying to put the lock screen on and I keep trying but it never works the switch wont go to the other side to turn it on but it still doesn’t move can you help?
It sounds like this feature may be disabled by your school.
okay- so I have a school chrome book that when i put it in a position, like for example straighten it out so its normal, the screen brightness turns really low. I tried pressing the keys to turn the brightness high up again, but it doesnt work.
I have a major issue with the chromebook both my elementary children use. It’s completely stuck on zoom huge. Everything that I’ve read to do doesn’t work. Both my kids use the chromebook and the one account is usable and the other is not. I don’t know how to make it work.
The track pad on my Chromebook stopped working and i have to use a BT mouse or my touchscreen which can get irritating at times. How can i fix this?
My Chromebook was doing weird things. For example, I could only type in all caps. The caps lock was definitely off, and it was acting more like the button is stuck. Also, highlighting was difficult as any double-clicked word was constantly highlighted, and clicking anywhere else is just like highlighting the whole area. The only fix for it that I found is by tapping on it until the little drop shapes appear, then dragging them until only the last character is highlighted. Whenever I tried to open a tab, it opened into a new window. It just fixed itself, but I would still like to know what happened so that I know how to fix it if it happens in the future. In case this is helpful, it recently told me to restart my Chromebook to update it.
when i try to bend my chromebook into tablet mode, it feels/looks like it will break. any ideas?
Lenova chromebook turns off when held sideways
My Chromebooks mouse won’t click i’ve tried everything it said on google it didn’t work
Hi, my Asus Chromebook C433 stopped allowing me to reply to text messages in the little pop up window on the right bottom of screen. I can go into the messaging app and it works fine but if I reply in the pop up box and hit send you would think it sent but when I go to the messaging app and look at the conversation stream there is nothing. I have been using Chromebooks daily for 10 years and was so thrilled with messages for web until this started a few days ago. I power washed and restarted several times but it did not help. Thanks in advance!
Will power wash eliminate my Facebook page?
So my chromebooks brightness down button opens a new tab…
It started when I unplugged my external keyboard and mouse from it. I’ve used these same ones before with no issue it just randomly happened.
It sounds like the keys were re-mapped. Visit the settings page for your Chromebook and search for “keyboard”
Hi. The auto rotation of my screen has stopped working. Have tried powerwash but still doesnt work and the “autorotation” is activated. Please advice. Its a Asus ASUS Chromebook Flip C436. It jused to work when I purchased it in december 2020. Thanks
Hi, My mouse is upside down when I’m in a remote desktop and I have the screen flipped. I’ve tried a powerwash, & nothing changed.
Try to restart your computer, then try to change your orientation in settings.
My cromebook isn’t working. Whenever my keyboard doesn’t work it just never goes back to how it was. I’ve tried everything. I reset my cromebook but than it takes a few more hours to turn on. Please help.
My son was using our chrombook and it hit ctrl alt qq and now the screen is completely blzvk tried restarting and the brightness and nothing is working
Hi. My chromebook screen is split down the middle. The sides are opposite colors.
Everything I look at is also split down the middle and also shows opposite colors.
LIke my right side is grey and the left side is white. The colors and words on the right side are also a bit fuzzy too. Any advice? Thanks much.
Chromebook is very new.