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11 Chromebook Tricks to Help You Work More Efficiently in 2023

Get more from your Chromebook with these built-in tools and apps.

Google’s ChromeOS is now more than a decade old and a lot has changed. In the past couple of years, Google revved up what you can do with a Chromebook, dramatically improving or adding tools to help increase your productivity, whether you’re working or learning from home, school, the office or somewhere in between. Android users get extra benefits to make it easier to jump between a Chromebook and an Android phone, and on Android you can also share your Wi-Fi connection.

New Chromebook users and veterans alike can learn some new tricks to boost productivity in Chrom OS. Read on for 11 features that make your life more efficient on a Chromebook.

Read more: Chromebook vs. Laptop: What Can and Can’t I Do With a Chromebook?

Scan documents with the webcam

Your Chromebook’s webcam can be used for scanning documents. Open up the Camera app and along with photo and video options you’ll see Scan. Select it and you’ll have the option to scan a document or a QR code. For documents, just put what you want to scan in front of the webcam and your Chromebook will find it and detect the document’s edges. Tap or click the big, white shutter release on the right side of the interface and it will capture your scan. If you like what you got, you can save it as a JPEG or PDF.

Admittedly, the results are better with an external webcam than the built-in camera unless you happen to have a Chromebook with front- and rear-facing cameras. But it still works OK with just the webcam above your Chromebook’s display if you need to create a quick PDF to email. Just make sure you have plenty of light so you can capture a crisp image.

Edit PDFs with the Gallery app

Need to sign or form or show someone where to sign a form? Google eliminated the need to print and scan PDF documents with editing features built into your Chromebook’s Gallery app. The PDF editor lets you fill out and sign forms, highlight text and add text annotations.

Pan, tilt and zoom your external webcam

If you use an external webcam with pan, tilt and zoom support with your Chromebook, there are controls in the Camera app to let you move and zoom with the camera. With the external camera connected to your Chromebook, open the Camera app and select your external webcam using the camera switch icon at the lower left of the interface. Just above that icon is a diamond-shaped icon with a circle at its center. Click on that icon and it’ll open a control panel with zoom, pan and tilt controls. What’s really convenient, though, is the camera settings you use will stick once you leave the Camera app. That means you can jump into a Google Meet chat and have the camera angle set up just how you like it.

Phone Hub

Android users can access their phones from Chrome’s Shelf. The hub lets you see the last couple of tabs you viewed on your phone, see its battery level and wireless connection strength and get notifications from chat apps. It can also be used to locate your phone by setting off its ringtone, and it can silence your phone entirely.

Wi-Fi Sync

Wi-Fi Sync lets you share your network settings between devices. This means if your phone connects to a safe Wi-Fi network, your phone can share the network password with your Chromebook so you’re ready to work when you lift the lid. No more reentering passwords or having to hunt them down again to connect.

Screen Capture

Can’t remember the key combo to take a screenshot? From the Quick Settings on Chrome’s Shelf, you can select Capture. The tool not only lets you take screenshots but can be used to capture screen recordings as well. The tool can capture a window, a crop of a specific area of your screen or the entire screen.

Also, if you want to create a screencast to record, view and share transcribed videos and presentations for a demo or how-to video or a virtual lesson, there’s a Screencast app that’s part of ChromeOS. Just click on the Launcher in the lower left corner of your screen and search for it.

Tote

Google added a holding spot on the Shelf called Tote. It’s where you’ll find your most recent screenshots. But you’re also able to see downloads without having to launch the file browser. You can pin files to Tote, too, which means you can keep an important document readily available to open without searching for it.

Clipboard

Alongside the Tote feature is an enhanced Clipboard. It’s now able to store the last five things you saved to it. To view what’s available, press the Everything button plus V.

Desks

Desks lets you create separate workspaces for different projects you’re working on. Google added a right-click option to send an open window to a different Desk than the one it’s in, or all of your Desks if necessary. A four-finger swipe across your touchpad will let you switch between Desks, too.

Also read: How to Turn on Caps Lock on a Chromebook

Quick Answers

Need to convert a measurement from imperial to metric or need the definition of a word you’re reading? Just highlight whatever it is and right-click on it and you’ll be given a definition, conversion or translation along with your other options. This can be toggled on and off in the settings menu under Related Info.

Also read: Best Chromebook 2023: 8 Options to Fit Any Budget

Nearby Share

Nearby Share is the Android version of Apple’s AirDrop. It lets you and your contacts quickly share photos, files, links and more directly to another Android device or a Chromebook. Search the Settings on your Chromebook for Nearby Share and you can toggle the feature on and off. You’ll have to turn on Nearby Share on the sending/receiving device, as well.

To use it, once you’ve turned it on, pick what you want to send from your device, tap the Share icon (it’s the one with three dots with one dot joined to the other two by single lines) and Nearby Share should appear as an option. Tap Nearby Share and it will search for available devices which should include your Chromebook. Select it, and you’ll get a notification on your Chromebook to accept or reject it.

In the market for a new Chromebook? These are the best Chromebooks for 2023. Plus, here’s how to reset your Chromebook to make it run like new, and why that cheap Chromebook might be too good to be true.

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 24, #897

Today’s Connections puzzle is kind of tough. Here are hints, answers and help for Nov. 24, #897.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle is kind of tough. The purple category once again wants you to find hidden words inside other words. If you need help sorting the words into groups, you’re in the right place. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Like an air fryer.

Green group hint: In your vehicle.

Blue group hint: Take out your laptops, dump out your water.

Purple group hint: Like a rainbow.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Small kitchen appliances.

Green group: Features of a car’s center console.

Blue group: Seen while going through airport security.

Purple group: Ending in colors.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is small kitchen appliances. The four answers are blender, microwave, rice cooker and toaster.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is features of a car’s center console. The four answers are air conditioner, cup holder, radio and shifter.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is seen while going through airport security. The four answers are bin, carry-on, metal detector and X-ray.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ending in colors. The four answers are infrared, marigold, stingray and ultraviolet.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Toughest Connections puzzles

We’ve made a note of some of the toughest Connections puzzles so far. Maybe they’ll help you see patterns in future puzzles.

#5: Included «things you can set,» such as mood, record, table and volleyball.

#4: Included «one in a dozen,» such as egg, juror, month and rose.

#3: Included «streets on screen,» such as Elm, Fear, Jump and Sesame.

#2: Included «power ___» such as nap, plant, Ranger and trip.

#1: Included «things that can run,» such as candidate, faucet, mascara and nose.

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Nov. 24, #427

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Nov. 24, No. 427.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Music lovers, today’s Connections: Sports Edition has a fun green category for you. You’ll recognize some familiar phrases in the grid, I think. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Not long pants.

Green group hint: Sing out.

Blue group hint: Gridiron guys who share a name.

Purple group hint: Like a law.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Types of shorts.

Green group: Popular arena/stadium songs.

Blue group: Football Drews.

Purple group: ____ rule.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is types of shorts. The four answers are basketball, bike, compression and gym.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is popular arena/stadium songs. The four answers are Eye of the Tiger, Jump Around, Sandstorm and Thunderstruck.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is football Drews. The four answers are Bledsoe, Brees, Lock and Pearson.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ____ rule. The four answers are infield fly, mercy, tuck and unwritten.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Monday, Nov. 24

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Nov. 24.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Two down might be my favorite clue, and answer, this puzzle has ever offered. Read on for all of the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Prefix for some music genres
Answer: ALT

4A clue: Fab ___ (nickname for the Beatles)
Answer: FOUR

6A clue: Eagle’s claw
Answer: TALON

8A clue: Fab ___ (nickname for a noted University of Michigan basketball team)
Answer: FIVE

9A clue: Congregant’s seat
Answer: PEW

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Boat’s rear
Answer: AFT

2D clue: Shape of a cat with its legs tucked under itself
Answer: LOAF

3D clue: Flower that’s the subject of Dutch festivals
Answer: TULIP

5D clue: Wander aimlessly
Answer: ROVE

7D clue: Like many shows at the top of the Netflix queue
Answer: NEW

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

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