Chromebook Help

Here are some quick things to try on Chromebooks (before calling the help desk at extension 11397).

Helpful keyboard shortcuts

• Reset screen resolution to default: Ctrl + Shift + 0
• Rotate screen 90 degrees: Ctrl + Shift + Refresh
• Toggle high-contrast mode: Ctrl + Search + h
• Switch between the keyboard languages you've set: Ctrl + Shift + Space
• See all keyboard shortcuts: Press Ctrl + Alt + / (forward slash)
• Power/other various issues: Refresh + Power (this will immediately restart the device)

How to update Chrome OS

In order for standardized testing software to run, Chrome OS needs to be updated. It will do it automatically eventually, but to perform it manually:

1. Log in to the Chromebook
2. Click the clock in the bottom-right corner
3. Click the gear icon
4. Click About Chrome OS
5. Click Check for updates

The update takes about 7 minutes.

How to reset a student profile

If a student is getting popups or other unwanted settings, you can try this.

1. Log in with the student account 
2. Click in the bottom right area (clock/wireless/battery/profile picture)
3. Click the settings gear
4. Scroll down and click Show advanced settings...
5. Scroll down again and click Reset settings, then Reset
6. Log out to sync the changes.

Here are some more things to try on Chromebooks (before calling the help desk at extension 11397).

Factory reset your Chromebook

Can take as little as 1 minute 32 seconds!

1. Sign out of your Chromebook.
2. Press and hold Ctrl + Alt + Shift + r.
3. Select Restart.
4. In the box that appears, select Powerwash  Continue.
5. Follow the steps that appear.
6. Connect to network
   • If in a District building, select FNSBSD-MAC and enter password NorthStar
7. Once you've reset your Chromebook:
   • Follow the onscreen instructions to set up your Chromebook
   • Check if the problem is fixed

https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/183084?hl=en

Prepare Chromebooks for long-term storage

1. Charge your Chromebooks so that the battery is at least 80% full. 
   This ensures that even when the battery discharges while unplugged over the summer, it won’t fully run out of power.
2. To slow the discharge rate during storage, do not physically remove the battery from the Chromebook for storage. Instead, take the following steps:
   1. Connect the device to a charger and turn it on.
      Note: If the device charges via a USB-C connector, the charger must be plugged into a USB-C port on the same side as the charging light. You can verify this by confirming that there is an orange charging light on the same side as the charger after you've plugged it in.
   2. Hold Refresh  and Power  at the same time.
   3. While holding these keys, remove the power cable from device and then release the keys.
      The device should shut down and remain off.
   4. Confirm the battery disconnect worked by pressing the power button. 
      The device should not power on, despite having a battery charge. The Chromebook won’t power on by touching the power button or opening the lid, until you plug the device back to a power source.

This is the ideal way to store devices. It reduces battery discharge to a minimum, prevents constant charge and discharge from reducing the battery life, and keeps the Chromebook in a stable, powered-off state.

Note: If you can’t put your model of Chromebook into the battery disconnect state described above, charge the battery to at least 80%. Then, turn off the Chromebook, unplug it from a power source, and store it in a cool, dry place.

Get your Chromebooks ready for school

A week before classes resume, get the Chromebooks ready for students.

1. Connect the Chromebooks to a charger and a power source.
   This will get them out of the battery disconnect state.
2. Power up your devices.
3. Connect your Chromebooks to Wi-Fi and update them to the latest Chrome OS release. 
   This can take time, as multiple Chrome OS versions might have been released since the last time the device was updated. 

https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/9139543?hl=en

We are changing all Chromebooks in the district to Always show user names and photos. This will make it easier to use, especially in a 1-1 environment.

If no one has signed into a Chromebook, it will show a Sign in to your Chromebook screen and ask for your email, and have @k12northstar.org or @student.k12northstar.org automatically filled out.

If a user has already signed into the Chromebook, it will show their profile picture, name, and password field. No need to enter the f- or s-number again.

To log another person into the Chromebook, click on the Add Person button at the bottom, then log in as normal.

To remove a user from the login screen, click the down arrow next to their name and click the Remove account button. This will remove them from the Chromebook, but not impact their Google drive. You can also perform a Powerwash by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Shift + r at the login screen to remove all profiles at once.

If you have a lab or cart where always having Sign in to your Chromebook makes more sense, put in a work order with the lab or cart number and it can be switched back.