Customise your Chromebook's shelf

At the bottom or side of your screen, there's a row of apps called the shelf. If there's an app or web page that you use frequently, you can pin it to the shelf for quick access. You can't add apps and shortcuts to your desktop's wallpaper or background.

Add, change, remove or hide apps in your shelf

Add an app to your shelf
  1. In the corner of your screen, select the Launcher .
  2. Find the app that you want to add.
  3. Right-click the app icon.
  4. Select Pin to shelf.

When you pin an app to your shelf, the app will stay there until you move or remove it.

Change the position of the apps
  1. Select and hold the app that you want to move.
  2. Drag it to a new position.
  3. Release to put the app in a new spot.
Remove an app from your shelf
  1. Right-click the app that you want to remove.
  2. Select Unpin .
Change the position of your shelf
  1. Right-click the shelf.
  2. Select Shelf position.
  3. From the menu, select Left, Bottom or Right.
Hide or stop hiding your shelf

To hide your shelf:

  1. Right-click the shelf.
  2. Select Autohide shelf .

Tip: When they're hidden, move the pointer to that side of the screen to find your apps, bookmarks and account picture.

To stop hiding your shelf:

  1. Right-click on the shelf or where your shelf was.
  2. Select Always show shelf .

Pin web pages or files to your shelf

Pin a web page to your shelf

If you go to the same web page often, you might want to pin it to your shelf.

  1. Open the web page in Chrome.
  2. Select More and then Cast, save and share and then Create shortcut.
    • Optional: If you don’t like the suggested title for your shortcut, write your own title.
  3. Select Create.
  4. In the corner of your screen, select the Launcher .
  5. Right-click the shortcut icon that you want from a list of apps and shortcuts.
  6. Select Pin to shelf.
Tip: If you can’t find the shortcut icon that you want, use the Search key or the Launcher key to find the icon with keywords.
Pin files to your shelf

To pin a file:

  1. At the bottom left, select the Launcher .
  2. Open Files .
  3. On the left, select the folder that contains the file that you want to pin.
  4. Right-click the file.
  5. Select Pin Pin.

Tip: To unpin a file from your shelf, right-click on a file on your shelf, select Unpin .

Find a pinned file:

  1. At the bottom right, select the shelf container.
  2. Right-click your file.
  3. Select Show in folder.

Manage downloads and screenshots in your shelf

Open recent downloads and screenshots in your shelf
Important: Your recent downloads and screenshots are temporary. To find recent downloads or screenshots, at the bottom right, select Tote . Otherwise, you’ll find up to three circles, with a preview of your recent downloads, screenshots or an icon of the pinned files in your shelf.
Open files from the shelf preview:
  1. At the bottom, select the Tote .
  2. Select the preview of the file that you want to open.

Hide the shelf preview:

  1. At the bottom, right-click on the previews that you want to check.
  2. Select Hide previews.
Insert pinned files into documents
You can add images or screenshots to your documents from your shelf.
Drag images or screenshots:
  1. At the bottom right, select the shelf container.
  2. From the 'Screen captures' menu, select the image or screenshot that you want to move.
  3. Drag into your document.

Copy and paste images or screenshots:

  1. At the bottom right, select the shelf container.
  2. From the 'Screen captures' menu, right-click the image or screenshot that you want.
  3. Select Copy image.
  4. On your document, right-click anywhere.
  5. Select Paste.

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