Use your Pixel Slate touchscreen

No keyboard? No problem. Here are the actions you can take on your Pixel Slate touchscreen in tablet mode.

Note: Pixel Slate, Pixel Slate Keyboard, and Pixelbook Pen are no longer sold by Google.

 

How to Use Touchscreen on Google Pixel Slate

• Click: Tap where you want to click.
• Right-click: Touch and hold where you want to right-click.
• Scroll: Drag your finger up, down, right, or left.
• Go to a previous page on your browser: To go back, swipe your finger from left to right. To go forward, swipe from right to left.
• Zoom in or out: Touch and hold an area with 2 fingers.
  • To zoom in, spread them apart.
  • To zoom out, pinch them together.
• Go to home screen: With one finger, swipe up from the bottom of the screen. From your home screen in tablet mode, you can find apps or search the web.
• Show your row of apps (shelf): In tablet mode, your shelf shows by default. If the shelf is hidden while you're viewing an app in full screen, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to show it.
• Hide your row of apps (shelf): Touch and hold an area in the row and tap Autohide shelf.
  • Note: It will only be hidden if you view an app in full screen. To show your hidden shelf again, swipe up from the bottom.
• View all open windows (Overview mode): With 2 fingers, swipe up from the bottom of your screen. You can also press the Overview key if using an appropriate keyboard accessory.
• View two apps side-by-side: If you see all your open windows on the screen (Overview mode), drag an app to the left or right to open Split screen mode.
• Close windows: If you see all your open windows on the screen (Overview mode), swipe up or down to close windows. You can also, long-press on the icon in the shelf and select Close.

Useful tablet shortcuts

Try these shortcuts to complete some tasks more quickly.

• Take a screenshot: Press the Power button + Volume down button.
• Turn power off or sign out: Press and hold the Power button until you see a menu to Power off or Sign out.
• Turn off display: Quickly press the Power button for 1 second.
• Use the on-screen keyboard: Tap any text box to show the on-screen keyboard. To hide the keyboard,
  • Tap anywhere outside the keyboard.
  • On the bottom right of your screen, tap Hide keyboard .

Learn more about using the on-screen keyboard.

Handwrite text

1. Tap any text box to show the on-screen keyboard.
2. Tap Write .
3. In the pad that appears, write text with your fingertip or touchscreen stylus.

Do more with the Pixelbook Pen

Using the Google Pixelbook Pen with Google Assistant is no longer supported.

Fingertips are fine when using your touchscreen, but the Pixelbook Pen¹ lets you enjoy more of Pixel Slate's features. Here are a few things you can do with Pixelbook Pen:

• Take notes: Use the Pixelbook Pen and the Google Keep app to turn your tablet into a notepad, without wasting any paper.
• Draw, illustrate, or animate: The Pixelbook Pen responds to your hand motions in real-time so you stay connected to your creations. With its refined pressure and tilt sensitivity, you can change the weight or thickness of a line without changing a setting.²
• Annotate your photos for a personal touch: Use the Pixelbook Pen with the Google Keep or Infinite Painter apps to add a note or drawing to your favorite photos.
• Change modes for more flexibility: Quickly turn your Pixelbook Pen into a handy laser pointer or magnifying glass. Take a screenshot of all or part of your screen to share with colleagues. Switch between drawing tools like a marker, highlighter, or eraser.

Learn more about using the Pixelbook Pen with your Pixel Slate.

¹_{Pixelbook Pen is sold separately.}
²_{Features are designed for use with and require select editing applications. Lag was tested on pre-production Pixelbook, Pixel Slate, and Pixelbook Pen units, using top-rated Google and third-party programs and apps. Actual results may vary.}

Fix touchscreen problems

If your touchscreen isn't working, try these steps. Test after each step to see if your touchscreen is working.

1. Wipe off any dust or dirt on your touchscreen.
2. Reset your Pixel Slate hardware.
3. Reset your Pixel Slate to factory settings.

If these steps don't fix the problem, contact Pixel Slate customer care.

Related articles

• Turn on accessibility features
• Use your touchscreen accessibility features