Switching from a familiar operating system can cause some anxiety. If you’ve used macOS most of your life, you might be a bit hesitant about making the move to a new Chromebook. More often, users are choosing Chromebooks over Macs due to the lower cost of hardware. In fact, you can buy a high-end Chromebook for around $1,000, often less than even the cheapest Mac devices.
It’s a great move if you want to save some cash, but the switch will require minor adjustments to your workflow. File management, keyboard shortcuts, and app installation all work a bit differently on a ChromeOS device. Luckily, we’ve got you covered with everything you need to know to painlessly switch from a Mac to a Chromebook.
File and app management
Chromebooks are built for the cloud, so local storage will be a bit different. Your information gets saved within the Files app instead of on your desktop or in a folder. You can use the Launcher to access that app quickly and search for what you need. All downloaded content will appear in the Downloads folder, but you can add subfolders for easy storage. If you plan to use your Chromebook as your main device, we recommend using a cloud service like Dropbox or Google Drive as your primary storage solution.
Customize your dock and add web apps
Organization is important for any workflow. You can pin apps to your dock (at the bottom of your screen) for easy access and use. But which apps do you need? At the bare minimum, you’ll want to keep Chrome, Gmail, Files, and YouTube in the dock. If you use your Chromebook for work, you may also want some productivity apps like Docs and Slides. For those that still use Apple services regularly, we recommend adding iCloud, Apple Music, and Apple TV as web apps in your Chromebook dock.
Here are a few other things you need to know about app organization:
- Remember you can also pin Android apps.
- You can also pin files to the dock for easy access. Just like macOS, you can keep it visible or move it to the sides of the screen. Just right-click on an empty spot on the dock, and you’ll see options for auto-hiding and position.
- To add apps to the shelf, right-click on an icon and select Pin to shelf. You can do the same to remove an app (unpin), or you can drag it out and drop it somewhere on the desktop.
- You can also add web apps to the dock easily. To add a web app, visit the settings menu in your Chrome browser and choose the Create Shortcut option from the More tools menu. Name the shortcut whatever you like, and then choose Open as window to make it look more like an app than a Chrome tab.
These are the basics when it comes to ChromeOS customization. We have some more in-depth suggestions coming up.
Keyboard shortcuts and scrolling
In switching from Mac to ChromeOS, some keyboard shortcuts will be different. The way you scroll with your mouse will be different, too. If you dive into ChromeOS settings, though, you can tweak both these things to feel like they did on a Mac. Here are a few suggestions.
- Taking a screenshot: Press Ctrl + the Show windows button (Ctrl + F5 on a Windows keyboard). To capture a partial screenshot, press Shift + Ctrl + Show windows (Shift + Ctrl + F5 on a Windows keyboard), then click and drag your cursor over the exact area you want to capture.
- Caps Lock key replacement: You may have noticed that Chromebooks don’t have a Caps Lock key. You can capitalize letters using the Shift key as usual, but you can also press Launcher+Alt to enable Caps Lock.
- Change scrolling direction: Click the time in the bottom right-hand corner, and click the Settings icon. Scroll down and select Touchpad. Under the scrolling option, select Enable reverse scrolling.
- Command key replacement: In ChromeOS, the Ctrl key is equivalent to the Command key. Perhaps the most annoying thing is the Ctrl key is a bit further to the left, making it a little more difficult to reach. If you want to remedy this situation, use Chrome’s versatility to swap the Ctrl and Alt key functionality. To do this, click the time in the bottom right-hand corner, and click the Settings icon. Scroll down to Keyboard, and remap the keys, setting Alt to Ctrl and Ctrl to Alt.
- Viewing all open browser windows: To switch between several tabs fast, you can swipe with three fingers to the right or left (or up or down depending on if you have reverse scrolling turned on). This feature makes it easy for you to understand everything you’re working on. From there, you can organize and close windows.
Installing new apps and app replacement
Loyal Apple users know to head to the App Store on Mac or iOS to download brand-new apps. On ChromeOS, native apps are cloud-based, which means productivity apps like Gmail and Google Docs live and store items in the cloud. If you want local apps, you can enable Linux apps on your Chromebook. Newer Chromebooks also support Android apps, downloaded via the Google Play Store. This opens up a wide array of possibilities, with millions of productivity apps and games available. Both web apps, Linux apps, and Android apps support shortcuts and can be accessed via the Launcher.
If you’re looking for some apps on your Chromebook to replace their familiar macOS counterparts, check out our suggestions below. Note you’ll want to read our Linux apps on ChromeOS guide to fully understand how to install the suggested Linux apps from the command line. For a more complete list of Android app recommendations, see our full guide to Android apps on ChromeOS.
Replace Photoshop desktop app with GIMP (Linux)
GIMP is a full-featured photo editing suite, similar to Photoshop but without the high price. If you’re a graphic designer transitioning to ChromeOS, you’ll find that GIMP is an indispensable tool. The functionality and file types are precisely aligned with what you would expect in other photo editing software. There are also many advanced tools like layers, lasso, and brushes to keep advanced users satisfied. If you need a photo editing app on your Chromebook, this is the only way to go.
Download using:
sudo apt-get install gimp -y
Replace Final Cut Pro with Kdenlive (Linux)
Video editing is a big deal these days. Millions of people upload videos to YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok every hour. If you’re serious about video editing, moving to ChromeOS can be scary. Thankfully, Kdenlive is a nice video editing program for Linux that can run on your Chromebook. Those who are used to running Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere Pro will pick up the intuitive interface in no time. It’s worth noting that while Kdenlive does run well on ChromeOS, you’ll need a fairly powerful Chromebook to take full advantage of this app.
Download using:
sudo apt-get install kdenlive -y
Replace Logic Pro with Audacity (Linux)
For the creators out there, you might need a nice app to record or edit audio. This is an advanced audio editor and recorder that comes in handy when you want to play around with audio files. Audacity has a lot of features that allow you to create your own unique tracks or remix other songs, and there are plugins that help you connect to sound equipment or other audio programs. Overall, this is the best audio editing app you can get on your ChromeOS device.
Download using:
sudo apt-get install audacity -y
Replace Apple Podcasts with Pocket Casts (Android app or web app)
For podcast enthusiasts, Pocket Casts is the best podcatcher you’ll find on Android. It has a lot of premium features and a beautiful user interface, making this one of our favorite apps on Android, period. If you spend a lot of time listening to podcasts, the trim silence and skip intros feature will help you get straight to the content in each episode.
No doubt, Chromebooks are some of the best laptops you can buy. If you’re considering the switch from Mac to a Chromebook, you should now feel a bit more comfortable. ChromeOS is a breeze to use, and many of the familiar macOS keyboard tricks still exist. As for apps, there are plenty of great options. Between Linux apps and Android apps, you should be able to accomplish just about anything on your new ChromeOS device. Let us know in the comments section if you have other tips for Mac users moving to a Chromebook.
