How to Rotate the Screen on a Chromebook
Many users wonder how to rotate the screen on a Chromebook after messing up its orientation by accidentally pressing the wrong keys. Others simply wish to use the rotating screen function when laying their device flat to show the display to someone sitting across the table.
Simply put, screen rotation is a handy feature that all Chromebook users must know how to use. Thankfully, Chromebooks are designed with users’ convenience and ease of use in mind. You’ll be glad to know that it takes no more than a couple of minutes to adjust your screen orientation on a Chromebook as per your requirements.
This guide explains how to rotate the screen on a Chromebook in two different ways. Both methods are easy to understand and simple to follow.
Let’s start!
How to Rotate the Screen on a Chromebook
Here are two ways to make your Chromebook screen behave just the way you like. Both methods are as simple as rotating the screen of your mobile device. You can try them and see what suits your needs and preferences best.
Let’s start with the one that yields the quickest results.
Method 1: Use the Keyboard
You can easily rotate the screen of a Chromebook using a keyboard shortcut.
Step 1
Press the following:
Ctrl + Shift + Refresh (F3)
As soon as you press these keys at once, the display will rotate clockwise at 90 degrees. Please note that the Refresh button replaces the F3 key on Chromebook keyboards. It is symbolized by a circling arrow. If you can’t spot it on your keyboard, please look above and between the 3 and 4 keys.
Step 2
Your Chromebook will probably display a prompt to confirm that you want to rotate the screen the first time you use the keyboard shortcut. Tap on “Continue”, and it’ll never require verification again.
That’s it!
There’s also a way to transform the top-row keys on your Chromebook keyboard into the standard Function keys.
Follow the steps below.
Step 1
Click on the System Clock. Then, go to the Settings panel by tapping the gear icon in the pop-up menu.
Step 2
Move the cursor to the left side of the screen and select “Device”.
Step 3
On the right side, click on “Keyboard”.
Step 4
Enable the “Treat top-row keys as Function keys” button.
Step 2
Now, to rotate your device’s screen, you’ll have to use the following keyboard command.
Ctrl + Shift + Search +F3
And you’re done!
Keep in mind that your Chromebook’s touchpad will follow the display orientation. For example, if the Shelf moves to the right corner of the screen after rotation, the touchpad will show top-to-bottom movement instead of moving from side to side.
That being said, Chromebooks generally maintain any rotated orientation even after you restart the device. It will only rotate again when you press the key combination. This holds for all devices except the 2-in-1 models when you’re using the device in tablet mode. In this case, the setting will be overridden if auto-rotation is switched on.
Method 2: Use the Setting Menu
This screen rotation method takes a little bit more time than the previous one. However, it offers a 270-degree orientation without you having to use the keyboard shortcut.
Step 1
Tap the System Clock. Then, press the “Settings” icon on the menu.
Step 2
Click on “Device” on the left side of the screen.
Step 3
Find the “Orientation” option and click the down arrow next to it.
Step 4
Select from the following screen orientation options on the drop-down menu.
- 90 degrees
- 180 degrees
- 270 degrees
Bear in mind that the tablet mode dims the drop-down menu. You’ll have to revert to the laptop mode or toggle off the auto-rotation feature on the main pop-up menu before you try to rotate the screen on your Chromebook.
How to Rotate the Screen of an External Device Connected to a Chromebook
The keyboard shortcut also works for this method. You’ll just have to place the cursor within the expanded desktop space. This will tell your device which screen you wish to rotate.
Follow the steps below.
Step 1
Tap the System Clock before clicking on the “Settings” icon.
Step 2
In the settings window, tap “Device” on the left side.
Step 3
Select “Displays” on the right.
Step 4
You’ll see a thumbnail for each display on the right. Choose the one that provides access to the settings of the second screen.
Step 5
Tap the down arrow beside the “Orientation” option.
Step 6
To rotate the screen, choose your desired orientation from the list below.
- 90 degrees
- 180 degrees
- 270 degrees
Our Final Thoughts
We understand how frustrating it is to mess up your screen’s orientation while working on a Chromebook. Knowing how to rotate the screen on a Chromebook will save you plenty of time and confusion.
We hope that the methods explained in this guide are easy to understand and follow. If you’ve used an Android device before, you’ll find this task uncomplicated. The keyboard command method works best if you quickly want to rotate the screen 90 degrees. On the other hand, if you want to go for a 180-degree or 270-degree rotation, the settings menu has got you covered.
Now that you know how to rotate the screen on a Chromebook, you can swiftly adjust the orientation during work meetings and let others view your laptop’s display clearly.
Feel free to bookmark this article for future reference and share it with your friends and family, so they can also rotate their Chromebook’s screen however they like. In case you have any questions or confusion, you can reach out to us. We’ll be happy to assist you!
