In this article, we’re diving into something that can make your Chromebook feel a lot more personal and organized – customizing the Shelf. If you’re new to Chromebooks, the Shelf is that strip of icons (similar to a taskbar or dock) usually located at the bottom of the screen.
It’s where you can pin apps, access your launcher, and quickly switch between open windows. While it’s functional right out of the box, there are several ways you can tweak it to better suit your workflow.
Customize Your Chromebook Shelf
There are different ways to customize your Chromebook Shelf. You can pin your favorite and frequently used apps, enable auto-hide, change the shelf position, and more. Let’s explore all the possible ways you can customize your Chromebook Shelf.
1. Change the Shelf Position (Left, Bottom, Right)
By default, the Chromebook Shelf sits at the bottom of the screen – similar to the taskbar on Windows or the dock on macOS. While this works well for most users, if you’re using an ultrawide monitor or prefer a vertical layout, moving the Shelf to the left or right side of the screen might give you more screen space and a better workflow.
Here’s how you can change the Shelf position:
1. Right-click on any empty area of your desktop.
2. Hover over Shelf position.
3. Choose from Left, Bottom, or Right to change the shelf position.
2. Enable Auto-Hide for a Cleaner Look
Want to free up more screen real estate? Try auto-hiding the Shelf so it stays out of the way while you’re working, browsing, or watching videos.
When enabled, the Shelf will only appear when you’re on the desktop or when you move your cursor to the edge of the screen where it’s hidden. Here’s how to turn it on:
1. Right-click on the desktop or two-finger tap on a trackpad.
2. From the menu that pops up, select Autohide shelf.
That’s it! The Shelf will now automatically hide whenever you’re using an app, browsing the web, or working in full-screen mode. To view it, just move your mouse cursor to the edge of the screen where the Shelf is located (bottom, left, or right).
Note: If you decide you want the Shelf to always be visible, right-click on the desktop again and select Always show shelf from the menu.
3. Remove Apps You Don’t Use from the Shelf
When you first start using your Chromebook, the Shelf might be filled with default apps that you don’t use often. While they’re there for quick access, too many icons can make the Shelf feel cluttered and disorganized.
However, you can easily unpin any app you don’t frequently use to clean up the Shelf and make room for your go-to tools.
Here are the steps to unpin an app from the Shelf:
1. Right-click on the app icon you want to remove from the Shelf.
2. Select Unpin from the context menu. The app icon will immediately disappear from the Shelf.
Unpinning an app does not uninstall it. The app will still be available in the App Launcher. You can access it anytime from there and even re-pin it later if needed.
4. Add Your Favorite Apps to the Shelf
Do you use certain apps every day, like Chrome, YouTube, Google Docs, or your favorite music app? Pinning them to the Shelf makes them just a click away, saving time and keeping your most-used tools right where you need them.
Here are the steps to pin an app to the shelf:
1. Click on the Launcher icon and browse through your installed apps or search by name.
2. Right-click on the app you want to pin.
3. Select Pin to shelf from the menu that appears.
Note: You can also pin web apps (PWAs) from the Chrome browser. To do that, follow this guide on pinning websites to the Chromebook Shelf.
5. Rearrange Apps on the Shelf
Want to put your most-used apps in a specific order? You can easily rearrange the icons on your Chromebook Shelf to match your workflow and make multitasking smoother.
To do this, simply click and hold the app icon you want to move, then drag it to your desired position. If your Shelf is at the bottom of the screen, drag the icon left or right. If your Shelf is on the left or right side, drag it up or down.
Once it’s in the right spot, release the icon and it will stay in place, with the other icons shifting around it automatically.
And that’s it! Customizing your Chromebook’s Shelf not only makes it more visually appealing but also boosts your productivity by keeping things organized and within reach.
