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How to make your cheap Chromebook look and feel like a high-priced MacBook

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How to make your cheap Chromebook look and feel like a high-priced MacBook

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Whether you’re looking for a cheap companion or just don’t want to pay sky-high prices for a new Apple laptop right now, a Chromebook is an excellent option. With a speedy, touch-friendly UI and a breezy, get-things-done attitude, a Chromebook is an excellent addition to any Apple fan’s gear bag, whether it’s their primary device or not.

The only problem: Chromebooks are much closer to a Windows PC than a Mac. From the experience to the interface, Chrome OS is clearly inspired by Windows but it doesn’t have to stay that way. Google offers plenty of customization options to rid your Chromebook of all of its Windows influences.

Embrace the shelf

One of the main things that separates macOS from Windows OS is the Dock. But Chromebooks have something similar called the shelf, which is the place to store frequently used apps and websites for easy launching. The shelf can hold an unlimited number of apps—if you add more than you can see, you’ll be able to swipe to see the rest—and 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 autohiding and position.

chromebook dock IDG

Chrome OS’s shelf is just like the macOS Dock.

To add apps to the shelf, simply 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.

It’s slightly different for web apps. When you’re in Chrome and find a site you want to regularly return to (like iCloud below), head over to the menu in the top right and select Create shortcut. Then rename it to whatever you want and check the “Open as window” box if you want it to look like an app rather than a tab in Chrome.

Change your keys

They might not have a Windows key, but Chromebook keyboards are decidedly PC-like, with Alt and Ctrl keys instead of Command and Option. But while you won’t be able to get the Bowen knot on your keyboard, you can remap your keys so your fingers think it’s there. Just head over to the Device setting and click the Keyboard tab to swap the Alt and Ctrl keys and bring back some semblance of normalcy.

Add iCloud to your Dock

If you’re looking for an extension or Play Store app that lets you access your iCloud account, you’re not going to find one. But that doesn’t mean your iCloud account is locked out of your Chromebook. By logging into iCloud.com through a browser, you’ll get access to Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Photos, Notes, Reminders, and iCloud Drive, as well as Pages, Numbers, Keynote and the Find My apps. It’s not quite as seamless as it is on a Mac—you’ll need to repeatedly log in and regularly verify your 2FA credentials—but it’s certainly better than not having it. And if you want it available at a click, just follow the instructions above for adding a website to your Dock.

chromebook icloud IDG

You can get access to most of your iCloud stuff on your Chromebook.

Switch your scrolling

There are lots of differences between PCs and Macs, but the biggest is trackpad scrolling. Ever since MacOS X Lion, Apple has switching scrolling to match iOS—swipe up and the content on the page moves in the same direction. It’s different on PCs and if your Chromebook is using “natural” scrolling, you can switch it the Mac way by enabling Reverse scrolling in the trackpad settings.

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