Chromebook Tip Of The Week: Mirroring vs. Extending

When you connect a Chromebook to a projector, the default behavior is to 'extend' your Chromebook's screen onto the projector. Extending joins the projector to the right hand portion of your screen, effectively extending your screen's total width. If you move the cursor all the way over to the right hand side of your laptop's screen, then keep moving it to the right, you'll see the cursor show up on the projector's display. Think of the extended display as a super landscape image, or a super wide screen. While there are many reasons why you might want to extend your Chromebook's display, like viewing presenter's notes during a presentation, many users simply want to have what's on their laptop's screen 'mirrored' or displayed on the projector, too. Happily, switching between extended and mirrored views is done by simultaneously pressing control and full screen. Try it. Happy projecting!

Press Control - Full Screen to toggle between extended display and mirrored display.

Chromebook Tip Of The Week: Do Not Disturb

Notifications are everywhere, but sometimes, you want them to be nowhere; anywhere else but on your screen. For example, when using your Chromebook to present student projects or when you otherwise have your Chromebook connected to a projector, you don't want a "Bloop - Your significant other has checked into the Oyster Bar" taking over any screen real estate or audience mind share. You need to shut notifications off. Here's how.

Near the right hand side of the shelf (the bar at the bottom of the screen) just to the left of the Status Area is the Notification Panel. Sometimes it looks like a bell. It's shape will often morph to the latest things used. There may also be a number indicating how many notifications are waiting. Click or Tap it.

Tap or Click the Notification Panel

Next, Tap or Click the settings gear.

Tap or Click the settings icon

Finally, Tap or Click the do not disturb option.

Make the do not disturb button blue.
Enjoy the quiet.

Depending on the resources installed on your Chromebook, your notifications and the notifications area may look different than the images show here, but the process to silence the notifications should be identical to that outlined here. Enjoy your now quiet Chromebook.