In this article we will show you how To Access Command Line on Chrome OS. Google’s Chrome operating system is said to move computing into the “cloud,” but you can still easily access a Command Line and Shell Prompt: To get to the command line, just press CTRL+ALT+T on your keyboard.
Then, type Shell to get a shell prompt. Chrome OS is installed on a lot of different devices, but Chromebooks are where it really shines. It shouldn’t be confused with Chromium OS, which is an open source version of the Chrome browser and not the Chrome operating system.
Chrome, the browser, and Chrome OS, the operating system, are both different. Most Chrome users would be smart to stay away from the command line, since making a mistake there could really mess up their Chrome installation. But if you like to play around with things and don’t mind taking risks, go for it!
How To Access Command Line on Chrome OS
The Chrome Shell, or CROSH for short, is the name of the command line in Chrome OS. With Chrome OS, you don’t have to use Terminal or CMD like you do with Linux, Mac, or Windows. To get to it, all you have to do on your Chromebook is press Ctrl, Alt, and T. From here, you can use some simple commands or type “shell” to get to a version of Bash.
If you want to dig deeper, you will need to switch to Developer Mode and use Bash from there. This tutorial is about CROSH, so that’s what will be looked at. Here are some simple commands you can use in the Chrome OS shell. Some of these need Bash, so you should log in to that first.
- Shows the general commands you can use in the shell.
- List debugging and advanced commands you can use in the shell.
- Help <command> : verify what a command does before you do it.
- Exits the shell.
- Set_time manually set the time in Chrome OS.
- Sound record 10 : record audio input from the microphone for 10 seconds. Time can be adjusted.
- Manually adjust mouse acceleration.
- Manually adjust autorepeat behavior of the keyboard.
- Checks Connectivity network status
- Adjust touchpad and mouse controls on compatible devices.
- Shows all running processes on the system.
- Check the battery info and how much battery is used up in a given time. For example, ‘Battery_test 60’ asks the system how much battery is used every minute (60 seconds).
- Runs tests on available memory. Memory used by Chrome OS is not tested.
- Provides information on SMART storage devices.
- Performs low level SMART device test.
- Performs deep level SMART device test.
- Performs a Packet Internet GroPe to check connectivity.
- Performs network diagnostics
- Performs a trace of a route, same as traceroute.
- Displays routing tables.
- Established an SSH connection to a given address.
- Ssh_forget_host : forget a previously connected SSH host.
- Sets an APN for cell connected Chromebooks.
- Set PPP username and password for cellular connections.
- Trusted Platform Module status.
- Upload crash reports to Google.
- Start system tracing for system debugging
FAQ
How do I open command prompt in Chrome OS?
On a Chromebook, you can get to the crosh shell (command prompt or terminal) by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T. Now, the crosh shell will open in a new tab in the Chrome browser.
Is Crosh a command line?
Chrome Shell (CROSH) is a command line interface that is similar to the Linux BASH or Windows command (cmd.exe) terminals. Chrome OS is based on Linux, but most Linux commands don’t work with CROSH. Memtest, storage test 1 and storage test 2, ping, and tracepath are the most useful commands for troubleshooting.
How do I open Task Manager on Chromebook?
Even though the Task Manager is hidden, it is easy to find and use whenever you need to. Press the Search and Escape keys together to get to the Task Manager. To stop a process, you need to pick the one you want to stop.