Google adding ‘Quick Insert’ and ‘G’ keys to Chromebooks

Google today is announcing the latest ChromeOS devices and Chromebook Plus features. This includes a new physical Quick Insert key that changes the Chromebook keyboard.

“Quick Insert” replaces the Launcher — more on that below — key. Tapping brings up a menu that lets you “Search to insert or create with Google AI” when you’re in a text field. At launch, this lets you type and quickly access Help me write, with image generation coming in the future.

Overall, think of it as a new centralized surface for common everyday actions that saves you time.

Outside of AI, you can get a list of recently opened websites “to add links without copying and pasting between windows.” There’s also Google Drive search to attach files, photos, also ideas.

You can also search for GIFs and emoji, with the latter also getting a dedicated row at the top for quick insertion.

Another useful additions let you insert dates, convert units, and perform simple calculations. You don’t have to be in a text field to access the Quick Insert menu.

With Quick Insert, which is shared with caps lock, Google moved the Launcher key. It now appears as the stylized Google ‘G’ logo to the left of the space bar. (As a reminder, letters on Chromebooks are lowercased.) In fact, Google has updated the button at the very left of the ChromeOS Shelf from a circle to that ‘G’ logo to make the change very obvious.

The Quick Insert and G keys are debuting on the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus. It will come to more Chromebooks in the future, while existing users can access the Quick Insert menu with Launcher key + F. This is rolling out in the coming weeks.