Acer Chromebook Spin 512 User Manual

Acer Chromebook Spin 512

GETTING STARTED

1. Turn on your Chromebook On the Chromebook, press the power button. A “Welcome” screen will appear when the Chromebook first boots up.
2. Select your language settings Use the “Language” drop-down list to choose your default language setting. If there is more than one way to type in your language, you may be prompted to select a keyboard input method as well.
3.  Connect to a network Select a network from the “Connect to network” list to connect to the Internet. If network access is protected, you will need an access password to connect to it.
   1. Accept the Terms of Service Once connected to a network, accept the Terms of Service. Your Chromebook will then download any available system updates, so you automatically get the latest Chrome OS features.
4. First-time sign-in
   1. Create a new Google Account You can create a new Google Account if you don’t already have one. Select Create a Google Account to set up a new account. A Google Account gives you access to useful web services developed by Google, such as Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Calendar.
   2. Browse as a guest You can also use the Chromebook without a Google Account by selecting Browse as a Guest.
   3. Enterprise enrollment (optional) You can enroll the Chromebook by selecting Enterprise enrollment.
   4. Sign in to your Google Account If you already have a Google Account, enter your username and password in the sign-in box that appears and select the Sign-in button. If your device is a Chromebook Enterprise, click More options and select Enterprise enrollment.

Important
Sign in with your primary Google Account. This account will be set as the owner and is the only account that will be able to change certain Chrome settings.

YOUR ACER CHROMEBOOK TOUR

Front view

Keyboard view

Function keys

The computer uses function keys or key combinations to access some hardware and software controls, such as screen brightness and volume. The dedicated function keys each have a specific function.

Common keyboard shortcuts

You can use shortcuts to complete some tasks more quickly.

Note: For a complete list of keyboard shortcuts, press Ctrl + Alt + /

Touchpad

The built-in touchpad is a pointing device that senses movement on its surface. This means the cursor responds as you move your fingers across the surface of the touchpad.

Right view

Left view

USB 3.2 Gen 1 information

• USB 3.2 Gen 1 compatible ports are blue.
• Compatible with USB 3.2 Gen 1 and earlier devices.
• For optimal performance, use USB 3.2 Gen 1-certified devices.
• Defined by the USB 3.2 Gen 1 specification (SuperSpeed USB).

USB Type-C information

• USB 3.2 Gen 1 with transfer speeds up to 5 Gbps.
• Supports DisplayPort™ audio/video output.
• Delivers up to 3 A at 5 V DC for USB charging.
• DC-in: requires power adapter or power source providing 45 W at 5~20 V.

For optimal performance, please use a certified Acer power adapter or USB Power Delivery device.

Bottom view

USAGE MODES

Your computer features the following modes. You can choose a mode to fit your needs.

THE CHROME OS DESKTOP

Window controls

Shelf

Note
Specifications vary. Some icons may not be applicable to your Chromebook.

Launcher

Select the Launcher icon to display the launcher page. This is the fastest way to search for something. Simply start typing to search the internet, your bookmarks, any files you have stored in your Google Drive, and items in the Web Store. The Launcher page is also the place to access all your apps. Below the search box are your frequently-used apps. Simply select one to open it. To see all apps you have installed, select .

Pinned apps

You can pin or unpin apps on the shelf. To pin an app to the shelf

1. Select the Launcher icon.
2. Click to select All Apps (or type the name of the desired app).
3. Locate and two-finger tap the desired app icon.
4. Select Pin to shelf.

To reorder the apps on the shelf, just drag them around.

To unpin an app from the shelf

1. Locate and two-finger tap the desired app icon from the shelf.
2. Select Unpin.

Status area

The Status area enables you to see vital computer information at a glance, such as the time, Wi-Fi signal strength, and battery life. Tap the Status area to display a box with more options.

APPS & EXTENSIONS

You can enhance your Chromebook with extra web applications (Chrome apps, for short), features for the browser (also known as extensions) and apps designed for Android™ (Play Store apps). Chrome apps work like regular software programs for desktop computers, except they run entirely on the web. Extensions provide custom features and functionality for the Chrome browser. Android apps, designed for Android mobile devices are supported on Chromebooks. You can find Chrome apps and extensions through the Chrome Web Store, and Android apps using the Google Play Store.

Managing apps

Note
Certain apps and browser extensions may not be available in all countries and regions. The contents and design of the Web Store may vary by region. Updates may add new categories or change how to navigate the Web Store at any time.

Installing apps from Chrome Web Store 

1. Select the Launcher icon.
2. Click to select All Apps (or type “Web Store”).
3. Select Web Store.
4. You can then browse through the app categories in the left column or search for a specific type of app using the search box.
5. When you find an app that you would like to add, select it and then select Add to Chrome.
6. A verification window will pop up, select Add to download and install the app, or select Cancel.

To open your new app, select the Launcher, then All Apps (or type the name of your new app), and then select the app.

Installing apps from Google Play Store 

1. Select the Launcher icon.
2. Click to select All Apps (or type “Play Store”).
3. Select Play Store.
4. You can browse apps by category or search for an app by keyword.
5. Select an app to view more information.
6. Select INSTALL to download apps.

Downloaded apps will be installed in the Launcher. If you cannot find the apps, select All Apps from the Launcher.

Removing apps from Chrome OS

1. Select the Launcher icon.
2. Click to select All Apps (or type the name of the desired app).
3.  Two-finger tap on the app you want to remove. For more information see Touchpad on page 9.
4.  Select Uninstall.

Note
Some apps such as the Chrome web browser cannot be uninstalled.

Google Drive

All files saved to your Google Drive are saved online and are accessible to other devices, such as your smartphone or tablet. Files saved to the Downloads folder are saved to your local drive and are only accessible to your Chromebook.

Note
You must be connected to the Internet to do the following Google Drive operations.

Difference between Drive and Files apps

Google Drive is a web-based storage service offered by Google, and the Files app is the onboard storage system for your Chromebook. Because your Chromebook makes heavy use of the web, you can easily access files both from Google Drive and those that are stored locally by using the Files app on your Chromebook. To use the Files app, select the Files icon in the apps list, or use the keyboard shortcut <Alt> + <Shift> + <M>.
This user manual uses Google Drive and Files interchangeably when giving instructions regarding accessing files.

Creating a new document

1. From the Apps list, select the Google Drive
2. Select New and select the type of document you want to create.

1. Select the Launcher icon.
2. Click to select All Apps (or type “Files”).
3. Select the Files icon.
4. Select the files that you want to upload.
5. Drag-and-drop the files to My Drive.

Enable offline access to Google Drive files

You can access files stored on your Google Drive while offline, but first you must enable offline access:

1. Select the Launcher icon.
2. Click to select All Apps (or type “Files”).
3. Select the Files icon and then select My Drive.
4. Select the file(s) you want to access offline.
5. Two-finger tap to bring up the context sensitive menu and select Available offline. For more information see Touchpad on page 9.

Gmail

Composing an email

1. Select the Launcher icon.
2. Click to select All Apps (or type “Gmail”).
3. Select the Gmail icon and then Compose.
4. Enter the recipient’s email address, the subject, and the message.
5. When you are finished composing your message, select Send.

YouTube

YouTube is a video-sharing website on which users can upload, share and view videos. You can access it by doing the following:

1. Select the Launcher icon.
2. Click to select All Apps (or type “YouTube”).
3. Select the YouTube icon.

Playing video or audio files

Your Chromebook has a built-in media player to play audio and video files. To play a file, double-click on an audio or video file in your Files app.

Other Supported File Types

Your Chromebook supports a number of other file formats.

CHROME OS TIPS AND TRICKS

Your Chromebook is a new type of computer that works somewhat differently than what you may be used to, so you might like to know how easy and useful things are when using it. Here are some tips and tricks.

Documents

How to create documents

1. Press the Search key on your keyboard or select the Launcher icon.
2. Click to select All Apps (or type “Google Docs”, “Google Sheets”, or “Google Slides” depending on the type of document you want to create) Create word processing files with Google Docs, spreadsheets with Google Sheets, and presentations with Google Slides.
3. Select Google Docs , Google Sheets , or Google Slides That’s it. You’ve just created a new document in a few seconds. With your new document, you can add text, insert images, change the font, make it bold, underline it, italicize it – you get the gist. Most of the formatting and other stuff you might be familiar with from other productivity suites like Microsoft Office you can do with Google Docs.

Note
For an alternative method of creating documents, see Creating a new document on page 20.
Finding your documents

All documents you create are saved to your Google Drive where they are online and accessible to other devices, such as your smartphone or tablet. To find your documents, do the following:

1. Select the Launcher icon.
2. Click to select All Apps (or type “Google Drive”).
3. Select the Google Drive
4. Select My Drive (or whatever sub-folder you’ve created to put your files in). Since your files are saved in Google Drive, they are saved online and available anywhere you have internet access. To access your files from any internet-connected computer do the following:
   1. Open the computer’s web browser.
   2. In the browser’s address bar, type “drive.google.com” (this is the Google Drive web address).
   3. Login using your Google account username and password.
   4. Select My Drive (or whatever folder you’ve created to put your files in).

How to share documents with other users

1. Select Share in the upper right corner of your document.
2. Add people by typing in their email addresses. The sharing option works with your Gmail contacts, so as you type your email contacts appear for you to quickly select.
3. After you select Done , they’ll receive an email letting them  know a document has been shared with them.

How to start a video chat

For all you Skype users out there, Google Hangouts are free video chats for up to ten people. To make a Hangouts video call, do the following:

1. Press the Search key on your keyboard or select the Launcher icon.
2. Click to select All Apps (or type “Hangouts”).
3. Select the Hangouts call icon.
4. Type in the name or email address of a person.
5. Select the Invite button to start your Hangouts.

How to listen to music

1. Press the Search key on your keyboard or select the Launcher icon.
2. Click to select All Apps (or type “Play Music”).
3. Select Play Music.

Note
Play Music may not be available in all countries and regions. Google Play’s current list of country availability for apps and digital content, visit https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/2843119?hl=en

To listen to streaming music, you can download streaming apps like Pandora, Spotify, Rdio, Deezer and more (availability varies by country) from Chrome™ Web Store or Google Play Store .

How to watch videos, TV, or movies

1. Press the Search key on your keyboard or select the Launcher icon.
2. Click to select All Apps and select one of the following options:
   1. Select YouTube to view a vast amount of user-uploaded videos covering nearly everything imaginable.
   2. Select Play Movies to watch the movies and TV shows you love.
      Note Play Movies may not be available in all countries and regions. Google Play’s current list of country availability for apps and digital content, visit https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/2843119?hl=en
   3. To find more entertainment apps like Netflix, Flixster, and more(availability varies by country), select Web Store or Play Store . Then, search for “Netflix” or other entertainment apps.

Working with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and Powerpoint) documents

Open and edit Microsoft Office files using Google’s office compatibility mode

1. Press the Search key on your keyboard or select the Launcher icon.
2. Click to select All Apps (or type “Files”).
3. Select the Files icon.
4. Double-click on any Microsoft Office file stored in Google Drive or on an external hard drive or USB flash drive connected to your Chromebook.

Google Chrome automatically opens and enables limited editing of the document.

Convert Microsoft Office files to Google Drive formats

1. Press the Search key on your keyboard or select the Launcher icon.
2. Click to select All Apps (or type “Files”).
3. Select the Files icon.
4. Double-click on any Microsoft Office file stored in Google Drive or on an external hard drive or USB flash drive connected to your Chromebook.
5. Select File > Save as Google Docs, Slides, or Sheets (format depends on the type of document).

Export Google Drive documents as Microsoft Office files

1. Press the Search key on your keyboard or select the Launcher icon.
2. Click to select All Apps (or type “Docs”).
3. Select Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides (depending on the document you want to create).
4. After creating the content of your document, select File > Download as and select the type of format you want to save as.
5. The file is saved to the download section of the Files app.

Opening Microsoft Office files using Microsoft’s Office Online apps from the Chrome Web Store or Google Play Store

Another option for working with Microsoft Office files is to use Microsoft’s own free web-based Office Online tools. You can download the Word Online, Excel Online, and PowerPoint Online apps from the Chrome Web Store or Google Play Store (you’ll need to create a Microsoft account if you don’t already have one). Then, you can login and create files or upload files you have already created and edit them.

Note
Office Online programs save files you create exclusively to Micrsoft’s own OneDrive cloud storage. Though you can download a file you create and then move it to Google Drive or a removable storage device, you cannot save it directly to those locations. Also, to work on a file you’ve already created, you must first upload it to OneDrive by selecting Open from OneDrive from within whichever Office Online product you are using (you can install the OneDrive app from the Web Store as well).

How to use your Chromebook when there’s no internet

The Chrome Web Store contains useful offline apps. For more information see Installing apps from Chrome Web Store on page 18. You’re able to filter your app search by selecting the Runs Offline checkbox. For those times you don’t have an internet connection, these apps help you stay productive and entertained. A few of the pre-installed options are described below.

Gmail Offline

Note
The first time you use Gmail Offline you MUST be connected to the internet to enable offline viewing.

1. Go to Gmail and select Settings
2. Select Offline tab.
3. Select Enable offline mail.
4. Choose your settings, such as how many days of messages you want to sync.
5. Select Save Changes.
6. Use the app like you normally would. It’ll update and send your emails the next time you log on to the internet.

Google Drive

Important
Any changes you make to a current document or any document you create while offline are saved locally on your computer and will not be seen if you open the document from Google Drive on another computer or device. The changes will only be reflected in the Google Drive online version of the document the next time you connect to the internet and access Google Drive.

1. Press the Search key on your keyboard or select the Launcher icon.
2. Click to select All Apps (or type “Google Drive”).
3. Select the Google Drive icon.
4. Open a Google document you have already created or create one as you normally would. For more information see Creating a new document on page 20. Notice the offline icon displays next to the file name reminding you that you are working on this document while not connected to the internet.
5. Make your desired changes. The next time you are online and haveGoogle Drive open, your local changes will upload to Google Drive.

Note
If you make changes to a Google document while offline and someone else makes changes to the document as well (for example, if the document is shared with someone else), the next time you are online and have Google Drive open, your changes will merge with the other person’s changes.
You can’t open and access every type of file you have saved in Google Drive when there is no internet connection. To enable offline access to file types other than Google documents when offline, see Enable offline access to Google Drive files on page 20.

SETTINGS

Use the settings menu to adjust the various options for your Chromebook. To access the settings menu do the following:

1. Select the Status area of the shelf in the lower-right corner of the screen.
2. Select Settings icon.
3. To show the advanced settings, scroll to the bottom and selectAdvanced.

Note
Using default settings, the Chromebook will enter hibernate mode after one hour.

Changing the language settings

1. Select the Status area of the shelf in the lower-right corner of the screen.
2. Select Settings icon.
3. Select Advanced.
4. Scroll down and select Language in the Languages and input section.
5. Select Add languages to add additional languages.
6. To enable a language for keyboard input, under Input method select the checkbox next to your desired input method.
7. Select Add when finished.

Changing the clock settings

You can change the time format and time zone on your Chromebook. If the date or time is incorrect on your Chromebook, try adjusting the time zone.
To change the time zone:

1. Select the Status area of the shelf in the lower-right corner of the screen.
2. Select the Settings icon.
3. Select Advanced.
4. In the Date and time section, select the desired time zone from the drop down box.

Customizing appearance

Customizing the wallpaper

1. Select the Status area of the shelf in the lower-right corner of the screen.
2. Select Settings icon.
3. In the Personalization section, select Wallpaper (or right-click your desktop and select Set wallpaper).
4. To pick your own wallpaper, select My Images. To pick Chrome wallpaper, you can browse through the categories in the left column and click an image.

You can also choose Daily Refresh to set your wallpaper to cycle through random order daily.

Customizing the theme

1. Select Settings from the Chrome Browser .
2. In the Appearance section, select Browser themes.
3. You’ll be taken to the Chrome Web Store, where you can find extra resources for the Chrome browser.
4. Once you find a theme that you’d like to try out, select it and then select Add to Chrome.

Setting up a printer

You can use the Google Cloud Print service to send print requests to many types of traditional cabled printer and wireless “cloud ready” printers; however, not all printers are supported.
To learn more about Google Cloud Print and how to set up your printer, reference Google’s own Chromebook Help to find comprehensive information on this topic. To access Chromebook Help, do the following:

1. Press the Search key on your keyboard or select the Launcher icon.
2. Click to select All Apps (or type “Explore”)
3. Select the Explore icon.
4. Select Help (or type “Printer” in the search box.)

Updating Chrome OS

Automatic update

Each time you turn on your Chromebook, it automatically checks for updates. When an update is available, this update icon will appear as a notification in the status area. To apply the update:

1. Select the Status area of the shelf in the lower-right corner of the screen.
2. Select Restart to Update.
3. Your Chromebook will shut down and automatically restart, with the update applied.

Manual update

To manually check for an update or check what version of Chrome OS you are using:

1. Select the Status area of the shelf in the lower-right corner of the screen.
2. Select Settings icon.
3. Select About Chrome OS from settings at the top left corner.
4. In the dialog that opens, select Check for updates. If any updates are available, they will be displayed on the page.

Important
Do not modify your Chromebook’s hardware yourself. Doing so will cause the update function to no longer work. Please get in touch with your dealer or an authorized service center. Visit www.acer.com to find an authorized service site.

Resetting your Chromebook

There may be times when you want to reset your Chromebook (for example, removing your personal information and settings). Completely resetting your Chromebook is known as “Powerwashing”, which is basically factory resetting your computer. After powerwashing, your Chromebook will look like it did out of the box (including all apps that came pre-installed). To powerwash your Chromebook, do the following:

Important
Powerwashing your Chromebook will remove all local settings, data, and programs from your hard drive. Backup any data on your hard drive that is not saved online by moving it to Google Drive and waiting for it to sync.

1. Select the Status area of the shelf in the lower-right corner of the screen.
2. Select Settings icon.
3. Select Advanced.
4. In the Reset settings section, select Powerwash.
5. Select Restart.
6. In the box that appears, select Powerwash > Continue.

HELP

Online and offline help

Additional help is available both online and offline. Chromebook Help is installed on your Chromebook and doesn’t require internet access. It covers basic troubleshooting as well as more detailed information about Chrome OS and using your Chromebook.

Note
Some sections in Chromebook Help have web links, which require you to have internet access to view the additional information.

To access Chromebook Help, do the following:

1. Press the Search key on your keyboard or select the Launcher icon.
2. Click to select All Apps (or type “Explore”).
3. Select the Explore icon.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Get help or more information