If you wanna play detective by peeling the back of a website to see the source codes on your Chromebook, there is a secret tool for it.
And it’s nothing but the Inspect Element tool built into the Chrome browser.
But, as a newbie, you might need help finding it. So, read along as I’ve demonstrated how you can inspect elements from Chromebook in this article.
How to Inspect an Element on Chromebook Laptop
Right-click on the part of the webpage you want to inspect. Choose the Inspect option from the menu, and the Chrome Developer tool will open. You’ll find a console panel on the right side to view & edit the source code. However, press Ctrl + Shift + C to trigger this inspect element tool.
So, if it’s not blocked and you want to inspect the element of a website, there are several ways to do it.
I am currently using Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook and doing all the website-related research on it. So, when I need to know any webpage’s source code, I use the below techniques.
Here is the easy way to Split Screen on Chromebook.
1. Inspect the Element of a Website by Using Keyboard Shortcuts
Launching the inspect element tool with the keyboard shortcut keys is my favorite one, and it’s also the fastest way among the three methods. Press the Ctrl + Shift + C to trigger the Select an element of the page to inspect it option.
After that, hover the mouse cursor on any particular web page area to see the codes. And you don’t need to click anything to get the codes. Just hover the mouse and see.
Another keyboard shortcut for inspecting the element in Chromebook is Ctrl + Shift + I. This shortcut only launches the Developer tool but won’t trigger the inspect element tool. Let me clear things up for you.
Inspect element keyboard shortcuts for Chromebook:
- Ctrl + Shift + C will open the Developer tool in the Inspect element mode. Or else, the Developer tool will switch to the Inspect mode if it’s already launched.
- Ctrl + Shift + I will launch the Developer tool only. It won’t initiate in the inspect element mode.
I bet you got it all now. So, try these shortcuts to uncover the codes and edit them if you want.
Check our latest solution for how to access Microsoft Word on Chromebook.
2. Inspect Element Through the Developer Tools Option
Advanced users like web developers use the inspect element tool to view the source codes of a website. Using the inspect element tool, you can see any website’s HTML and CSS codes.
However, it’s part of the Developer tool, and you can inspect the site’s sources with it from your Chromebook. Let’s see how to do that.
- Click the three vertical dots (Customize and Control Google Chrome) button beside the profile icon.
- Select More tools > Developer tools.
The Developer tool will launch with a console on the right side and the current website on the left. You can now see the source codes under the Elements tab from the console panel. Click on the square with a mouse cursor icon, and hover the mouse on the current website from the left side.
You can see the source codes like the HTML and CSS for that selected area. Additionally, press Ctrl + Shift + C to select an element of the page to inspect.
Easiest tutorial for you to copy and paste on Chromebook.
3. Inspect Element Using the Mouse or Touchpad
You can use just the mouse or touchpad to inspect a website’s elements without going to the Developer tools section from Chrome’s options menu. To do that, follow the instructions below.
- Right-click on the part of the webpage to inspect.
- Select the Inspect option from the menu.
And the inspect element panel will emerge instantly. Now, take your mouse cursor and pick any particular area to view the codes behind it.
It works the same as the traditional View page source tool to get a view of the raw HTML codes of any webpage, but this inspect element tool is way better. You can see the source codes and the webpage side by side with this tool.
What is Inspect Element & Why Do You Need it?
Inspect element is a built-in tool in the web browser that enables a person to reveal a website’s source code. You can also edit the source code if you want to modify the web page. Source code includes HTML, CSS, JavaScript, or other media files.
You can directly see the changes in the browser window when you edit any source code using the inspect element tool. It’s like a secret weapon for web developers.
You can compare a website to a human body because it doesn’t look complicated from the outside but is way more complicated inside. You can relate the word complicated when you open any site’s source codes!
As a part-time web developer, I often use this tool to postmortem other websites. It helps me to dissect the HTML and CSS codes of it.
You can also relate this tool to a Sandbox, where you can play around with the webpage by modifying its text fonts, colors, and layouts just for fun. And you can just hit the F5 or click the refresh button to revert all the changes you made.
Fascinating. Isn’t it?
Apart from the fun side, this tool is handy for viewing other sites’ source code if you’re learning web development. Moreover, this will help you understand how each line of code is used to map a website magnificently.
You can also identify and resolve bugs with inspect element tools. So, it’s an excellent tool for learning how the codes work behind a webpage.
Follow our another easy guide for how to Right-Click on a Chromebook?
How to Unblock the Inspect Element Option on Chromebook
If you use a Chromebook that your school or organization authorized, they might have blocked the inspection element to ensure security issues. Some use the inspect element tool to do cheating on exams and reverse engineer any website. But if you have good intentions, you can unblock it.
Technically, it’s impossible to unblock the inspect element option if the authority already blocks it. But you can do the following things if you desperately want to use the inspect element for educational purposes.
- Convince the authority to unblock the inspect element tool for your Chromebook. They might unblock it if your intention is good and reasonable.
- Get yourself a different Chromebook other than the one you got to use the Inspect Element tool.
- Use Chrome browser from any Windows or Mac to use the tool.
If the system admin blocks it, there are legal ways to use the Inspect element tool.
FAQs
What is the shortcut key to inspect elements on a Chromebook?
Press Ctrl + Shift + C to launch the Developer tool with inspect element mode. To launch the Developer tool without the inspect element tool, press Ctrl + Shift + I from the Chromebook.
Why can’t I use the inspect element tool on my Chromebook?
If you’re using the Chromebook authorized by the business or the school administration office, they probably disabled this tool for you. Authorities can block the inspect element tool for security purposes and other reasons.
Who uses the inspect element tool?
Web developers and front-end developers mostly use this Inspect Element tool to make random changes to a webpage. It’s the best tool for applying new experiments with innovative ideas. You can tweak the page appearance by editing a webpage’s HTML and CSS codes.
Wrapping Up
More than 40 million users are using Chromebook right now. It’s cheaper than other laptops, and educational institutes and small organizations are using it on a daily work basis.
So, if you want to learn web development and how HTML & CSS works behind a website, inspect element is a great tool. After reading till the end of this article, I believe now you know how to Inspect on Chromebook.
To get more help regarding Chromebook, comment below. Until then, enjoy the awesomeness of Chrome OS.
