Useful Crosh Shell Commands for Chromebook Users + PDF

Whether you’re troubleshooting Wi-Fi, checking battery health, or just curious about what your Chromebook can really do, the Crosh shell is your hidden superpower.

Crosh (short for Chrome Shell) is a built-in terminal that gives you access to diagnostic tools, system info, and advanced commands, all without needing Developer Mode.

In this guide, we’ll walk through the most useful Crosh commands, grouped by category, so you can get the most out of your Chromebook.

Plus, you can download the full cheat sheet below in multiple formats, feel free to contact us or leave a comment below.

💻 How to Open Crosh

1. Press Ctrl + Alt + T on your keyboard.
2. A new tab will open with a terminal prompt: crosh>
3. Start typing commands!

Type help or help_advanced to see a list of available commands.

🔧 System Diagnostics & Info

top	View real-time system processes and resource usage
uptime	See how long your Chromebook has been running
memory_test	Run a memory diagnostic
free	Display memory usage summary
meminfo	Detailed memory statistics
battery_test 60	Run a 60-second battery discharge test
set_time	Manually set system time
rollback	Revert to previous ChromeOS version (Powerwashes device)

Network & Connectivity

ping google.com	Test network latency and packet loss
tracepath google.com	Trace the route to a domain
network_diag	Run a full network diagnostic and save results
ipaddrs -4	Show IPv4 address
ipaddrs -6	Show IPv6 address
modem help	View modem configuration options
update_over_cellular enable	Allow ChromeOS updates over mobile data

Developer & Advanced Tools

Some of these commands require Developer Mode to be enabled.

shell	Access full bash shell (Dev Mode only)
sudo su	Become root user
vmc start termina	Start Linux container
vmc stop termina	Stop Linux container
ssh user@host	Connect to a remote server via SSH
bt_console	Bluetooth debugging console
systrace	System tracing for performance debugging
packet_capture	Capture network packets (Dev Mode only)

Input & Hardware Testing

evtest	Test input devices like keyboard and touchpad
xinput list	List input devices (in full shell)
inputcontrol	Adjust touchpad/mouse settings (some devices)

Miscellaneous

help	List basic commands
help_advanced	List advanced/debugging commands
exit	Close Crosh
Ctrl + C	Stop a running command

🔗 Related Guides from ChromeGeek

• Enable Developer Mode on Chromebook + Shortcuts Cheat Sheet
• ChromeOS PowerControl: Advanced Hardware Management
• What Is Crosh Shell on Chromebook?