Google is highly motivated to improve the Android experience on big-screen devices now that the company has announced itsPixel FoldandPixel Tablet.Android 14has a number of new features that should help in this regard, fromsplit-screen app pairsto usinggesture navigation while dragging and dropping. But the biggest improvements in the new version, at least for tablet users, might just be with external physical keyboards.
Android expertMishaal Rahman has uncovereda completely revamped menu for keyboard shortcuts inAndroid 14 Beta 2. The new menu is only available for large-screen devices on Android 14 right now, and it replaces the list of shortcuts you can find in Android 13 underSettings -> System -> Languages & input -> Physical keyboard. However, on Android 14, the settings for physical keyboardshave been rearranged, so you’ll find these shortcuts underSettings -> System -> Keyboard -> Physical keyboard.
Access notification shade
Search + N
Take a full screenshot
Search + Ctrl + S
Access list of shortcuts
Search + /
Back button
Search + ~ | Search + Backspace | Search + Left Arrow
Access home screen
Search + H | Search + Return
Overview of open apps
Search + Tab
Cycle through recent apps (forward)
Cycle through recent apps (back)
Alt + Shift + Tab
Launcher search
Hide and show taskbar
Search + T
Access system settings
Search + I
Access Google Assistant
Search + A
Lock screen
Search + L
Pull up Notes for quick memo
Search + Ctrl + N
Split screen with current app on right
Search + Ctrl + Right Arrow
Split screen with current app on left
Search + Ctrl + Left Arrow
Switch from split screen to full screen
Search + Ctrl + Up Arrow
Move split screen app
Search + Ctrl + Down Arrow
Switch input language (next)
Ctrl + Space | Search + Space
Switch input language (previous)
Ctrl + Shift + Space | Ctrl + Search + Space
Open assist app
Open browser app
Search + B
Open calculator app
Search + U
Open calendar app
Search + K
Open contacts app
Search + C
Open email app
Search + E
Open maps app
Search + M
Open music app
Search + P
Open SMS app
Search + S
The list is much more robust than its current implementation, with a total of 34 shortcuts for 29 separate functions, compared to the 13 we see today on Android 13. The key combinations are now also grouped into three tabs for better organization —System,Input, andOpen apps— and there’s a search bar to quickly sift through the options. However, not all the shortcuts are new, of course.
From our testing, two of the back button shortcuts are new:Search + Backspacealready worked, butSearch + ~andSearch + Left Arrowaren’t available on Android 13.Search + Hto go home is also new, butSearch + Enteralready works.
The option to pressSearchto quickly open your launcher’s search function is also new — pressingSearchnow opens your Assistant app, but that’s been moved toSearch + Ain Android 14. Currently, theSearch + Ashortcut opens your calculator app, but that functionality is moving to a new key combo atSearch + U.
These new shortcuts arrive alongsidethe ability to remap modifier keys, so if your keyboard doesn’t have a Search button, you can easily map the Ctrl, Alt, Caps Lock, Command, or Windows key to perform that function. By default, the Windows key on PC keyboards or the Command key on Apple keyboards operates as the Search key.