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NBC's Chicago Med, Chicago PD and Chicago Fire Return Oct. 7 With New Seasons and Streaming OptionsTechRadar Asks Readers Whether They Could Stop a Rogue AI From EscapingApple Ships First RCs of macOS Sequoia 15.8.2 and macOS Tahoe 26.7.2Pixel 11 still waiting on Android 17 QPR1 as older Pixels get the updateMSI Roamii Be Pro Leads Prime Day Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 Mesh Deals at $245Amazon's October Prime Day Cuts Chargers, Trackers and Smart Plugs Below $50
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Android navigation buttons return on Googlebook keyboards as F1-F3 keys

Googlebook keyboards now use F1-F3 keys for Android’s classic triangle, circle and square navigation buttons, The Verge reports.

AI News Feed · 2026-10-08 06:43

On Googlebook OS, the left-pointing triangle goes back, the circle goes home by minimizing all open apps, and the square tiles open apps in a view the report compares to Mission Control on macOS or Task View on Windows.

The icons were used as back, home and app-switcher buttons long before gesture-based navigation became standard, and they are still built into phones on Android 17 as an alternative, according to the report. The Verge said it is useful to have these buttons and to have them matched across all Googlebooks. The back button can be necessary when using Android apps that are not really optimized for a desktop interface or mouse controls.

The report also said a second press of the home button does not bring all apps back to where they were. That function is a separate feature called desktop peeking, which uses a different keyboard shortcut.

The Verge addressed a common misconception about Googlebooks: the Quick Insert and Google logo keys are not new. They first debuted a couple of years ago on some Chromebooks. What is new for Googlebooks is the return of the Android navigation buttons, which the report describes as ripped straight from Android phones circa 2014.

For longtime Android users, the report said, it is fun to see the buttons live on. It also serves as a reminder that a fallback can be needed when Android behaves like Android.