How you can flip an previous laptop computer right into a Chromebook free of charge

You probably have an growing old laptop or MacBook and have seen it is change into exceedingly gradual and struggles to run easily, there is a free, easy method to give it a brand new lease of life and keep away from losing cash on a brand new mannequin. All it’s a must to do is ditch Windows or macOS and set up Google’s ChromeOS Flex. Even a decade-old laptop computer can really feel such as you purchased it final week. ChromeOS Flex has extraordinarily modest system necessities, which means even a funds laptop computer purchased years in the past will really feel snappy and responsive.

Putting in ChromeOS Flex is straightforward. You possibly can even preserve your unique Home windows or Mac installations, applications and information if you wish to attempt it first. In the event you do not prefer it, you may merely swap again to Home windows precisely as you left it in just a few seconds. In fact, for those who’re completely bought on the brand new OS, then you may even then take away Home windows to unencumber area, creating your individual private Chromebook utilizing your previous laptop computer.

On this information, I will inform you the best way to set up ChromeOS Flex whereas conserving your present working system put in, or putting in ChromeOS Flex as your new working system. It is fully free, works on most laptops that had been made after 2010 and all you want is an 8GB or bigger USB flash drive.

What’s ChromeOS Flex?

A minimal working system

Earlier than we begin, it is vital to know what Chrome OS Flex is. ChromeOS Flex is a browser-based working system, much like what you may discover on any commonplace Chromebook, which implies you typically want entry to the Web and browser-based purposes. In the event you’re joyful to stay to on-line providers resembling Gmail and Google Docs or Outlook and Microsoft’s 365 plus video and audio streaming providers, then Chrome OS Flex could possibly be for you.

What you may’t do is set up apps onto your laptop computer itself. There isn’t any official Google Play Retailer assist as the entire level about ChromeOS Flex is for it to be easy and straightforward to run. Simply because it is browser-based does not imply your laptop computer shall be unusable for those who’re not on-line, although, as most browser-based extensions for utilizing the likes of Google Docs do have offline modes. It is price checking along with your particular apps, although, as some cannot work offline, resembling Microsoft 365.

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How you can set up ChromeOS Flex in your laptop computer

It is not laborious, however does take a while

To start out with, you may have to create a USB installer utilizing an 8GB or bigger USB flash drive — observe these steps:

1. In your laptop, use Google’s Chrome browser to access the Chrome Web Store by clicking on the extensions icon to the fitting of the handle bar on the prime.
2. Set up the Chromebook Recovery Utility extension.
3. Join your USB flash drive after which run the extension by clicking on the extensions icon once more and deciding on the extension within the dropdown listing.
4. As soon as you’ve got opened the Chrome Restoration Utility, choose ChromeOS Flex in each dropdown menus. That is the model you have to set up on a laptop computer. Now’s the time to again up any information you want in your USB flash drive too, as this course of will wipe it.
5. It is vital to verify for those who’re putting in ChromeOS Flex to the right drive. This system exhibits the make, mannequin and capability of the drive, so ensure that it matches your USB flash drive. (For instance, you probably have a 16GB Samsung USB flash drive, make it possible for’s what you choose to flash ChromeOS Flex to, in any other case you may wipe your laptop’s laborious drive.)
6. After deciding on your drive, the utility will start to flash the mandatory information to it. The method will take just a few moments after it begins.
7. As soon as it is full, depart your USB flash drive related and restart your PC.

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Inform your laptop computer as well into ChromeOS Flex

This subsequent step will allow you to check, or go all-in

Together with your USB installer made, now it is time to put it to make use of. To take action, you may want to inform your laptop computer or laptop to make use of the USB set up as well off of utilizing the boot menu, which requires hitting the fitting key, or mixture of keys, as your laptop restarts. The boot menu secret’s completely different relying on the laptop computer producer, however you could find a listing of them here. For Mac customers, it relies on you probably have an Intel Mac or an Apple Silicon Mac. You could find the proper directions here.

No matter platform, as quickly because the display screen goes black after clicking restart, faucet the boot menu key or the right key mixture each second until the boot menu display screen seems. Widespread examples are F12 for Dell and Lenovo or Esc for HP. Your guide or a Google search will reveal the important thing in your laptop computer if it isn’t within the listing. As soon as within the boot menu, choose your USB flash drive from the listing and your laptop computer ought to boot into ChromeOS Flex.

Alternatively, you may change the boot gadget in your laptop computer’s BIOS. Once more there is a particular key you may want to do that, often F2, F10 or Del. Not like the boot menu key choices, the BIOS choice is not going to reset on the subsequent restart and can proceed as well into ChromeOS Flex until you modify it again.

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Attempt ChromeOS Flex first

Trial on USB drive to offer you peace of thoughts

The wonderful thing about ChromeOS Flex is that you simply’re in a position to run it from the USB flash drive first earlier than putting in it in your laptop computer. This implies for those who do not prefer it, you may simply unplug your USB flash drive and go straight again to your earlier working system resembling Home windows. Nonetheless, for those who do intend to make use of it long run, it is price putting in it to your laptop computer instantly as you may see higher efficiency. You possibly can nonetheless attempt it first, although, as you may absolutely set up it utilizing the USB installer at any time.

If you wish to attempt it for just a few days and intend to restart your PC throughout that point, you would possibly need to change your default boot gadget in your laptop computer’s BIOS as defined within the earlier step, in any other case every time you restart you may have to enter the boot menu.

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Use ChromeOS Flex as your most important working system

You are able to go

In the event you do not need to preserve any of your applications or information or your earlier working system need to use ChromeOS Flex as a substitute, you may choose Set up ChromeOS Flex from the primary set up display screen or by clicking on Set up ChromeOS Flex on the backside of your display screen once you subsequent boot out of your USB installer.

Putting in ChromeOS Flex onto your laptop computer’s laborious disk or SSD will imply it feels extra responsive as it’ll doubtless be sooner than operating it off your USB flash drive. Putting in it’ll wipe your laptop computer’s storage, although, so ensure you again up something you have to preserve.

Putting in ChromeOS Flex to your laptop computer takes only a minute or two and as soon as it is performed, you may take away your USB flash drive and use it for different issues once more.

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FAQ

Q: Can I set up ChromeOS Flex on any laptop computer?

As long as the laptop computer mannequin is newer than 2010, it ought to meet the minimal specs.

Q: What apps can I exploit?

Nearly something that may run in an online browser with an web connection, resembling Google Docs, Netflix, or Microsoft 365.

Q: Can I set up software program on ChromeOS Flex?

No. Something that may run in a browser can run on ChromeOS Flex, however you may’t set up software program.

Q: Do I’ve to delete Home windows?

No. You possibly can run ChromeOS Flex off your USB flash drive to attempt it out, however it’ll run sooner if put in instantly in your laptop computer.

Q: What measurement USB flash drive do I want to put in ChromeOS Flex?

You will have an 8GB or bigger USB flash drive.