XDA - ChromeOS tutorials

How to use Threads on desktop in Windows, Mac, Linux, and ChromeOS

Skanda Hazarika — Sun, 17 Sep 2023 10:30:25 GMT

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard of Threads by now. Meta’s latest social media app is unapologetically a Twitter (or X) competitor, and it's deeply interconnected with Instagram to create an amalgamation of the two. However, access to Threads was only possible through its official iOS and Android apps when it launched. There was no proper web interface at the beginning, although you could directly go to a user's profile.

How to edit photos on a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 12:01:27 GMT

Photo editing is something that people often associate with the best laptops, but if you own a great Chromebook, you can still edit photos. Thanks to support for Linux and Android apps, you can download and install popular photo editors like GIMP or even use the native Gallery app and the Google Photos app to tweak a particular photo. You can even use the web and an online photo editing experience. Here are five methods we recommend.

How to sideload apps to a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Sat, 09 Sep 2023 18:00:28 GMT

A significant benefit of owning a Chromebook is that you can use all kinds of apps on it, including Linux apps, Android apps, and standard web apps. Most Android apps, in particular, can be downloaded via the Google Play Store, but what if you want to use a specific Android app that's not listed? Well, you can sideload that app.

How to prevent pop-ups in Chrome, Edge, and other desktop browsers

Arif Bacchus — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 22:00:38 GMT

The more you browse the web on any of the best web browsers (regardless of operating system or device), the more you might come across the occasional pop-up. These can get in the way of whatever website you were originally on, and we understand how frustrating that can be.

How to enable auto clicker on ChromeOS

Arif Bacchus — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 12:00:26 GMT

Similar to the best Windows laptops, there are a lot of great accessibility features in ChromeOS to help make best Chromebooks easier to use for everyone. One of those, in particular, is the auto clicker. This feature lets your mouse cursor automatically click once it has stopped moving on the screen after a preset period of time. You have complete control of this through the ChromeOS settings page. Here's a look at how you can enable it.

How to run Linux apps on a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 20:00:40 GMT

Linux is used by many people across the world as an alternative to Windows and even macOS.There are a lot of great laptops that can run Linux, but what if you have a Chromebook or want to buy a great Chromebook to run Linux instead? Well, though it is possible to replace ChromeOS with Linux entirely on a Chromebook, the best way to set up and run Linux on a Chromebook is through ChromeOS itself. Google has integrated a Linux environment that runs in a virtual container on top of ChromeOS.

How to remove a school account from Chromebooks

Arif Bacchus — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 12:00:25 GMT

Just like the best laptops, the best Chromebooks aren't only for everyday consumers. If you're a student, there's a chance you've been issued a Chromebook or a great ChromeOS tablet for school. That means you might have had to use a school account on your Chromebook, which is typically tied to your school email address and is managed by your school's IT administration.

How to add album art or metadata to a track in ChromeOS

Arif Bacchus — Tue, 04 Jul 2023 12:00:19 GMT

The best Chromebooks can be really efficient for web browsing, running great Android apps from the Google Play Store, and even sideloading Android apps. Yet one thing that ChromeOS struggles with compared to Windows 11 and macOS is playing music and MP3 files. While most people tend to stream music these days through services like Spotify or YouTube music, those who still download MP3s might be let down by the way ChromeOS treats these files.

How to play The Sims 4 on a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 12:00:19 GMT

The best Chromebooks and ChromeOS tablets are now more useful for gaming. Thanks to Google's new partnership with Steam, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and services like Nvidia GeForce now, you can now enjoy games on your Chromebook like never before. Some games you can play locally, like through Steam, but the other services require an internet connection.

How to add and use a printer on a Chromebook

Jules Wang — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 16:00:20 GMT

Sometimes, you just gotta have it on paper. From sign-up sheets to important contracts, there's always a time to bust out the printer and scanner. But how do you get your document from here to there using your Chromebook? We'll show you how.

Complete guide to gaming on Chromebooks

Jules Wang — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 16:00:19 GMT

So, of all the laptops you could have bought, you've chosen a Chromebook. And you want to play games on it. That's a bold decision considering they're not exactly known for gaming. You have to be prepared to face some challenges.

How to change the keyboard language on a Chromebook

Jules Wang — Sat, 17 Jun 2023 16:00:21 GMT

Whether you've grown up in a multilingual environment or are eagerly pouncing your way through lessons to become a polyglot, there's a good chance you want to be able to communicate with people by text in the languages you know. While we don't teach lessons on using input methods, we can tell you how to switch between input methods if you own a great Chromebook.

Complete guide to accessibility on Chromebooks

Jules Wang — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 20:00:19 GMT

For many people, there is no getting around computing as a vital part of 21st-century life. That said, devices such as Chromebooks can be more difficult to navigate by default for those who have a disability, whether they're visually impaired, are hard of hearing, or lack fine motor skills. The good news is that there are accessibility features in ChromeOS that can cut down on that hardship.

The most important tips for Windows users moving to Chromebooks

Jules Wang — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 18:00:19 GMT

Everyone comes into their personal computing situations in different ways. For me, a lifelong Windows user with a powerful primary laptop that needed a lightweight and quick secondary laptop, I gravitated toward a Chromebook. But whether you're a seasoned veteran of this platform or the other and you've brought a Chromebook into your life, you might be looking for ways to tailor the experience to your needs and habits — we've got some tips for that.

How to use Phone Hub on Chromebooks

Jules Wang — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 20:00:19 GMT

When it comes to the technology in our lives, we've spread ourselves out quite thin — a lot of us have more than one TV, gaming console, phone, or even computer in our lives. There have been some efforts to incorporate continuity between some experiences, though. One such effort for those with a great Chromebook and an Android phone is Phone Hub.

How to use Microsoft Teams on a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 20:00:20 GMT

Microsoft Teams is one of the more popular collaboration apps in use in many schools and workplaces across the world. So, if you have a new Chromebook or a great ChromeOS tablet, then you're probably wondering if Teams is compatible with ChromeOS. The good news is that Microsoft Teams works fine on your Chromebook, either as an Android app, or a web application. It might not be the desktop application that you get on a Windows laptop, but it's quite similar. You still get all the same features you need.

How to turn on hyper-threading on a Chromebook to boost performance

Jules Wang — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 18:00:20 GMT

ChromeOS is simple to use yet extremely versatile if you know how to get around, and that's exactly why we think some of the best laptops on the market run the platform. And if you've paid for one of the more powerful Chromebooks available, you might be missing out on a neat feature that's on most PCs: hyper-threading. We'll explain here what that is, whether you'll benefit from it, and how to turn it on.

How to enroll a Chromebook in a different channel for new features

Arif Bacchus — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 16:01:21 GMT

If you own a great new Chromebook or even a ChromeOS tablet, you might want to consider switching the channel that your device is enrolled in. Switching the ChromeOS channel gets you access to new features, including some Google is testing. Of course, not all channels are the same, which is why we're here to explain things to you. There are actually three main ones you can switch between easily, similar to the Windows Insider program and Windows 11 on a new laptop, along with one you can use for development or testing.

How to quick access files on a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Wed, 03 May 2023 12:00:17 GMT

One of the many ways a Chromebook differs from a Windows laptop is that you can't pin or create shortcuts to files on the desktop. Instead, if you want to access an important file quickly on ChromeOS, you'll have to pin that file to what's known as the quick files area in the system tray — or, as we call it, the shelf.

How to use parental controls on a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 16:00:17 GMT

One of the benefits of the best Chromebooks and ChromeOS tablets is how budget-friendly and simple they are to use. This means that it's great to hand off to a child for use for schooling and even casual things like going to YouTube. Of course, you might not want your child to go to certain websites or download unnecessary apps, which is why you'll need parental controls. ChromeOS has these controls that are managed through the secondary Family Link app to your phone or through the web.

How to turn on live captions on a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 18:00:17 GMT

If you're hard of hearing or just need captions on your great Chromebook or ChromeOS tablet, Google has you covered. ChromeOS has a feature known as live captions, similar to the feature on the best Android phones. With it, your Chromebook will automatically generate captions for any audio that's currently playing in Google Chrome. Like many other accessibility settings, the feature is right within reach in your ChromeOS settings app, and here's a quick look at how to find it.

How to use tap dragging on a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 16:00:17 GMT

The best ChromeOS tablets, along with the best Chromebooks with a touchscreen have a nifty accessibility feature. Similar to what you'll find on the best laptops, ChromeOS has a feature known as tap dragging, where you can double-tap on your screen using your finger to start dragging windows and other objects around, instead of having to hold it once and then drag it with another finger. The feature isn't on by default, so here's a look at how you can enable tap dragging on your Chromebook.

How to change the text size on a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Sun, 16 Apr 2023 18:00:17 GMT

Owning one of the best Chromebooks or ChromeOS tablets doesn't mean you have to stick with how your ChromeOS device came out of the box. So, if you want to change the text size on your Chromebook, it's quite an easy feat. There are actually two ways to do it. You can change the text size so the webpages you see in the Chrome web browser get bigger and smaller, independent of the operating system. Or, you also can change the display scaling to make everything bigger or smaller, including webpages and system apps and areas. We have a look at both of these for you right here today.

How to Fast Pair headphones on a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 16:00:17 GMT

Owning a Chromebook and an Android phone and being invested in Google's ecosystem of devices has its benefits. One of those is a new "fast pair" functionality that has recently been adopted across Android and ChromeOS. You can connect your favorite headphones or a great pair of earbuds to your excellent Chromebook without going through multiple Bluetooth pairing menus. You'll need an Android phone for this, but it works by linking the device to your Google Account and is quite easy to get started with.

Keyboard shortcuts on ChromeOS in 2023: Everything you need to know

Arif Bacchus — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 20:00:17 GMT

Switching from a Mac or PC to one of the top Chromebooks can be a bit scary. After all, you're moving to a cloud-based computing platform and probably implementing a new workflow. Keyboard shortcuts are also a little different on ChromeOS. If you use an external keyboard designed for Windows or macOS, you'll also need to learn how specific keys behave in ChromeOS.

How to use reading mode on a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Sat, 08 Apr 2023 16:00:18 GMT

The best Chromebooks and ChromeOS tablets recently got a new accessibility feature. Freshly announced at the end of March 2023 is reading mode. Just as the name suggests, this feature helps make webpages easier to read for those who might have reading difficulties. Unlike reading mode on the best Windows laptops and Microsoft Edge, though, the feature lives in the side panel of Google Chrome and isn't quite easy to find. Here's where you can find it.

How to use high contrast mode on a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 20:00:17 GMT

If you own a great Chromebook or a great ChromeOS tablet but have trouble reading or seeing what's on the screen, we have some good news for you. Thanks to a feature on ChromeOS known as color inversion, more popularly known on other operating systems as high contrast mode, you can alter the way the colors on your screen look to help things like webpages become more legible. Similar to the process of turning on these features on a great Windows laptop, it doesn't take much to enable the setting, either. Here's how.

How to use a screen reader on Chromebooks

Arif Bacchus — Wed, 29 Mar 2023 18:00:17 GMT

The best Chromebooks and ChromeOS tablets are designed for everybody to use, regardless of your technical know-how. That includes those with disabilities. Screen readers are common tools for the visually impaired, and luckily, ChromeOS has one, called ChromeVox.

How to back up and restore a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 20:01:20 GMT

A lot of the best Chromebooks and even some great ChromeOS tablets are lightweight and efficient machines when you compare them to the best Windows laptops. As a web-based operating system, much of ChromeOS lives online. That means that the data you carry in Google Chrome is likely already being synced and saved with your Google Account. But if you run into an issue with your Chromebook, or want to move to a new one, then there are multiple ways you can back up your data.

How to use emojis on a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Mon, 27 Mar 2023 12:00:18 GMT

Sometimes when you're on a great Chromebook or a great ChromeOS tablet browsing social media or sending messages to your colleagues, there's the need to be extra expressive. You might want to send out a generic old-school ":)" or ":(" text emoji to express happiness or sadness, or some other type of text emoji.

How to take a picture with a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Sun, 26 Mar 2023 18:00:17 GMT

There are many great ChromeOS tablets that you can buy that have webcams, and also a great selection of Chromebooks. ChromeOS tablets especially are suitable for photography, since they tend to have world-facing webcams. This is a webcam at the rear of the device.

How to set up an RGB keyboard on a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Sat, 25 Mar 2023 20:00:16 GMT

Together with partners, Google recently released a new wave of cloud gaming Chromebooks. Joining the already great Chromebooks and great ChromeOS tablets, that you can buy, these new Chromebooks have fancy features like RGB keyboards.

How to watch Netflix offline on a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 20:00:17 GMT

Chromebooks are great for the multimedia experience and not just for browsing the web. The best Chromebooks like the HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook are convertibles, letting you flip the screen around and watch movies or YouTube online. A great ChromeOS tablet like the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook might also have an OLED screen that brings the content on the screen to life.

How to change the language on a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 18:00:17 GMT

If you just purchased a great Chromebook or a great ChromeOS tablet, you'll be happy to know you can make it your own. Along with basic tweaks like changing the wallpaper or personalizing your Chromebook experience, you can also swap out the language.

How to use PowerShell on a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Sat, 18 Mar 2023 20:01:17 GMT

Part of the benefit of owning a great Windows laptop is the ability to run Microsoft PowerShell, a task-based command-line tool often leveraged for system management and task automation. But did you know that if you own a great Chromebook or even an excellent ChromeOS tablet, you can use PowerShell on it, too?

How to personalize your Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 18:00:17 GMT

If you just purchased a great new Chromebook or already have one, you should know you don't need to stick with how it looks by default. You can customize it to suit your needs. Asides from the basics like downloading apps from the Google Play Store, you can tweak the wallpaper, pin your favorite apps to the shelf, and even create folders in the ChromeOS launcher. Here's a look at those three ways to make your Chromebook your own.

How to edit Office files on a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 13:00:16 GMT

Unlike the best Windows laptops, ChromeOS devices are intended to be used online. Doing a lot of tasks on a Chromebook or great ChromeOS tablet initially depend on connecting to the internet. One of those things is editing Office files.

How to check battery health on Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 19:00:17 GMT

The more you use your ChromeOS device, the more the battery drains, so it's natural to worry about your battery's longevity. An unhealthy battery will hold less of a charge than a battery in newer condition. And, the longer you plug your Chromebook into power and the more you recharge it, the higher the chance the health can dip faster.

How to use a Chromebook without a Google Account

Arif Bacchus — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 13:00:17 GMT

If you just purchased a new Chromebook and are setting it up for the first time, you'll be asked to sign in with your Google Account. But do you need one? Unfortunately, it's not possible to use ChromeOS on your own without a Google Account. Since Chromebooks are mainly web-based machines powered by ChromeOS, which is a Google operating system, you're pretty much forced into using a Google account with it.

How to use gestures on a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 21:00:17 GMT

Similar to a great Windows laptop, owning one of the best Chromebooks means you can unlock some extra productivity by using gestures on your trackpad. These gestures can help you save a few clicks with common tasks like opening virtual desks, the overview mode to switch apps, and even moving between webpages. You can even do this on a great ChromeOS tablet, too, depending on your keyboard.

How to inspect an element on a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Tue, 28 Feb 2023 21:00:17 GMT

A lot goes into building a webpage. If you're curious about what's behind a specific element on a page, you might want to view the code. Like a Windows laptop, you can inspect the elements through the developer tools option on your great Chromebook or one of the many ChromeOS tablets. And there are two ways to do it.

How to send Chromebook downloads to Google Drive

Arif Bacchus — Tue, 28 Feb 2023 15:00:16 GMT

The best Chromebooks and top ChromeOS tablets these days have evolved to be closer to some of our favorite Windows laptops. Higher-end Chromebooks now come with more storage and speedy fast SSDs. But if your Chromebook is a budget one that doesn't have a lot of storage, and you're always downloading big files, you might want to switch your Chromebook over to download those files to your Google Drive so they'll be saved in the cloud instead. Luckily, this is easy. All you have to do is tweak a few settings in the Google Chrome browser.

How to change your wallpaper every day on a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 19:00:14 GMT

Much like Windows laptops and MacBooks, personalizing your Chromebook or ChromeOS tablet is made easy through the ChromeOS settings app. You can select various wallpapers directly through the settings app or even set your own. But what if you want more personality and want to see a different one each day? Well, the process is similar. Google offers up a wallpaper option known as Change Daily in ChromeOS settings, which lets the operating system automatically change your wallpaper every day. Here's how to use it.

How to remote desktop into a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 15:00:12 GMT

Sometimes, you might need remote access to your Chromebook or ChromeOS tablet. It could be because you want to help a friend or family member diagnose an issue with the ChromeOS operating system or simply because you want to get access to a file or app on your Chromebook while it's not around. Unfortunately, it's not easy to access a Chromebook remotely.

How to add a new user account on a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 19:00:14 GMT

If you just purchased a new Chromebook or ChromeOS tablet or already have one, you might already know how to add one user account. But did you know you can add more?

How to use the Zoom app on a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Sat, 11 Feb 2023 15:00:17 GMT

If you use video meetings at school or work, there's a good chance you now use Zoom. Both Windows and macOS have reliable Zoom apps that include all the software's available features. But if you own a Chromebook, you'll have to use a Progressive Web App (PWA). This is because the once popular Zoom Chrome app in the Chrome Web Store has officially been discontinued.

How to install ChromeOS Flex on an old laptop

Arif Bacchus — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 15:00:15 GMT

Do you have an old laptop running an unsupported version of Windows or macOS somewhere in your home? Are you an IT admin looking to recycle much older laptops for use within your organization? If you said yes to any of those questions, then ChromeOS Flex is a great operating system for that device.

How to use your Chromebook's Task Manager

Arif Bacchus — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 15:00:16 GMT

Chromebooks and ChromeOS tablets offer so much more than just a web browsing experience in 2023. The operating system has evolved to include many features that rival even macOS and Windows devices, such as Phone Hub and even a fully-featured video editor. One of the smaller features is a Task Manager.

How to use virtual desktops on a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 15:01:16 GMT

For enhanced productivity on your Chromebook, you can create and add virtual desktops. This is a popular feature in many operating systems like Windows and macOS, so it's no surprise that ChromeOS has an implementation of it too. Officially, the Google ChromeOS version of virtual desktops is simply called "desks."

How to rearrange apps on the shelf and launcher on your Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 22:01:16 GMT

Using a Chromebook or a ChromeOS tablet for work or school or at home for your personal things like social media and web browsing? You don't have to stick to how it came configured out of the box, or how an administrator set it up for you. Like many other operating systems like Windows, you can customize the way ChromeOS looks and feels, so it can fit your own needs. This is in addition to accessorizing your Chromebook with mice, docks, and other cool items.

How to install and use Firefox on a Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Sat, 21 Jan 2023 22:01:16 GMT

Chromebooks might be powered by Google Chrome, but that doesn't mean you always have to use the Chrome web browser. If your Chromebook or ChromeOS tablet is powerful enough, you can actually install other web browsers and expand your horizons a bit, just like you can on a Windows laptop.

How to switch to ChromeOS: Storage, settings, and more!

Arif Bacchus — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 19:00:15 GMT

Are you looking to make the leap to ChromeOS? There are some things you need to know before making the switch. Most likely, you're coming to ChromeOS from a Mac or Windows PC. While there's a lot about ChromeOS that might be familiar, it's a primarily cloud-based operating system, so things like ideas about required hardware specs go out the window. In addition, you don't need nearly as much built-in storage as you'll store most files in the cloud. Some of the keyboard shortcuts and apps might also be different. The good news is once you get things set up properly, ChromeOS is easy and fun to use.

10 Chrome Flags you should consider enabling in 2022

Arif Bacchus — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 18:00:15 GMT

Google Chrome is one of the most popular browsers out there, especially if you're using a Chromebook. The stable version of Chrome is excellent on its own, but for power users, there are numerous tweaks you can add to suit specific needs.

Switching from a Mac to a Chromebook: Problems and solutions

Arif Bacchus — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 20:00:15 GMT

Switching from a familiar operating system can cause some anxiety. If you've used macOS most of your life, you might be a bit hesitant about making the move to a new Chromebook. More often, users are choosing Chromebooks over Macs due to the lower cost of hardware. In fact, you can buy a high-end Chromebook for around $1,000, often less than even the cheapest Mac devices.

Android apps on Chrome OS in 2022: A complete guide

Jeff Springer — Wed, 23 Jun 2021 14:30:17 GMT

On ChromeOS, native apps are cloud-based. This means productivity apps like Gmail and Google Docs live and store items in the cloud. Newer Chromebooks also support Android apps, downloaded via the Google Play Store. This opens up a wide array of possibilities, with millions of productivity apps and games available. Both web apps and Android apps support shortcuts and are easily accessed via the Launcher. Whether you're looking for familiar social media apps or mobile games, Android apps offer something for everyone. Let's take a look at how to get started with Android apps on ChromeOS, along with some of the best apps to install.