The right way to flip an previous laptop computer right into a Chromebook

In case your getting old laptop or MacBook is 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. By ditching Windows or macOS and putting in 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, that means even a finances laptop computer purchased years in the past will really feel snappy and responsive.

Putting in ChromeOS Flex is simple. You’ll be able to even preserve your unique Home windows or Mac installations, packages and recordsdata if you wish to strive it first. Should you do not prefer it, you may merely change again to WIndows precisely as you left it in a couple of seconds. In fact, in the event you’re completely bought on the brand new OS, then it’s also possible to take away Home windows to release house, creating your individual private Chromebook utilizing your previous laptop computer.

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On this information we’ll current you with set up ChromeOS Flex whereas maintaining your current 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 essential to grasp what Chrome OS Flex is. ChromeOS Flex is a browser-based working system, much like what you will discover on any customary Chromebook, which suggests you usually want entry to the Web and browser-based functions. Should you’re glad to stay to on-line companies akin to Gmail and Google Docs or Outlook and Microsoft’s 365 plus video and audio streaming companies, 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 will probably be unusable in the event you’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, akin to Microsoft 365.

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The right way to set up ChromeOS Flex

It is not arduous, however does take a while

To begin with, you will have to create a USB installer utilizing an 8GB or bigger USB flash drive — comply with these steps:

1. In your pc, use Google’s Chrome browser to access the Chrome Web Store by clicking on the extensions icon to the correct of the tackle 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 choosing the extension within the dropdown record.
4. As soon as you have opened the Chrome Restoration Utility, choose ChromeOS Flex in each dropdown menus. That is the model it is advisable set up on a laptop computer. Now’s the time to again up any knowledge you want in your USB flash drive too, as this course of will wipe it.
5. It is essential to examine in the event you’re putting in ChromeOS Flex to the proper drive. This system exhibits the make, mannequin and capability of the drive, so be certain 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 can wipe your pc’s arduous drive.)
6. After choosing your drive, the utility will start to flash the required recordsdata to it. The method will take a couple of moments after it begins.
7. As soon as it is full, go away your USB flash drive linked and restart your PC.

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Inform your laptop computer besides into ChromeOS Flex

This subsequent step will allow you to take a look at, 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 will want to inform your laptop computer or pc to make use of the USB set up besides off of utilizing the boot menu, which requires hitting the correct key, or mixture of keys, as your pc restarts. The boot menu secret’s completely different relying on the laptop computer producer, however yow will discover a listing of them here. For Mac customers, it is dependent upon you probably have an Intel Mac or an Apple Silicon Mac. Yow will discover the proper directions here.

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

Alternatively, you may change the boot system in your laptop computer’s BIOS. Once more there is a particular key you will want to do that, often F2, F10 or Del. In contrast to the boot menu key choices, the BIOS possibility won’t reset on the subsequent restart and can proceed besides into ChromeOS Flex until you modify it again.

Attempt ChromeOS Flex first

Trial on USB drive to present you peace of thoughts

The beauty of ChromeOS Flex is that you just’re capable of run it from the USB flash drive first earlier than putting in it in your laptop computer. This implies in the event you do not prefer it, you may simply unplug your USB flash drive and go straight again to your earlier working system akin to Home windows. Nevertheless, in the event you do intend to make use of it long run, it is price putting in it to your laptop computer straight as you will see higher efficiency. You’ll be able to nonetheless strive it first, although, as you may absolutely set up it utilizing the USB installer at any time.

If you wish to strive it for a couple of days and intend to restart your PC throughout that point, you may wish to change your default boot system in your laptop computer’s BIOS as defined within the earlier step, in any other case every time you restart you will have to enter the boot menu.

Use ChromeOS Flex as your primary working system

Should you do not wish to preserve any of your packages or knowledge or your earlier working system wish to use ChromeOS Flex as an alternative, you may choose Set up ChromeOS Flex from the primary set up display or by clicking on Set up ChromeOS Flex on the backside of your display whenever you subsequent boot out of your USB installer.

Putting in ChromeOS Flex onto your laptop computer’s arduous disk or SSD will imply it feels extra responsive as it should possible be sooner than working it off your USB flash drive. Putting in it should wipe your laptop computer’s storage, although, so ensure you again up something it is advisable preserve.

You are able to go

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