#Chromebook
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With Chrome web apps, Extensions, Linux Desktop, and Android web apps, you can do almost everything on a Chromebook from programming to productivity. Therefore, if you're new to ChromeOS or are trying it after a long time, we have categorized the article into four sections. Starting with web apps first and moving to Android, Linux, and Chrome extensions. We've tested most, if not, all these apps and they run flawlessly.
Arjun Sha
Google's new Face Control feature for Chromebooks lets you control the OS using your face, eyes, and head movements. It uses on-device ML models and the webcam to track your facial gestures.
Thanks to the arrival of Steam on ChromeOS, you can now play desktop games right on your Chromebook, provided your device is capable of playing them. You can now simply install Steam on your Chromebook in just four steps. And unsupported Chromebooks can anyway install Steam manually, however, the performance might not be good. We have added both methods with detailed steps so go ahead and check them out.
Roblox is officially available on Chromebooks via the Play Store. So if your Chromebook has Play Store support, you can install and play Roblox without any issues. However, on-school Chromebooks, you will have to use now.gg to play Roblox in a web browser.
You can easily run Windows apps on a Chromebook through the Linux container using Wine. It's great for running light applications on ChromeOS. I installed VLC, IDM, IrfanView, and a lot of Windows apps on my Chromebook.
ChromeOS has transitioned into a fully-fledged operating system and a lot has changed since its inception like Google adding the ability to run Android apps, Linux, and even Steam on supported Chromebooks. Some of the best games you can play on a Chromebook are Half Life 2, Hades, Dead Cells, Kandria, and Minecraft among others. You can also use Cloud Gaming platforms such as NVIDIA's GeForce NOW or Boosteroid to play games directly from a browser on a Chromebook.
Updating a Chromebook is a fundamental thing but it solves a myriad of issues and also brings new features. The most basic method is to update ChromeOS from settings and then move on to updating the Linux container.
Some Apple products like the AirPods work like any Bluetooth accessory on any Bluetooth-compatible device, including Chromebooks. If you have a pair of AirPods or AirPods Pro, you can connect them to a Chromebook, just like you'd connect any Bluetooth accessory.
Google is rolling out a new feature in ChromeOS M131 called Safety Reset. Using it will reset Chrome settings and shortcuts, disable extensions, and delete cookies. Although, Bookmarks, History, and Saved Passwords won't be affected.
Chromebooks are some of the most underrated machines today and that's due to the ever-rising popularity of Windows machines. While Windows is one of the best operating systems out there, ChromeOS is no slouch and has grown immensely in the last decade. Windows laptops are great overall machines for gaming and content creation, whereas Chromebooks are more suited for day to day tasks and give users excellent battery life.
Here Are All the Chromebook Deals You Must Not Miss During Cyber Monday
Abubakar Mohammed
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There are many Chromebooks on Cyber Monday sale which you can pick depending on the type of usage. Chromebook Plus laptops like the CX3402 are great for general users, while gaming Chromebooks like Acer 516 GE offer higher refresh rate displays for a smoother gaming experience. Inexpensive Chromebooks like Acer 514 are great for first-time laptop buyers and students.
Here’s How to Get 3 Months of Free Gemini Advanced Perk on Your Chromebook
Abubakar Mohammed
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Some Chromebooks and select ChromeOS Flex users can now redeem three months of Gemini Advanced perk with 2TB of storage. The offer can only be redeemed on non-Chromebook Plus devices purchased between October 1 and January 31.
Google is working on a high-end Pixel laptop codenamed "Snowy". The project was approved recently and the development has moved past the concept phase and Google has assigned a team to work on it.
Google May Kill ChromeOS in Favor of Android on Tablets and Laptops
Abubakar Mohammed
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Google plans to merge ChromeOS into Android, meaning that future Google-branded laptops will ship with Android instead of ChromeOS. This move is aimed at helping Google penetrate a market where they haven't been successful -- tablets -- largely due to Apple's dominance.
Grab the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 at $200 Off in This Early Black Friday Deal
Abubakar Mohammed
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The Acer Chromebook Plus 514 for $199 from $349 making it an exceptional acquisition for those looking for a "budget but not too basic" Chromebook. It's easily one of the best deals you will ever find on a Chromebook Plus device this sale season. You get a decent 14-inch IPS panel, all the AI goodies, and a free 12 months of Google One AI Premium plan worth mentioning at this price point.
You can change the default language on your Chromebook by simply using the Ctrl + Space shortcut on your keyboard. You can also add new languages from the Chrome OS system settings. The following guide will help you switch languages on your Chromebook with detailed instructions.
Widgets are being widely implemented across operating systems, and I hope to see it on ChromeOS. As ChromeOS comes with ARCVM, it should be pretty easy for Google to bring Android widgets to both Desktop and Lockscreen on ChromeOS.
If your Chromebook developed any issues after a recent update, you may want to revert it back to the previous ChromeOS version. There are two ways to go about this — reverting from a stable update to a previous stable update and reverting from Beta or Dev channels to the stable channel. The first method requires you to press keyboard shortcuts on the Powerwash screen, while the second method requires you to change the channel to Stable.
There are many hidden features in ChromeOS. Some are hidden in plain sight while the other require accessing Chrome flags and manually turning on. Features like Steam gaming, GIF recording, Clipboard, Emoji picker, etc, should make your Chromebook feature-rich and the overall experience a tad bit better.
ChromeOS 130 Brings a Pixel-Like Recorder App, AI Features, and More
Abubakar Mohammed
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ChromeOS 130 is rolling out to all Chromebooks and it brings new features to both Chromebook and Chromebook Plus platforms. It includes a built-in recorder app and AI features like Help me read to summarize web pages and PDFs and Studio-style mic for better quality audio.
I Tried Out Focus Mode on Chromebook, and It Rescued Me From All the Worldly Distractions
Abubakar Mohammed
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Google rolled out Focus Mode to Chromebooks with ChromeOS 129 update. It immensely helped me get more productive. Focus Mode comes with Google Tasks integration and auto-activates DND which makes it a great tool if you get distracted easily.
A Chromebook might slow down due to a variety of reasons but some of the most common reasons could be due to lots of applications running in the background, Chromebook's storage filling up, or Linux taking up more storage, slowing your Chromebook down. Some of the less common reasons could be a battery that's about to die, clogged fan vents, or ChromeOS files getting corrupt.
Chromebooks have evolved into powerful devices that can do pretty much everything from running Linux apps to Android and Chrome apps, alongside web browsing. There are a ton of Chromebook options in the market and buying the right one for your needs could be tough. Some of the best options you can check out are the Acer Chromebook Spin 714, Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus, and ASUS ExpertBook CX54.
Installing Firefox on a Chromebook is quite easy and can be done in three ways — using the Google Play Store, Linux environment, and Flatpak on Linux. We'd suggest sticking to the Android app as it has everything you could ask for, including Extensions support. However, if you're feeling adventurous, try installing Firefox via Linux which offers the desktop version.
Chromebooks come with Steam preinstalled but if your game library is on Epic Games, there is an easy way to access and play Epic Games on your Chromebook. All you need to do is install the Heroic Games Launcher, log in to Epic Games account, install games, and start playing. It's that simple.
There are many ways to factory reset a Chromebook starting from the most straightforward Powerwash option to more complex ChromeOS recovery via Chromebook utility. There are a total of five ways to factory reset a Chromebook, including if you have a school Chromebook.
If you're facing issues with your Chromebook and have tried every solution out there but to no avail, reinstalling ChromeOS could be your last resort. All you need to do is flash ChromeOS image using the Chromebook Recovery Utility, boot your Chromebook into recovery, and reinstall ChromeOS. You can also use the internet to perform network-based recovery.
Copying and pasting on a Chromebook is similar to Windows. All you need to do is use the Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V keyboard shortcuts after selecting the item on the keyboard and the item will be copied or pasted. ChromeOS also has a clipboard manager that can store at most five previously copied items.
Chromebooks lack dedicated Caps Lock key and you need to press Alt + Launcher to activate and deactivate Caps Lock. If you find that method too bothersome, you could remap the existing keys to directly activate Caps Lock. This can be done from Chromebook's settings.
The solutions to bring a dead Chromebook back to life range from ensuring the basics are right to reinstalling the operation system. Some of the best ways to bring your Chromebook back to life is by checking its charger, charging port, hard restarting, and performing a fresh ChromeOS install.
2-in-1 Chromebooks come with touch screen, and while the functionality is great to have, some users may not end up using them much or might want to disable if they're facing ghost touch issues. Chromebook's touch screen can be disabled from Chrome flags and using a keyboard shortcut.
Chromebooks usually come with lesser storage compared to other laptops which makes managing apps and Linux difficult. Some of the best ways to make space for other apps is by repartitioning the Linux partition, deleting apps and files, and deleting the browser cache, among other thing.
Besides helping you stay anonymous, a VPN allows you to watch geo-restricted content and access restricted websites. Choosing a free VPN for Chromebook is easy because there aren't many options. ProtonVPN, TunnelBear, WindScribe, Browsec are all great VPN but if we had to choose one, ProtonVPN would be our go-to service thanks to it's strict no-log policy and strong encryption.
One of the most common issues people face on their Chromebooks is Network issues, specifically the "Network not Available" error. The issue can be fixed by restarting, changing router settings, restarting the router, and updating ChromeOS.
Chrome Remote Desktop offers a great way to connect to computers remotely via your Chromebook and other PCs. While Remote Desktop's Remote Access feature doesn't work on Chromebooks, you can use the Remote Support feature which requires an additional connection steps. Remote Desktop also comes with many settings to tweak the stream and control bandwidth usage.
Customizing your Chromebook can help you personalize it and make it feel truly yours. There are a few ways to customize your Chromebook; Some of them are by changing the wallpaper and screensaver, enabling rounded corners, customizing the taskbar, launcher, Chrome browser, and turning on Dark Mode.
Function keys are quintessential for some users and those who recently switched from a Windows machine to a Chromebook might find it troublesome. Luckily, ChromeOS has a feature which lets you use the top keys as function keys and that could come in handy for both general users and developers. You can find the option in Settings > Keyboard and input.
App Mall Arrives on ChromeOS: A New Way to Explore Chromebook Apps
Abubakar Mohammed
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Google is now rolling out App Mall on ChromeOS which is a way for users to discover apps, games, and download popular apps. The feature was first spotted in March but can now be enabled by flipping a flag in "Chrome://flags". ChromeOS' Discover app also recommends a few apps; hence, it will be interesting to see if App Mall ends up replacing it.
ChromeOS 124 Brings Material You Settings, Split Screen Updates, and More
Abubakar Mohammed
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Google is rolling out ChromeOS 124 for Chromebooks. The update brings a redesigned Settings app with Material You, improvements to Split screen, and a few accessibility settings for the disabled.
How to Enable and Use Quick Share (Previously Nearby Share) on Chromebook
Abubakar Mohammed
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Quick Share (formerly Nearby Share) is Google's answer to AirDrop. It's available across devices in the Android ecosystem, and can help you swiftly transfer files from Android, to Chromebook, or even Windows. Enabling Quick Share on Chromebook is as easy as opening ChromeOS quick settings, clicking Quick Share, and selecting visible to my devices or visible to everyone.
Chromebooks aren't invulnerable. One of the issues we see Chromebook users face sometimes is with regards to screen flickering. Thankfully, some of the ways to fix them are by updating your Chromebook, Powerwashing, restarting, connecting to an external display, etc.
ChromeOS 123 Adds Custom Keyboard and Mouse Shortcuts; Here’s How You Use It
Abubakar Mohammed
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The latest ChromeOS 123 update has arrived to Chromebooks and it adds features like custom keyboard shortcuts, mouse button customization, and more. You can manually enable custom keyboard shortcut inside Google Chrome by navigating to "chrome://flags" on the address bar > searching for "#enable-shortcut-customization" > Default > Enable.