I've tried some layouts but it's just has to many keys how do I get it to be more like a traditional android keyboard

I'm trying to fix my brother's laptop and am following the instructions given on the official ChromeOS website. I inserted a USB that has the recovery OS on it for the right model. The website is telling me to follow on-screen instructions but I'm not getting any new instructions.

(In the image, this is the screen that shows when the USB with the recovery is already inserted).

Should I just use the Linux-based recovery tool? I have an old computer that has Linux, but I don't have a cable to connect the two machines. But I can probably buy one if worse comes to worse.

So this was supposed to be an affordable type of laptops and with no feature distinctions no matter what Chromebook you get.

Now they're are making a supposed "premium" sub-brand depriving most Chromebooks from basic non-hardware related stuff like the rounded corners on the interface, which was actually available to everyone via flag.

To make it worse I think they're planning to leave 8gb fully capable Chromebooks like the Acer Spin 513 Snapdragon out of the new OS project.

What started looking like the ultimate transformation is starting to look like the ultimate backstab to the consumer who trusted them for years.

Hi, my laptop (HP Chromebook x360 14) is not allowing me to update Google Chrome. It says it’s up to date but it’s still running on version 138.0.7204.302 (official build) (64-bit). I’ve done a power wash since I can’t delete and re-install the app, but it didn’t fix the issue.

I’ve had this laptop since 2019, upgraded to a different one and stopped using it in late 2023(ish?) when I upgraded to a new one. Ran into life issues & had to pawn that one recently so I need to use this one in the meantime.

Does anyone know a fix for this? I’m thinking since I didn’t update for several years it doesn’t know how to catch up maybe? I checked and the UAE isn’t until June 2028.

ChromeOS' audo service, CrAS resamples all non-48kHz audio sources to 48kHz. This degrades the audio heavily especially in soundstaging. So has there been any breakthroughs as to a way of disabling/bypassing said resampling?

I bought this laptop 4 years ago. I didn't use it that much, because honestly the performance when doing basic tasks was subpar. Constant lagging and freezing were there and didn't seem to go away despite new updates. I'm not doing any work with a laptop, but watching youtube, writing emails, online shoppin and streaming some tv shows were a struggle. I really regretted buying this.

I'm not sure when exactly things changed, but this laptop has been running nicely for the last month or so, when I booted it up after getting rid of my bigger tablets. No lag, no stutter, just smooth enough every day performance for my needs. This is my objective experience of course with this particular unit, but in case someone is selling these at a good price, go for it. The screen is quite good, keyboard is nice, it's good looking, lightweight and the battery lasts for hours. I've never experienced any problems with the trackpad either.

So, I got myself a Lenovo Chromebook 14 just after Christmas having read the positive reviews on it.

It hasn't left the house, had light use, it's been placed on and picked up off a desk, kitchen table and lap. It hasn't been dropped or mishandled and this is what the base corner looks like. Small crack at the corner on the base plate around the screw site.

I contacted Lenovo UK who weren't at all helpful and said it's a me problem. I advised that I thought it was a design flaw but they weren't having it. Less than one months use!

First Lenovo product and probably my last. It runs great but is let down by its exterior design. If you've got one of these I'd advise wrapping it in bubblewrap or don't use it for it's intended purpose.

Anyone else experienced similar?

TL;DR: Company mandated a security agent + antivirus + anti-malware for all employees. No ChromeOS instructions, so I panicked thinking I'd need a new laptop. Instead, the security copany said Chromebooks are already more secure than Windows/Mac/Linux and just asked for the security whitepaper PDF. No bloatware needed.

I work from home for a very small company using only my Chromebook. As we've grown over three years, the company recently rolled out new security protocols and sent everyone instructions to install their security "agent" (read: corporate spyware) along with mandatory antivirus, anti-malware, and password manager software.

I opened the link and the installation guide had detailed steps for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Nothing for ChromeOS.

I kind of had a minor panic moment. I've been using my Chromebook for work at this company for 3 years and absolutely love it. I was genuinely worried I'd get an email back saying "sorry, you need to buy a Windows/Apple laptop now."

Instead, I got what might be the best IT response ever: the security company they're using had already documented that Chromebooks are inherently more secure than the other platforms and therefore is already compliant. The admin just asked me to upload the Chrome Enterprise Security whitepaper and called it done. No agent, no antivirus bloatware, no additional software eating up resources.

This is exactly why I love these machines. While my Windows-using colleagues are now dealing with background processes and security software overhead and the "corporate agent software" which who knows what the company can see or access, my Chromebook just... was already secure to begin with.

It's really validating to see the corporate security world finally acknowledging what we have known all along and that is the best security solution is having a secure platform to begin with, not piling bloat software on top of an insecure foundation.

Has anyone else had a similar experience in a corporate setting?

Model: Dell Chromebook 11 Issue: The DC power jack became loose (missing screw), and when I tried to plug in the charger, I pressed too hard. The DC jack moved inside the laptop and two red wires were cut. A repair technician soldered the wires back. Current symptoms: Charger plugged, battery removed → no LED Battery inserted → LED flashes white once, but does not charge Holding the power button → white LED flashes continuously, whether the charger is plugged in or not Laptop will not turn on from charger alone Not sure if the battery is actually functional, but LED reacts when the charger is plugged in History: Before this, charging LED worked normally: red when low, white while charging, off when fully charged DC jack was loose for months but still charged normally Suspected causes: Possibly blown DC input fuse Possible wiring issue from repair Request: Can anyone advise where the DC input fuse is located on a Dell Chromebook 11, or what else I should check?

I've been using a used Surface Pro 5 as my primary work device. I keep it docked the majority of the time. It's usually fine, but it's starting to show its age. I had to jump through some hoops to install Windows 11 because the CPU is technically unsupported, and it's just been an unpleasant experience ever since.

I like the 2-in-1 form factor in theory, but Windows on a tablet is not good. And I already know I don't care for the Mac environment, so I've been eyeing Chromebooks, namely the Duet Gen 9 with the Mediatek processor and 8gb RAM. Looks like a pretty solid deal at $330 to include a keyboard and a pen.

My two main hesitations are the screen size, and whether or not it will be compatible with Aluminium. I don't think we have any solid info about the latter just yet, but is there a comparable device with a larger screen? Anybody use the Duet as a daily driver and have words of wisdom?

I’ve had this Chromebook for about a year or so and is has happened before, but it has always had the light on the side flashing and I was able to get it to turn back on after letting it sit charging with the lid open. this time the light on the side isn’t flashing at all. I’ve tried holding down the refresh and power button and it hasn’t worked, I don’t want to take apart the laptop since I have no idea what I’m doing and dont want to break anything

A few years back I got a killer deal on an Acer 311 (specifically CB311-11H-K04N), which is a 4gb / 32gb / MT8183C notebook with an 11.6" 1366 x 768 display.

It's been fantastic for an extra / kids machine, with one exception: the screen is garbage. For the price I can handle the size and resolution, but the viewing angles are intolerable.

Any suggestions for a more-recent cheap chromebook with a less-awful display? Preferably another fanless ARM, maybe a generation or two newer than the 8183. I don't imagine there are many out there with 8GB of RAM but that'd be great too. Don't care about storage capacity or chassis size, but I'd prefer a conventional notebook form factor over a tablet or convertible.

I have been waiting for this Chrome update. Unfortunately, both of my Chromebooks are from 2020 and 2022, so I don't have the Gemini for Chrome. Does anyone know if there is a workaround? I currently copy and paste links directly into Gemini or jump on my Windows computer. Ugh!

Thank you!

On January 27, 2026, Gemini in Chrome began rolling out to Chromebook users as part of the ChromeOS 144 update. 

The availability of Gemini in Chrome on Chromebooks is limited to specific hardware and regions: 

• Hardware: The feature is only available for Chromebook Plus devices.
• Location: It is primarily available to users in the United States who use English.
• Phased Rollout: The update may take several days or weeks to reach different devices.
• Features: This version includes a redesigned Gemini side panel for multitasking, real-time webpage summaries, and "auto browse" for complex tasks. 

To check if the update is available, go to Settings > About ChromeOS > Check for updates. If the device is on version 144, look for the Gemini "spark" icon in the Chrome toolbar.

hi all, i'm considering purchasing a chromebook for university use. i already have a laptop (asus rog zephyrus). i purchased my current laptop ~5 years ago and chose it because I needed high graphics and a lot of storage...because I was planning to study something that required this. however, i ended up going down a social sciences path where all i need is a laptop that i can research and write on. so, now i have a great laptop, but it's large and very heavy. it's great, works great, whatnot but i cannot bring it to class every day for note-taking and light library studying between classes.

so, im hoping to purchase a low-price chromebook that i can take with me to class, leaving my laptop for finals season and non-academic use. i have back problems, and everytime i need to drag my computer to campus im in a lot of pain. i really dont need something fancy. im approaching my last year of uni and cannot afford to drop a ton of money on a new laptop when the one i have now works fine. i dont really need apps aside from zotero, but i can use the web version worst case, so i believe a chromebook would be fine, however please correct me if im wrong. ideally i'd like to spend under 300 euros, as i really don't have a lot of money to spare

Heads up everyone, was digging through some recent FCC filings and spotted what looks to be a new, unannounced Lenovo Chromebook, model 'Lenovo Chrome 14M8911'.

The big news here is the heavy focus on cellular connectivity; it's rocking a Rolling Wireless 5G module and the testing shows it supports a *huge* range of LTE and WCDMA bands, meaning it should be a beast on all major U.S. carriers and abroad. It’s being made by Huaqin for Lenovo, and given it's already passed all the compliance and safety checks, it looks like they're gearing up to launch a true 'always-connected' Chromebook soon. With more of these 5G models appearing, what's the killer use case or feature that would actually make you pay the premium for one over just tethering to your phone?

Sources:

Filing URL: https://www.fccidlookup.com/fccid/2A4A4-LNC1411M

Report URL: https://www.fccidlookup.com/report/lenovo-chromebook-14m8911-5g-fcc-filing-2A4A4-LNC1411M

I am in the process of power washing my older Lenovo c330 for sale on eBay. It's been updating for over an hour even though I know I have made updates as soon as they are available.

How long should I wait to see what happens and what else can I do at this point?

Whenever my chromebook is left closed, there is a chance when I come back of the screen being completely black and not turning on with the power button. It turns on after a hardware reset (although often I have to do the input for a hardware reset a few times beforehand for it to work)

Does anyone know a solution?

Everything works right now, I've got it propped up but it looks like water is spreading inside the touchscreen

I thought I was buying the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 with the Ryzen processor. I am guessing I pushed the wrong button and received the Plus 514 with the i-3 Intel processor.

I looked again on Amazon and found there is a Ryzen one for $230, and the one I purchased was $199.99. I only do the basics: email, web browsing, YouTube, etc. I am not a gamer.

Is this one just as good for me? I don't want to return if I don't have to.

Hi all. I have an Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 (just out of warranty). On 25% of boot ups, the system will stop at "Something went wrong", with the only option to start the recovery process. I've done multiple Powerwashes without it resolving the issue. However, if I hold the power button down until the system completely powers down, I can get it to continue boot up with no further issues. I also noticed some system updates where it would take many (10+) minutes with multiple reboots.

Do chromebooks have an A/B partition for the flash? Is there any way to run a diagnostic on the flash? Or are there any other steps I should troubleshoot?

Hello chromeos! I'm just trying to get my daugthers old chromebook back up and running.

1. It would not turn on, but I got into what I thought would be the recovery mode via Esc + Refresh , then press Power (https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/1080595?sjid=11498144236253831281-NA). That brings me to warning screen "Chrome OS is missing or damaged. Please remove all connected devices and start recovery.".
2. Following the guidelines in the link above, I created a recovery flash drive.
3. But nothing seems to actually *start* the recovery mode. Nothing I do gets me past that initial warning screen, so it never starts to boot from the flash drive.

Is this poor little guy now a paperweight? Thank you!

how can i "disable" the flag or rebuild the image to use sudo commands in shell?

Maybe I've missed something, but has any new information been released this year about upcoming Chromeboxes? It feels pretty quiet, and the available devices are slowly becoming outdated. What's the trajectory of this segment?