Chrome OS to soon run everywhere, including on PCs and Macs

By Chuong Nguyen Published February 15, 2022

Soon youou won’t need a dedicated Chrome OS-powered device, like a Chromebook, to run Google’s desktop operating system.

Google has announced an early access program called Chrome OS Flex that will bring its operating system to existing Windows and Mac hardware, making it easy and simple to not only run Chrome and benefit from security updates, but also to gain access to Android apps.

The back lid of the MacBook Pro. — Image used with permission by copyright holder

“Chrome OS Flex is a free and sustainable way to modernize devices you already own,” Google said of its latest initiative, which will be initially available for education and enterprise clients. “It’s easy to deploy across your fleet or simply try it to see what a cloud-first OS has to offer.”

Recommended Videos

Chrome OS Flex is available to try out for free right now through Google’s Enterprise portal.

Google’s Chrome OS Flex will essentially replace your existing Windows or MacOS installation on your current hardware, so this won’t be a dual-boot solution. However, if you’re unsure if you want to convert your existing work machine over to running Chrome OS Flex, Google also has a method to create a Chrome OS Flex bootable USB drive to test drive the operating system first.

The internet search giant claimed that it just takes a few minutes to install and load Chrome OS Flex onto an existing Windows or Mac desktop or laptop.

For enterprise users, the company boasts about features such as advanced security, granular device controls, scalable management, updates, and reporting and insights reports for IT managers. Chrome OS Flex devices can be managed and controlled alongside Chromebooks by your company’s IT department as an added benefit. And by breathing new life into aging Windows and Mac PCs, Google claims that Chrome OS Flex is a sustainable effort that could potentially lead to reduced e-waste.

Google’s latest efforts to transform existing hardware running on competing operating systems into Chrome OS computers comes on the heels of its acquisition of Neverware, which offered an application that performs a similar task.

For those who aren’t ready to fully dive headfirst into Google’s operating system, using a virtual machine can help you reap the benefits of multiple operating systems without having to commit fully to Chrome OS.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Silicon Valley-based technology reporter and Giants baseball fan who splits his time between Northern California and Southern…

Computing

People are arguing about this classic macOS feature, and it’s hilarious

A man sitting at a desk in front of an M1 iMac. Behind him is a large glass window and a set of shelves holding books, plants and ornaments.

Moving from Windows to Mac can be confusing. Long ago, I was a lifelong Windows user before I tried my first Mac, and many of the changes were jarring and confusing. It’s often not the biggest differences that give you pause, either -- it’s the hundreds of tiny discrepancies that are just dissimilar enough to befuddle the heck out of you.

For me, one of the most perplexing changes was how much working with apps in macOS differed from Windows. “You mean I don’t need a wizard to uninstall an app?” I thought. “I can just move it to the Trash? Won't that … break something?”

Computing

I’ve been using the first macOS Sequoia public beta. Here’s my take on it so far

The iPhone Mirroring feature from macOS Sequoia being demonstrated at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024.

Apple today launched the macOS Sequoia public beta, opening the doors to app developers, bug hunters, and curious users alike. With the full release not expected until much later this year, it’s a good opportunity to get a sneak peek at what Apple has in store for us.

Or at least, a sneak peek at most of what’s planned. Despite being packed with features, macOS Sequoia is missing the headline-grabbing Apple Intelligence feature, at least for the time being. Without that, is it still worth downloading and installing the public beta?

Computing

The macOS Sequoia public beta just launched. Here’s how to download it

Apple's Craig Federighi introducing the new window tiling feature in macOS Sequoia at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024.

The public beta for macOS Sequoia is here, and that means anyone with a compatible device can install it and try it out -- no paid developer memberships needed. Here's how to get it.

First of all, you'll need a PC that can run macOS Sequoia. This is the list of compatible models: