Chromebooks finally feature an improved Android app experience

By Arif Bacchus Published September 8, 2021

Google’s latest Chrome OS update is adding some productivity features to Chromebooks. Chrome OS 93, released on September 7, delivers improvements to the Tote experience, as well as Android apps.

For most people, the most noticeable change relates to seeing screen captures and others files in Tote. Tote, which has its own space in the Chrome OS shelf, will now show three previews of captured screenshots and downloads, without you having to open them. You even can drag and drop pinned content from the Tote into your documents.

A GIF that shows a user right clicking on a spreadsheet and saving it to Tote.

Google says this is much faster than having to search for your files each time. Another improvement to Tote brings the ability to automatically save scans to the Downloads section.

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Of course, every Chrome OS update also brings some surprises. In Chrome OS 93, this includes some improvements for Android apps. Noted by Chrome Unboxed, Android App windowing is better in this version of the operating system. Though Google didn’t mention it in changelogs, compatible Android apps now display a top bar, which will allow you to resize the window in a few different positions.

These include “phone,” “tablet,” as well as “resizable,” which gives you traditional controls to move the window as you see fit. This can be particularly useful for games, which usually go full screen on Chrome OS when launched.

Other than that, Chrome OS 93 tweaks the launcher which is typically accessed by pressing the “everything key” on the keyboard. With the change, it’s easier to manage your apps in Chrome OS. As you drag and drop your apps inside of the launcher page, the apps will adapt with an animation to show you how you move.

Smaller things in Chrome OS 93 include rounded corners in picture and picture mode and a status icon for the battery percentage of a stylus.

You can upgrade most supported Chromebooks to Chrome OS 93 today by going to the setting app, choosing About Chrome OS, followed by Check for Updates. After that, your system will restart, and a pop-up prompt will guide you through some of these new features and everything else that has changed.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Arif Bacchus is a native New Yorker and a fan of all things technology. Arif works as a freelance writer at Digital Trends…

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