What to do with an old Chromebook after its updates end

Check your Chromebook's update date

1. Click the clock in the bottom-right corner, then the gear icon to open Settings.
2. Choose About ChromeOS at the bottom of the left menu.
3. Click Additional details. The Update schedule line shows when updates end, or that they already have.

Google now gives Chromebooks released from 2019 onward 10 years of updates. Older models got less, which is why so many Chromebooks bought for school in the early 2020s are already out of updates. If you're shopping for a used Chromebook, check this date before you buy. A cheap one with a year left isn't much of a deal.

What changes after that date

Nothing happens on the day itself. The Chromebook starts, signs in, and browses like before. What stops:

• Security fixes for ChromeOS and the Chrome browser. Any new flaw found after that date stays open on your Chromebook.
• New versions of Chrome. Over time, websites and web apps start expecting a newer browser. Things slowly stop loading or start acting strangely.
• Support from schools and businesses. Many won't let expired Chromebooks onto their systems.

It's the same situation as an old PC on Windows 10 without updates: not dangerous overnight, but riskier every month.

Option 1: Keep using it, carefully

An expired Chromebook can still be useful around the house for things where a security problem wouldn't cost you much:

• Streaming video or music in the kitchen or garage
• Showing recipes, manuals, or a shopping list
• Simple games and videos for kids, signed in with a separate account

What I wouldn't do on it: banking, shopping, your main email, or anything with saved passwords. If someone in the family still depends on it for those, that's a sign it's time to replace it. A refurbished laptop or a newer used Chromebook with plenty of update years left are both inexpensive ways out.

Option 2: Put Linux on it

Many Intel and AMD Chromebooks can run regular Linux, which brings back security updates and a current browser for years. It takes some work. Chromebooks only run ChromeOS out of the box, so the first step is replacing the firmware (the Chromebook's version of a BIOS) with one that can start other systems. A free project called MrChromebox provides that firmware.

Before you start, know what you're signing up for:

• ARM Chromebooks can't do this. Many budget models use MediaTek or Qualcomm chips, and the firmware only works on Intel and AMD. Check the processor in Settings, About ChromeOS, Diagnostics, then look up your model on mrchromebox.tech's supported devices list.
• It wipes the Chromebook. Turning on Developer Mode, the first step, erases everything stored on it.
• You have to turn off write protection. On older models that means removing a screw inside the case. On most newer ones it means opening the case and disconnecting the battery while you work. The instructions differ by model, so follow the guide for yours exactly.
• Plan on an afternoon. One to three hours is typical the first time.
• Back up the original firmware to a USB stick when the script offers. It's your way back if you ever want ChromeOS again.

After the new firmware is in, installing Linux works like on any old laptop. A lightweight, beginner-friendly version is the right call for Chromebook hardware. My Linux for old laptops guide covers which ones and how to install. Expect some loose ends: sound and a few of the special Chromebook keys often need extra setup, and the Chrultrabook project's documentation lists what works on each model. If sound matters to you, check that page before you start.

What about ChromeOS Flex?

ChromeOS Flex is Google's version of ChromeOS for regular PCs, and it gets updates on its own schedule. It seems like the obvious fix, but you can't install it on a Chromebook as it comes. You'd need the same MrChromebox firmware first, and Google doesn't support Flex on Chromebooks. Some older Intel models run it well. On others, sound or other hardware doesn't work. If you're going to the trouble of replacing the firmware, regular Linux tends to be the more dependable result.

Option 3: Wipe it and recycle it

If the Chromebook isn't worth the effort, wipe it and let it go. Most of your stuff already lives in your Google account, but the Chromebook keeps some files, downloads, and sign-in details of its own.

1. Save anything in the Files app under My files or Downloads. Those aren't in Google Drive unless you put them there.
2. Powerwash it. Open Settings and search for Powerwash, or press Ctrl+Alt+Shift+R at the sign-in screen. This resets it to factory settings and removes everything stored on it.
3. Recycle it properly. Chromebooks have lithium batteries and don't belong in the trash. In the Topeka area, my electronics recycling guide lists where to take it.

One catch: a Chromebook from a school or employer may still be enrolled in their management system. A Powerwash won't remove that, and the next person can't set it up as their own. The school or company has to release it first.

More ideas for retired laptops of all kinds are in what to do with an old laptop.

ChromeOS, Googlebook, and 2034

In late September 2026, Google said ChromeOS will get updates and security patches through mid-2034, and that its new Googlebook OS takes over from there. Many newer Chromebooks will be able to move to Googlebook OS, but Google hasn't yet said exactly which ones.

For a Chromebook you already own, nothing changes for now. It still gets updates until its own date, or until mid-2034, whichever comes first. Google hasn't said separately what this means for ChromeOS Flex. If you're buying a Chromebook today, though, it's worth checking whether that model is on Google's list once it's published.