If you have an old PC or Mac lying around that isn’t equipped to handle new operating systems, there is a way you can still revive them. Old devices that you thought were junk can get a second like with Google’s ChromeOS Flex. ChromeOS Flex is the successor to CloudReady. It came about after Google acquired CloudReady’s parent company Neverware back in 2020. In this article, we show you how to download and install ChromeOS Flex on your old Mac or PC.
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Table of Contents
Minimum Requirements
- Check if your PC or Mac model is certified. Check out the official list of approved devices.
- USB Drive – 8GB or more.
- Intel or AMD x86-64-bit compatible device.
- Minimum 4GB RAM.
- Minimum 16GB internal storage.
- The device should be bootable from a USB drive.
- Full administrator access to BIOS.
Create a bootable ChromeOS Flex USB Drive
Step 1: Launch the Chrome browser and go to the Chrome Web Store.
Step 2: Search for Chromebook Recovery Utility and select ‘Add to Chrome’.
Step 3: Once the extension has been added, click on it and turn on its toggle switch.
Step 4: Launch the Chromebook Recovery Utility extension.
Step 5: Click on Get Started and select your device’s model in the following window.
Step 6: Click on ‘Select a manufacturer’ and select Google ChromeOS Flex.
Step 7: Click on ‘Select a product’ and select ChromeOS Flex.
Step 8: Hit ‘Continue’ and insert the USB drive.
Step 9: Select the USB drive from the dropdown menu.
Step 10: Click on ‘Continue’ and select ‘Create Now’.
Once the image has been created, safely remove your USB drive.
Install ChromeOS on your device
Step 1: Turn off your device and insert the USB drive with ChromeOS Flex on it.
Step 2: Launch your device and keep pressing the boot key repeatedly. Perform a quick Google search beforehand to find out the boot key of your device.
Step 3: Select your USB as the boot device.
Step 4: On the ‘Welcome to CloudReady 2.0’ screen, click on ‘Get Started’.
Step 5: You can choose to try out ChromeOS Flex before installing it on your device. Click on ‘Try it first’ to see how the OS works on your device.
Step 6: If you’re satisfied with the performance and want to install ChromOS Flex on your device, you will need to sign out first. You can do so from the Quick Settings Menu.
Step 7: Now, click on ‘Install CloudReady’.
Step 8: Installing CloudReady will wipe all your personal data from the device. Click on ‘Install CloudReady 2.0’ in the following screen to confirm your selection.
Step 9: Wait for the installation to end. Once it is complete, your device will automatically turn off. Remove the USB device and press the power key to start your device.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ChromeOS Flex for?
ChromeOS Flex is a Chromium-based operating system meant for old PCs and Macs that need a boost in performance.
Is ChromeOS Flex free or not?
ChromeOS Flex can be installed for free on your old PC or Mac.
Is ChromeOS Flex better than Windows 10?
ChromeOS Flex is not better than Windows 10 strictly in terms of performance, but it can breathe new life on old PCs that cannot run Windows 10 OS.
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Conclusion
This is how you can download and install ChromeOS Flex on an old device. ChromeOS Flex is based on Chromium and can run basic web apps and Google services with ease. In fact, it can match whatever the regular version of ChromeOS can do. ChromeOS Flex is perfect for reviving old devices for using the web.
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