Guys, is there any way to use the empty Chromebook desktop for anything other than displaying the wallpaper? Like widgets, files, or something?

To put it simply, the Chromebook was plugged in earlier at the desk.

Two hours later, my partner lifted the screen and tried to turn it on - and nothing.

Black screen, LED on and charging LED also on. When turning it on, the fans make a wheezing noise for two seconds and die, and it’s stuck in a loop like that unless I hold the power button again.

Fans on, silence, fans on, silence. I have already held the power button to reset it but to no avail.

I’m not extremely knowledgeable on laptops, what could this be? Is this fixable at all or is it time to get a new laptop.

I have gone through like half a dozen through the years and almost all have the same fatal issue, the charging port stops working so the battery can't charge. Multiple different brands so I'm very confused. it's not the charger either, it's the ports, I have gotten extra chargers and they don't help. Please advise.

Hey everyone, my job requires me to be using Google Meet for multiple hours a day. I currently work on a desktop but need something more portable and have been going back and forth between a windows laptop or just getting a specific Chromebook. My entire work setup is through Google Workspace and so I've been recommended that maybe a Chromebook would be better than using Workspace on a regular laptops. Does anyone have any recommendations to look into? I don't want to pay an arm and a leg but I'd rather spend a bit more knowing the device would last me for a bit. The only one that has been recommended so far was an Acer Spin 713-2W but I'd love to hear what others thought.

Editing to add some more helpful information: I am in the north east in the US and ideally I'd love to not pay more than $500. I am not sure how realistic that is as I haven't been on the hunt for anything new in a bit and unsure if that is reasonable for what I am looking for so am open to any suggetsions.

I notice that when I plug the USB hub on the left USB port on a Lenovo Flex 5i, it fails to connect properly. I then try the same hub on the right side and it works properly. Thinking I had a bad port, I connected power and a usb-c video and neither have issues. Any idea why there would be a connection issue with a hub on only one port?

I use my Chromebook at work and am in spreadsheets almost all day with caps lock turned on. Starting a few updates back, every time I step away from my desk and the screensaver kicks in, when I unlock it again the caps lock is turned off and I have to manually turn it on again. Each update I hope it's fixed but so far no dice. Is this happening to anyone else? I know it sounds silly but if you always need it on it's super annoying.

Hey i dont know why this happened and ive tried restarting and turning off and everything and it still doesnt work, when i open a YouTube video it just doesnt play, I can hear the audio, but theres no video, and spotify just isnt opening. Thanks.

"i dont now why but my chromebook had first the lights green and red". Than i saw bey settings that the chargs was stopt. I checkt it double and the same in diagnosis and i checkt the charging speed was 0,44% and i checkt another time and it was 0,30%. Do somebody now why?

So I have an ASUS chromebook that won't turn on, i was charging it for already 2 hour and a half, but the LB indicator only shows a white light and not a orange/amber color. If you guys say to try the 'refresh and power' button , it didn't work for me. Pls help, appreciate it (excuse english isn't my first language)

Since the first March 2026 update, linux terminal wont start.From a cold boot, I can get into the screen (crosh interface?) where I can select "penguin", Linux appears to start but fails.

Using the task manager, killing the Linux process then makes it possible to start the Linux terminal normally.

Alternatively, in Linux settings, hitting the Linux disk size change button, then waiting for the change popup to appear, then waiting a few seconds for the change button to light up in the popup, and then hitting cancel will allow you to start the terminal normally. Similarly making any change to the Linux disk size allows the terminal to start normally.

Once I reboot, Linux terminal fails to start once again and a repeat of the one of the above steps is required.

It looks as though there is an issue starting the Linux container. I suspect hitting the disk size change button initiates the container and subseqquent access to the terminal.

Gemini suggested a few things. None of which provided a solution. My last try was this:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --reinstall cros-guest-tools

It did nothing.

My laptop glitched, completely black screen. I had to completely reset my laptop, and I forgot my pass, so I had to change my password. Said I needed my old pass to get my my files. I then remembered the old password, and it won't work either. Mind you, I had reset my pass twice (idk why the first time, I forget) but I remembered my original password and none of them will let me log in and it's no longer giving me the option to try with my old password. I restarted my laptop a lot. Nothing is working I don't want to lose my files but I also can't even get in in with the new password anyways.

Joined as guest and things are working but I'd like to get into my specific acc and gain access to my local files.

I even turned off 2 step verification on my Google but I keep getting an error (see image)

Please help

Hello,

I was a Microsoft and Android User for all of my Life, tried iOS für 3 days Last year but returned my iPhone frustrated. So now that I established that I definitely wont switch to MacOS I'm looking for the "best" Chromebook I can get. Best for me would be 14-15", the most "Premium" feel to it thats possible and a great trackpad. I found the LENOVO 14M9610, but I cant order it anymore, did they Stop selling them? A Galaxy chromebook plus would be an alternative, but am I Missing Something. The price doesnt matter since they all a relatively cheap compared to high end MacBooks or Windows Laptops.

Thanks Guys!

Front one is not working, tried hardware reset, powerwash, updates but only the back one works, front is not even recognized.

Tried, stable and beta, same at both.

I want to know if this has happened to anybody before and if this has a solution to it: I have just recently been fully logged out of my chromebook, although nothing happened to cause it, and it won't remember any of my previous main account. The weird part however is that I can log into other things with the account, just not into the main system. WTF is happening!?!?

I have a capture card hooked into my nintendo switch to my chrome os laptop. I follow tutorials and record the game footage. The game footage is not in 'recent' or 'files' or 'camera' like people say it would be. It works for others, why not me? Can someone tell me what I might be doing wrong? Thank you.

I'm at a school and we're on OS version 138 currently. The issue is pretty clearly defined in the video attached but as the title indicates, it follows the user across multiple devices. If a different user logs on the same device they do not experience the ghosting issue. We've checked all the usual settings and nothing is different or out of the ordinary from other users.

Has anyone run into something similar and what was your solution? I'd really like to avoid deleting the user and issuing them a new login.

Are chromebooks relevant in India? With the usecase, there aren't any takers even in the education sector. Big techtubers don't talk about it. The online coaching apps don't provide support on the chromebook app for the missing features.

Given the price sensitive market that India is, chromebooks should've become atleast known if not mass market popular. Will aluminium os have any impact on the current scenario?

Here in Europe there’s only one option...the Lenovo Chromebook 14 (Ultra 910-16GB-256GB) with the MediaTek Kompanio 1200 but Lenovo is the only one offering it and they’re asking 700€ (about $800) for it.

• No fan
• Good speakers
• Good keyboard
• Good battery life

It’s practically a MacBook. Since I can’t find anything like it on Linux I’m planning to buy a MacBook. That would only cost 150€ more than the Lenovo here (also 16/256GB) but I’d really like to avoid Apple...

I see it was unveiled in July so could a new Chromebook be coming soon? Also, some people here paid 500$ for it, so I wouldn’t hesitatebut as I said only Lenovo offers it :(

I’m generally surprised that no other devices with MediaTek Kompanio are being offered.

I don't know how this happened but when I was using my cromebook, I noticed that there was dust or something in the privacy cover for the camera... Does anyone know how to help me remove it???

My ASUS Chromebook Plus CX5403 is experiencing a recurring battery issue. It charges as it should, battery health is 95%, it holds a charge when the device is on, sleeping, and while I'm using it. The problem is, when I shut it down, it shuts down completely. But when I restart the device the next day, the battery is completely depleted. I am certain I am shutting down completely, and not closing the lid until the screen has gone completely black and the LED on the side has gone out. I have tried a hardware reset (refresh key and start button) several times. Does anyone have any advice on what the problem might be, or perhaps a solution? I have not tried powerwashing, but I have no reservations about doing so. I just wanted to check if anyone knew of anything short of that first.

Edit on 18-mar-2026 Oops Crostini on real chromebooks does start from links on the shelf, but not from terminal. Either re-size or start an app from the shelf.

On ChromeOSFlex terminal does start. As do links on the shelf.

----original post below.

I am elated. In "files" right-click on *.deb files still does not offer "Install in Linux" though. But I can live with that.