Chrome OS Flex can run on both Windows and Mac. So users can install it on their old, slow laptops and turn them into smooth-functioning machines again. Since Chrome OS Flex is pretty lightweight, it should technically work a lot smoother than the Windows operating system on the same laptop. Moreover, the process to install Chrome OS Flex on Windows is extremely easy and seamless. In fact, we revived our 12-year-old Sony Vaio laptop by installing Chrome OS Flex on it. Here’s how we did.
What Is Chrome OS Flex?
Chrome OS Flex is a cloud-first operating system for PCs and Macs. It’s free to use and built on the same code base as Chrome OS. So you can think of it as a modified version of Chrome OS—similar to CloudReady—that’s lightweight and can quickly transform your old PC hardware into a fast, modern machine. Chrome OS Flex is essentially designed for businesses/students. What makes it a lucrative option for this purpose is that it can be quickly deployed across a fleet of devices and managed remotely using the Google Admin console. Not just that, if you’ve got an old Windows or Mac lying around, you can install Chrome OS Flex on it and revive it into a fully-functional machine capable of performing most day-to-day internet operations.
Chrome OS Flex System Requirements
Before thinking about Chrome OS Flex download, you’ll need to ensure you have a machine with at least these specifications:
An active internet connection Minimum 8GB USB Flash Drive A 64-bit Intel or AMD CPU Four gigabytes of RAM Support for booting from USB Administrative access to the BIOS/UEFI settings
How to Install Chrome OS Flex on Windows
Installing Chrome OS Flex on Windows is a two-step process.
Step 1: Create a Bootable USB Drive
Chrome OS Flex Download
Step 2: Install Chrome OS Flex on Windows Using USB
Now, sit back and relax and watch Chrome OS get installed on your Windows machine. Once the installation process is complete, remove the USB drive and restart your Windows PC. Follow the on-screen steps to set up Chrome OS Flex.
2. Download Chrome OS Flex ISO manually and install it on your PC with ease
For some reason, if you are not able to create a bootable USB drive using the Chrome utility, you can easily download Chrome OS Flex ISO and manually create a bootable drive using Rufus.
Chrome OS Flex ISO Download and Installation
Experience Chrome OS Flex on Windows without actually installing it
While installing Chrome OS Flex on Windows is one way to get Chrome OS on your desktop, you can also experience the software without installing it. This is a good way to test out the operating system before installing it, to see whether you like it or not. To do this, all you need is a live USB stick. We’ve already created one in the previous method, and here’s how you can use it to run Chrome OS Flex on your Windows desktop: If you ever wish to return to Windows in the future, shut down your PC and disconnect the USB flash drive. Once disconnected, turn on your PC like usual.
Restore Your Old Windows Desktop With Chrome OS Flex
As you saw in the guide above, Google has made it extremely easy to install Chrome OS Flex on Windows, and it actually works quite well on laptops with old hardware. So if you’ve got an old Windows machine lying around that’s no longer functioning normally, you should try putting Chrome OS Flex on it to make it functional again—at least for casual internet-based operations. Let us know in the comments below if you found this article helpful and successfully installed Chrome OS Flex on your Windows machine.
