An Introduction to Chrome OS Flex: What you need to know

ChromeOS Flex is a lightweight Linux-based operating system that Google designed for your PC or Mac. It’s a cloud-based OS meaning that almost everything you do happens via web services i.e. via the Google Chrome web browser. In fact, the browser is the main user interface for ChromeOS Flex and you can think of Flex as a glorified Google Chrome installation. This would be underselling the power and benefits of Flex, of course.

Advantages of ChromeOS Flex

1. It’s a simple OS

On the surface, ChromeOS looks just like Google Chrome. This makes it very easy to adapt to, especially since everyone who uses a computer these days is familiar with Google Chrome or some form of web browser. Your documents open in Google Docs, you can edit images and videos in Canva or any number of your favourite browser-based apps, you get access to all the streaming services you could want, and more.

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2. It’s inherently more secure 

Since Flex is a cloud-based OS that doesn’t allow the installation of any executable programs on your PC, it’s inherently a lot more secure than most desktop operating systems. Most malicious programs simply can’t run on the OS. On top of that, updates are frequent and usually small, and since you will have an internet connection for using Flex, your device will be constantly updated and won’t need an antivirus suite and the likes. Unlike the ChromeOS variant found on ChromeBooks, you don’t even have access to the Google Play Store or Android apps.

3. It runs on anything 

The requirements for ChromeOS Flex state that you need an AMD or Intel x86-64 CPU, 4GB of RAM, and 16GB of storage space. You’ll also need an 8GB USB drive or SD card to install ChromeOS. Essentially, what Google is saying is that ChromeOS Flex can run on any computer, PC or Mac, released in the last decade. Newer ARM-based computers such as Apple’s M series Macs and Snapdragon-powered Windows machines do not currently support ChromeOS Flex.

4. It’s easy to deploy at scale 

Simplicity aside, another major benefit of Flex is that you can deploy it to multiple devices in, say, a small business or college. You can remotely manage all of the devices from a central console, push updates, wipe devices, and more. One person could, in theory, do the work of an entire IT department. While ChromeOS is free, you will need to pay for device management features. 

How to install ChromeOS Flex

Assuming you have a PC or laptop that can run ChromeOS Flex – which is virtually any PC or laptop released in the past decade or so – you need to do the following:

1. Open the Chrome Web Store on a Mac or PC and search for ‘Chromebook Recovery Utility.’ 

2. Add the extension to Chrome.

3. Click on the extension to run it.

4. Click ‘Get Started.’

5. Click ‘Select model from a list.’

6. Select ‘Google ChromeOS Flex’ as the manufacturer.

7. Select ‘ChromeOS Flex’ as the product.

8. Follow the instructions and keep hitting ‘Continue’ to proceed.

9. Insert the USB drive or SD card (minimum 8 GB) when prompted.

10. Click ‘Create Now.’

11. Remove the USB drive when instructed to do so.

12. Power off your PC and reboot.

13. Open the Boot menu. This process varies by device so you’ll need to check your laptop or motherboard manufacturer’s page to confirm.

14. Select the USB drive or SD card on which you installed ChromeOS Flex. We’d recommend unplugging all unnecessary drives and USB devices to avoid any confusion.

15. If done correctly, the ChromeOS Flex installer will start.

16. Here you have two options: Selecting ‘Get Started’ will proceed to install ChromeOS Flex on your device’s internal storage. Selecting ‘Try it first’ will boot ChromeOS Flex off your USB drive and RAM, allowing you to experience ChromeOS Flex without installing it on your PC.

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17. For the latter, follow the instructions to try ChromeOS. You will need a Google ID to use it.

18. To install ChromeOS Flex, click ‘Get Started’ and follow the on-screen instructions. Please note that all the data on the target drive will get wiped when you install ChromeOS Flex.

19. Remove the USB drive when instructed to do so.

20. The system will reboot and you will now have access to ChromeOS Flex!

Troubleshooting information can be found here.

ChromeOS Flex is a great upgrade for an old PC or laptop that no longer has the power to run a modern operating system. It’s also a much simpler OS to install and manage, and a great option for kids and people who are not comfortable around tech in general. We’d also strongly recommend trying ChromeOS Flex first before installing it. If you don’t like it, there are plenty of other lightweight, Linux-based desktop operating systems around. They will be more of a hassle to install and potentially less secure, but power users will likely prefer a full-fledged desktop environment.