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Android and ChromeOS are closely connected, which makes sense since both operating systems are developed and maintained by Google. The best part about this connection is the convenience of using an Android phone with your Chromebook. If you use them together, you'll get access to a number of features that can improve your daily workflow. You can even use Android apps directly on newer Chromebooks. Here's how to set it all up.

How to connect your Android phone to your Chromebook

You can easily connect your Android to your Chromebook during the initial setup. But if you still haven't done that, it's a quick process:

Connecting an Android phone to a Chromebook on ChromeOS
  1. In the bottom-right corner, select the time.
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Under Connected Devices, next to Android phone, click Set up.
  4. Select your Android phone from the list and choose Accept and Continue.
  5. Enter your password.
  6. If not already enabled, turn on the switch next to the name of your phone under Connected Devices and confirm your password.
  7. On the Connected Devices settings page, click Enabled, and select which features you want to turn on (see below).

Some basic features for using your Android phone with your Chromebook

Android phone features on ChromeOS

From here, you can toggle on some basic features:

  • Smart Lock: This feature lets you unlock your Chromebook using your phone. If the phone is detected nearby and is unlocked, ChromeOS automatically skips the account login screen, so you don’t need to enter your password.
  • Instant Tethering: With this feature, your Chromebook will allow you to get online using your phone as a hotspot (this will count against your data plan, of course) if it can’t detect a standard Wi-Fi connection. Everything is handled for you, including activating your phone’s hotspot feature — all you need to do is click Connect in ChromeOS.
  • Phone Hub: Thanks to this feature, you can access your phone's features on your Chromebook. That includes seeing recent photos, streaming your Android phone's apps to your Chromebook, seeing recent Chrome tabs, and even notifications.
  • You also can access your phone's messages from your phone on your Chromebook with the messages app. Just open the Google Messages web interface, and it'll ask you to sign in using a QR code. In the Messages app on your phone, you’ll need to tap the three dots in the top right-hand corner on the main interface, then Device Pairing to scan the QR code. Keep in mind if you don't use a Pixel phone, you'll likely need to download Google's Messages app and set it as the default. Other messaging apps from OEMs like Samsung are not supported for integration with your Chromebook.

Enable Phone Hub for more integration

Phone Hub is another feature you get when pairing your Android phone and Chromebook. Once it’s enabled, you get the Phone Hub toggle switch in ChromeOS Settings, plus toggle switches for Notifications (which shows your phone notifications on your Chromebook) and Recent Chrome tabs (which lets you access Chrome tabs you’ve recently opened on Android through ChromeOS). You'll also be able to access photos from your phone in Phone Hub, too. Here's how to use it.

Phone hub on a Chromebook
  1. You'll see a phone icon down on the right-hand side of the taskbar shelf. Click this to get access to the hub.
  2. Click the Get Started button in Phone Hub. If you don't see this, go back to Connected Devices, click on the name of your phone, and enable Phone Hub.
  3. Follow the instructions on your screen

If you bring up the Phone Hub from the ChromeOS shelf, you can see and open browser tabs that have recently been accessed in Chrome for Android. There are also toggle switches for turning on your phone’s hotspot feature, muting your phone, and locating your phone (which will force it to ring even if your phone is on silent). You'll even see your phone's photos in this area, too, and clicking on it will download the photo to your Chromebook. Finally, at the top of the dialog box, you can see the signal strength and battery life for your Android device. Clicking on the cog icon will take you to the same device connection settings we saw earlier.

An additional Phone Hub feature is the ability to see your Android phone's apps right on your Chromebook. To set this up, tap on the Set up button under Recent Photos, Notifications, and Apps when you click on the name of your Android Phone in Connected Devices in the ChromeOS settings app. You'll need to be connected to the internet and Bluetooth for this to work.

Use familiar Android apps on your Chromebook

After connecting your Android phone to your Chromebook, you might want to actually use some Android apps on your Chromebook. Most modern Chromebooks support the Google Play Store, allowing you to download and use your favorite Android apps. You probably already have a list of apps you enjoy for productivity, social media, and streaming content. Now you can bring those apps to your Chromebook using a few simple steps:

Minecraft in the Google Play Store on ChromeOS
  1. Turn your Chromebook on and log in.
  2. Click on the launcher on the left side of the screen
  3. Find the Google Play Store app and open it.
  4. Search or browse for your app of choice.
  5. Click on Install.
  6. Wait for the app to install, and it'll appear in your app drawer shortly after.

For a full list of recommended Android apps, check out our Android apps guide for ChromeOS.

As you can see, using an Android phone with your Chromebook can enable some pretty cool features. You can improve your workflow or just get social media notifications on your computer. You can also run Android apps on your Chromebook, opening up all the possibilities of the Google Play Store. If you're still searching for the perfect Chromebook, check out some of the best Chromebooks you can buy today.