Chromebooks

on all Google hardware products.

When I bought my first Chromebook, I wasn't aware of the update expiration policy. But (luckily) the one I got was a newly released model and had 6 years of updates remaining.

Since then, availability of security updates is one of the first things I check when I'm looking to buy a Chromebook or mobile phone.

To check your Auto Update Expiration (AUE) date:

At the bottom right, select the time.
Select Settings .
On the left panel, at the bottom, select About Chrome OS.
Select Additional details.
In the “Update schedule” section, you’ll find when your Chromebook will receive its last update.

If you intend to keep the device until end of life, set a Calendar reminder based on what you learn.

It should be mentioned that the Chrome OS defines the product. There are Google Chromebook devices as well as Chromebooks made by HP, Lenovo, Acer, Dell, etc.

I was told that my son's twin children who live in San Francisco were issued Chromebooks by their school for use with teaching by Zoom while at home during the Covid pandemic. I know nothing about Chromebooks but I thought at the time that issuing Chromebooks to all students would be quite an expensive undertaking.

Hearing about a shortcoming of an auto update expiration, perhaps Chromebooks come with a price tag that is commensurate with it's value.

Thank you for the information. My school just issued new Chromebooks to us. Mine says June 2026. I hope to be retired by then

I bought a nice Chromebook in the winter of 2019/20 during our snow bird stay in AZ. Left it there planning to return this last winter but because of Covid border closings didn't make it. Hopefully my end of updates date doesn't come up before I can retrieve the machine.

You can get a 14" HP Chromebook with webcam for $210. That is bare bones are far as storage (32 GB) but that actually is what many schools are buying for the lower grade levels where not much more than Zoom and some word processing is desired. Those machines however can become quite useable with the addition of something like a Sandisk Ultra Fit drive that is available up to 512 GB for about $60.

Nothing wrong with Chromebook devices, you just need to know the limitations and the work arounds.

I didn't know they just stop support on a schedule. Can you load a newer version on them? I'm on old fashioned PC kind of guy, makes me not want to consider a chromebook at all.

To my knowledge, all Chromebook devices have an expiration date. You can go to https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/6220366?hl=en and expand any particular model and it will tell you when that date occurs. To be honest as long as you buy "fresh" stock, the timeline is generous. I do know someone that bought a unit off eBay and brought it to my shop for service and it only had 4 months left. Unfortunately the person had purchased something with a "no returns" statement.

Recently posted on linus tech tips.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvVafMi0l68

So once a chromebook goes EOL, can it be used for something else?

If you have passed the expiry date, just no more update or they actually log you out?

Since learning of the AUE dates, just out of curiosity, I've been watched sales sites for inexpensive Chromebooks and many of the sub-$150 Chromebooks being offered are refurbs of one sort or another.

I've found that sites offering refurbed Chromebooks mention the various specs of the devices but almost always exclude the model number which prevents searching the AUE website to learn when updates will no longer be offered to it. I did find one offer of refurbed Chromebooks with a model number in the past month and upon looking it up, saw a June 2021 date when it turns into a pumpkin!

I think the lesson to be learned is to only buy a new Chromebook, and even then, check the model vs. its AUE date. It's sort of like my thoughts on hybrid (or all-electric) vehicles. For folks planning to keep a vehicle for several years, avoid buying a used vehicle more than a year old since the eventual cost and due date for a battery replacement could be a killer financially.

Almost all Chromebooks can be converted to a full blown Linux Laptop PC. The process is a bit technical and certain models are more difficult than others. This process is only for the Linux software and computer hardware tech savvy folks.

https://linuxconfig.org/how-to-install-any-linux-distro-on-a...

If you know any Linux fanatics you can challenge them to upgrade your expired Chromebook to a fully patched secure Linux laptop.

If anyone is interested in donating their expired Chromebook I and likely most Linux savvy folks will be happy to rescue that expired Chromebook from the dumpster!

When I got the spare time I've updated dozens expired Chromebooks to Linux donating them to local non-profits. Recently I donated a batch to a local STEM camp for kids where they use the laptops for STEM projects involving programming Lego robots.

Anyway I'm also open to donating to any legit non profit with a cause that is in need of salvageable used laptops (10 years old or less). Roughly any midrange or low end computer older than 10 years will have serious performance issues with modern browsers. They would be ready to be sold as parts on Ebay.

...learned something new today.

thank you for this. I haven't had any of my chromebooks expire yet, but i didn't know there was a list.

I had toyed with the idea of getting a chromebook, primarily for travel, but I had no idea it would come with an expiration date. So much for THAT idea !

Thanks for the warning.

- Tom -

Well I'm at an age where I think twice about buying green bananas!

Having said that when one considers that these units can be new as low as $200 they may still fulfill as very useful purpose. And in some instances they are up to 8 years of life. See https://www.pcworld.com/article/3570263/.