Windows on Chromebook: Can You Install It? Here’s What You Need to Know

In today’s world, there are different kinds of laptop available, and one of them is Chromebook. Like other devices, many users of Chromebook come into a question that can Windows be installed on a Chromebook. In this article, we are going to answer this question, and tell you how can you install Windows on a Chromebook.

Is It Possible to Install Windows on a Chromebook?

The answer to this question is yes, you can use Windows on a Chromebook. Although it is tricky to install, it is not impossible.

Chromebooks are simple, secure, affordable and without any problem related to Windows PCs. Some people believe that it is the best for their needs. But one thing can make new users angry, and make a lot of potential buyers stop in their track is Chromebooks cannot install and run Windows or Mac software, which means that if you have software specifically for Windows or Mac operating system, it will not work directly on a Chromebook.

Although you cannot install Windows software directly on a Chromebook, you have other options to use the software you need.

Fundamentally Chromebooks were not made to run Windows, and if you want a full desktop operating system, they are suitable with Linux. We recommend you that if you like to use Windows, use Windows computer. But if you want to have Chromebook and install Windows, we can help you to do that.

If you install Windows on Chromebook, you can face many problems that we mentioned below:

• Changing the Chromebook: You should open Chromebook and change the options that may damage it.
• Losing Guarantee: If you change your laptop, it means that you will lose the guarantee of your Chromebook.
• Microsoft Support: Changing the ChromeOS means that you cannot get future updates of Microsoft.
• Waste of Time: you should do all the drivers from scratch, so it is wasting a lot of time. The success of your guarantee is different depending on your computer expertise.

Before Beginning to Install Windows 10 on a Chromebook

Before doing anything, you should back up important data that you have on your system. If you do something wrong with your operating system, firmware, and BIOS, it can have serious effects on your system, and you can lose anything that is not protected.

If anything happens and you think that you cannot use your Chromebook, create a USB drive from another computer to try and recover your system. It will delete all your data, so backup is a must. You can use Google Drive if you don’t have an external drive available.

Below, we mentioned the requirements you need for installing Windows on Chromebook:

• A Windows 10 ISO file
• A 4GB or larger USB drive
• A Chromebook that supports booting from USB

How to Install Windows 10 on a Chromebook?

Follow the steps below to install Windows 10 on a Chromebook:

1. First prepare the tools that we need that we mentioned above.
2. Search online to find the write-protect screw’s exact location on your Chromebook model.
3. Hold the Power button until the Chromebook turns off.
4. Flip the Chromebook over
5. Remove the bottom shell.
6. Locate and delete the write-protect screw.
7. Put the bottom shell back on the Chromebook.
8. Plug in the power adapter.
9. Press the Esc + Refresh + Power button to turn the Chromebook on in Recovery Mode.
10. Press Ctrl + D when the screen says Chrome operating system is missing or damaged.
11. Press Enter to turn operating system verification off.
12. The Chromebook should reboot into Developer Mode.
13. Press the Ctrl + D to boot into Chrome operating system when the screen state operating system verification is Off.
14. Press Ctrl + Alt + T at the same time after booting into Chrome operating system, which opens the Terminal.
15. Type Shell.
16. Press Enter.
17. Type the following command:

 cd; curl -LO https://mrchromebox.tech/firmware-util.sh && sudo bash firmware-util.sh

1. Press Enter to download and run a script file with root privileges.
2. Type 3.
3. Press Enter to select the Install/Update Full ROM Firmware.
4. Type Y to continue.
5. Type U to install the UEFI firmware.
6. Insert a USB drive to create a backup of the Chromebook’s current firmware.
7. Having installed the new Windows-friendly firmware, turn off the Chromebook.
8. Go to the second system, and use another USB stick to create a bootable drive that install Windows 10 on the Chromebook.
9. Go to CoolStar’s website on your second PC to see what Windows-based drivers you need to install on your Chromebook.
10. Find them and download them to the USB drive you used to backup the original firmware of Chromebook.
11. Connect a mouse and keyboard to your Chromebook.
12. Install Windows 10 from the bootable USB drive.
13. After installing Windows 10, remove the installer USB drive.
14. Insert the USB with the download drivers and update accordingly.

How to Use Microsoft’s Free Apps?

In the following section, we will cover methods to use Microsoft free apps without opening the Chromebook and installing new firmware.

If you like accessing Microsoft office apps, this the easiest option to do that.

1. Launch the Chrome browser.
2. Navigate to the Office website.
3. Log-in to your Microsoft Account. You must have an account to use these free web-based apps.
4. Choose the web app listed on the left, which opens in the same tab, so no download is necessary.

How to Use Chrome Remote Desktop?

1. Ensure that you are signed in to the same Google account on both computers.
2. Open Chrome on your Windows computer.
3. Install the Chrome Remote Desktop web app.
4. Select Turn on under Set Up Remote Access.
5. Name your computer.
6. Select Next.
7. Enter a PIN.
8. Select Start.
9. Go to Chromebook.
10. Open Chrome.
11. Enter the Chrome Remote Desktop Website.
12. Choose the Windows machine.
13. Enter the PIN number.
14. Press Enter.

How to Use CrossOver?

CrossOver, by CodeWeavers, is a software solution, which allows you to run specific operating system apps no other operating systems. It includes running Windows software on your Chromebook.

Because of the software requirements, CrossOver isn’t available for everyone, and you can only run it on Inter-based Chromebooks. If you want to use Android devices and apps, they should be fit with Android 5.x or later. Some function like mouse locking will not functions.

CrossOver isn’t free, and the current full version costs $40, but if you get the full version with 12 months of updates, it costs $60. Also, you can spend $500 to get the software with lifetime updates. In this price, you can buy a Windows 10 PC.

Below, we mentioned what you need to do:

1. To enable Linux, open the Chromebook Settings.
2. Select Linux.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions.
4. Visit the CodeWeavers website.
5. Enter your name and email address to access the free trial.
6. Select Download Trial Now.
7. Chrome will get a DEB file from the website, and save it to your default download location.
8. Locate and click on the Download.
9. Select Install.
10. Hit OK to confirm to install app via Linux.
11. Open the Launcher. You will fit in the Linux apps folder.
12. Select the Install Windows Software.
13. A new window will open.
14. Select Browse Available Applications link at the bottom to see what you can install.

Note: If you have an installer, choose Select Installer tab instead.

1. You can confirm the software that you want in many cases, and CrossOver will start the installation process without any trouble.
2. In some other cases, you should choose the correct installation file from the list, so you should pay attention to file names and ensure that you are choosing the one that you want.

Note: You may need to consent to License Agreements and similar contracts at this time.

1. After completing the installation, you can launch it directly.

Note: Large programs need significant space that not all Chromebooks have, but there are some other ways to use Android apps on Chromebooks, and save space.

How to Use Google’s Project Campfire?

We assume that many years ago, Google accepted the idea of Windows- compatible Chromebooks. This connection provides users the chance to load and run Windows 10 through a dual-boot setup. The users of Chromebooks, who are looking for code, may have caught sneaky references to Alt-OS via Google Chrome operating system code. Project Campfire promised to mix the two OS together on a device.

Google stopped this project in 2019 apparently. It seems that Google moves his efforts to Android and Linux in Chrome operating system, but recent reports asserted that the project is not dead. Chrome in the Chromium Gerrit repository provides indexes to Campfire, which is running on Eve. Pixelbook is the nickname for it. The code refers to an Alternate Operating System Mode, which is similar to what we have seen before, and it also refers to HID for Eve sensors Alt-OS.

A remarkable feature of Chrome operating system is that it is a perfect source of rare system resources, but Windows 10 needs more horsepower to run and fire up than any other Chrome operating system. Therefore, it is probable for higher-end Chromebooks like Pixelbook to have the features to fulfill the operating system requirements.

How to Install Windows on Chromebook Laptops?

What you need to install Windows on your Chromebook laptop are listed below:

• The Chromebook that you want to install Windows on it.
• Another Windows computer.
• A USB flash drive.
• A USB keyboard and mouse.

How to Get the Chromebook Ready?

To do so, follow the steps below:

1. Turn off the Chromebook.
2. Open the back and remove Write Protect Screw.

Note: Opening the back and removing Write Protect Screw is different in every Chromebook, so before doing anything, do some research to understand where to find it.

• Hold Esc + Refresh + Power to enter Recovery Mode.
• Hold Ctrl + D.
• Hit Enter to enable Recovery Mode.
• Hold Ctrl + D to boot Chrome operating system.
• Hold Ctrl + Alt + T to open a terminal.
• Type shell.
• Press Enter.
• Paste the following line:

cd ~; curl -L -O https://mrchromebox.tech/uefi-flash.sh && sudo bash uefi-flash.sh

1. Hit Enter.
2. Choose Full Coreboot Firmware from the options.
3. Type Y to confirm.
4. Type U to install UEFI firmware.

How to Download Windows on Chromebook Devices Using a USB Flash Drive?

1. Open a browser on your Windows computer.
2. Open Microsoft website to download your Chromebook Windows 10 installation software.
3. Insert the USB flash drive.
4. Open the file you downloaded.
5. Click on Accept.
6. Click on Create Installation Media (USB Flash Drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC.
7. Select Next.
8. Select Use the Recommended Options for This PC.
9. Hit Next.
10. Select USB Flash Drive.
11. Click on Next.
12. Wait for the process to conclude.
13. Select Finish.

How to Install Windows on a Chromebook Laptop Using a USB Flash Drive?

1. Insert the Chrome OS Windows USB flash drive into the Chromebook.
2. Now your Chromebook may boot directly from the USB device, but if it doesn’t, press Esc as soon as the Chromebook boots.
3. Find your USB device and select it.
4. Connect the USB keyboard and mouse to the Chromebook.
5. Check your language and region are correct.
6. Hit Next.
7. Select Install Now.
8. If it asked about the product key, select I Don’t Have a Product Key.
9. Choose the version of Windows that you want to install. Preferably Windows 10 Home or Pro.
10. Choose Custom: Install Windows Only (Advanced).
11. Delete all partitions listed, and ignore warnings.
12. Hit Next.
13. Windows will install and reboot.
14. Remove the USB drive if it asked you to do that.
15. Set up Windows.
16. Skip connecting to a network.

Conclusion

Nowadays, Chromebook is one of the things that many people like to have, and installing Windows on a Chromebook is one of the challenges they have. In this article, we presented fully the ways you can install Windows on a Chromebook. Do you have a Chromebook? Did you install Windows on it? How did you do that? Share your answers with us.