Chrome OS on Windows: Run Google's OS on Your PC

About Chrome OS and Chromebook

Chromebook laptops with Chrome OS operating system, they have Chrome OS pre-installed so can't run on Windows or macOS operating systems. What about the differences between Chromebooks and other computers? One of the prominent differences of Chromebooks from other laptops is that ChromeBook focuses on the operation of Google apps. Besides, you can also log in to your Chrombook with your Google account.

Chromebook keyboards are also different from other laptops. Chromeboards have search buttons or start buttons instead of lock buttons. Other laptops running Windows or macOS cannot run the main Android app. The Chromebook can install, run and activate the app in the Google Play Store.

Can You Download Chrome OS on Windows?

Yes, you can install Windows on a Chromebook, however, it's not as easy as installing Windows on other laptops.

Chromebooks are not designed to work with other operating systems. They have different keyboard settings and the ability to configure firmware is not high, so you may encounter a lot of problems when installing Windows on a Chrombook.

If you try to install Windows on your Chromebook, you may encounter the following problems:

Change Chromebooks: You have to turn on your Chrombook and change what might damage it.

Loss of warranty: Replacing a notebook means you'll lose your Chromebook's guarantee period.

Google Support: If you change Chrome OS, you will not be able to receive future updates from Microsoft.

A waste of time: Besides, you still have to install all the drivers from scratch, this will waste you a lot of time. Success guarantee depends on your computer's expertise.

A Chromebook is a laptop developed by Google. Its operating system is based on Linux Chrome OS, which is the greatest advantage.

Run Windows on Chromebook with Another Way

The final section outlined the potential issues with Chromebook Windows installation. Thus, our article offers a straightforward method to install Windows on Chromebook to make things easier for you. Here, the approach we advise is to make a portable Windows USB disk. To process with this approach, you must have a Windows computer.

Create a Windows To Go USB

If you want to download Chrome OS on Windows, it is recommended to use AOMEI Partition Assistant to make a portable Windows USB drive. It gives you the Windows To Go Creator function that allows you to easily enjoy Chrome OS. Besides, it offers many other useful functions for partition management. You can use it to merge partitions, clone disks, or rebuild corrupted MBR.

Steps to create bootable Windows USB for downloading Chrome OS:

Now you can download it to have a try and follow the steps to create Windows to Go USB device for Chromebook.

Before you do:

① You need to be on a computer running Windows 10 to make a working USB flash drive. Windows 11/10/8/7 all have this feature that you can use to make anSSD that can boot and other portable hard drives.

② This tool works with both Legacy and UEFI boot modes, but it can only start up in UEFI mode.

③ You can use any USB 2.0, 3.0, or 3.1 drive, SSD, or HDD, but a USB 3.1 device is better because it makes the usable drive and starts up the Chromebook faster.

④You have to convert the USB external hard drive to GPT partition style.

⑤Download a 64-bit version of Windows a disk image (ISO) from Microsoft.

Step 1. Insert an empty USB drive (over 32GB) to a Windows 10 computer via USB port. It is better to choose USB drive from famous manufacturers such as Samsung, SanDisk, Kingston, etc.

Step 2. Select “Tools” on the main interface and hit “Windows To Go Creator”.

Step 3. In the pop-out small window, select “Create Windows ToGo for Mac computer” and hit on “Next”.

Step 4. Then select source file (the Windows 10 ISO files you have download) by clicking the folder icon and click “Next”.

Step 5. Select the USB drive you have plugged in and hit on “Proceed”.

Note: you can click the “Advanced” button to choose the type of created system and target system startup mode.

Step 6. Then wait for the process to be done.

Installing Windows on a USB drive will take a long time. Once the installation is complete, you can safely remove the USB drive from your Windows computer and then connect it to your target Chromebook computer. If your computer with Chrome OS only has an USB-C interface, connecting the USB drives will require a USB C Transformer adapter, then turn on the Chromebook computer's power supply and press the Option button immediately. Select your USB drive and click back on it to run Windows operating system in Chromebook via USB device.

What a portable Windows system drive can do

A portable Windows hard drive allows you to install and use Windows, which means you have a portable medium such as a USB drive that Windows installed, just put it into your computer and do it!

If you're using a USB drive, you can use Windows To Go that comes with AOMEI software to make it a portable Windows USB driver with just a few clicks. The software will help you convert your USB drive to a Windows portable driver.

When you run Windows To Go, your USB drive will have all the necessary Windows configurations and system files, then you can insert USB into your Chromebook and start Windows directly.

Besides, you can also use AOMEI to make a WinPE bootabe USB/CD to fix Windows failure.

Step 5 Connect Windows portable USB and start the computer, click on the desired button. (F2, DEL, F10...)Enter the BIOS, select boot from the USB drive.

Note: Make sure the portable USB and target computer's default mode are the same (UEFI or Legacy). Otherwise, it may not start

Conclusion

Chromebooks and their Chrome OS provide an easy way to use computers that is based on Google apps and works well with Google accounts. Chromebooks don't come with Windows or macOS, but there are ways to install Windows on them. It can be hard, and you might void the warranty if you do it wrong. For people who need Windows, using tools like AOMEI Partition Assistant to make a portable Windows USB drive can be useful.

FAQs

1. Can Chromebooks run Windows natively? No, Chromebooks run Chrome OS and are not designed to natively support Windows.

2. How can I install Windows on a Chromebook? You can install Windows on a Chromebook by creating a portable Windows USB drive, but it involves several technical steps and risks.

3. What are the risks of installing Windows on a Chromebook? Installing Windows on a Chromebook can void your warranty, prevent future updates, and require complex setup.

4. What is a portable Windows USB drive? A portable Windows USB drive is a USB that contains a full Windows operating system, allowing you to run Windows on different computers.

5. Can I use Google Play Store apps on Windows laptops? No, Google Play Store apps are designed for Chrome OS and Android, not for Windows or macOS.