Are you looking to make the leap to ChromeOS? Or trying ChromeOS Flex on a non-Chromebook? There are some things you need to know before making the switch. Most likely, you're coming to ChromeOS from a Mac or Windows PC. While there's a lot about ChromeOS that might be familiar, it's a primarily cloud-based operating system, so things like ideas about required hardware specs go out the window.

In addition, you don't need nearly as much built-in storage as you'll store most files in the cloud. Some of the keyboard shortcuts and apps might also be different. The good news is once you get things set up properly, ChromeOS is easy and fun to use. Let's take a look at everything you need to know to make the switch to a new Chromebook.

Understand the required specs for ChromeOS

Chromebook Plus

Google recently launched a new Chromebook family of devices known as Chromebook Plus. These new devices are designed to make shopping for Chromebooks easier and have you worry less about specs. These new Chromebook Plus model is a great place to start. These devices pack in Intel Core CPUs (usually Core i3), start with 8GB RAM, and start with 128GB of storage. The displays also are pretty high resolution, at FHD 1920x1080 and higher. You even get 1080p webcams, with background blur and lighting correction features, plus software features like Magic Eraser, accessing Google Drive Files offline, and cool wallpapers and discounts on apps like LumaFusion and Photoshop. We included a Chromebook Plus model that we reviewed, the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34, as a suggestion at the end of this section.

Other Chromebooks

Outside of Chromebook Plus, Chromebooks can get by with a fairly low-powered CPU since ChromeOS is optimized and lightweight when compared to Windows. For Chromebooks under $300, aim for an Intel Celeron processor. There are also excellent ARM processor options from MediaTek like the MediaTek Kompanio series. Even Qualcomm is in the Chromebook market with the Snapdragon 7C. While the CPUs at this low price point are not high powered, they're very energy efficient.

If you're spending more than $600 on a Chromebook, focus solely on Intel Core i3, Core i5, or Core i7 processors. Look for 11th- to 13th-generation CPU Chromebooks. You might still find Chromebooks powered by 10th-generation Intel processors, but avoid them unless the discount is significant.

Most modern Chromebooks come with 4GB of RAM at a minimum. Some older models still feature 2GB of RAM, but we don't recommend devices with less than 4GB of RAM. If you buy a Chromebook with 2GB of RAM, you'll notice that opening several browser tabs will cause your device to become sluggish. Of course, you can find Chromebooks with significantly more than 4GB of RAM as well. Determining how much RAM you need depends on how you'll use your Chromebook — whether you want it for basic web browsing or general productivity.

It's important to note that the price will generally go up as you increase the amount of RAM. Most Chromebooks under $300 will feature 4GB, with exceptional deals occasionally featuring 8 GB. If you're buying a Chromebook for over $300, look for a model with over 8GB if possible.

Many budget Chromebooks also start at 32GB of eMMc storage. At the end of the day, 32GB of storage is just not enough for a Chromebook in 2023 unless you only use cloud storage. Otherwise, you should consider 64GB of storage at a minimum. There are quite a few excellent options under $300 that feature 64GB SSD storage. Those looking to use a Chromebook as their primary computing device should opt for a minimum of 128GB of storage. Those will likely cost over $400.

Choose a cloud storage solution

Moving to ChromeOS means committing to cloud storage to some degree. If you can, you'll want to move almost everything to the cloud. Those who feel a complete move to the cloud sounds scary should opt for more built-in storage when they select a Chromebook. There are several excellent cloud storage services out there, but Google Drive makes the most sense. Of course, if you're already locked into Dropbox, Box, or Microsoft OneDrive, these are all accessible on your Chromebook as well. Microsoft OneDrive is a great option since you get 1TB of storage with a Microsoft 365 subscription.

Before moving to a Chromebook, back up all your files to your chosen cloud service. This may require a small subscription fee if you have a lot of files to store, but in the end, the simplicity and ease of use make it worth the cost. Using a cloud service also allows access to your files across all of your devices, not just your Chromebook.

Learn ChromeOS settings and menus

There are some fundamentals any new Chromebook user should be aware of. Basic tasks like taking screenshots, managing files, or changing scroll direction are important for all users.

• Taking a screenshot: If you want to take a screenshot of your entire screen on a Chromebook, press Ctrl + the Show windows button (Ctrl + F5 on a Windows keyboard). To capture a partial screenshot, press Shift + Ctrl + Show windows (Shift + Ctrl + F5 on a Windows keyboard), then click and drag your cursor over the area you want to capture.
• Caps Lock key replacement: You may have noticed that Chromebooks don't have a Caps Lock key. You can capitalize letters using the Shift key as usual, but you can also press Launcher + Alt to enable Caps Lock.
• Change the scrolling direction: It's easy to change the scroll direction on your Chromebook. To do this, click the time in the bottom right-hand corner, and click the Settings icon. Scroll down and select Touchpad. Under the scrolling option, select Enable reverse scrolling.
• Finding system specifications: To access the System Page, open a Chrome browser on your Chromebook, and in the browser bar, type chrome://system. Hitting Enter will display a long list of all the system specs.
• Locating and managing files: Chromebooks are built for the cloud, so local storage works a bit differently. Your information gets saved within the Files app instead of your Desktop or Documents folder. You can use the Launcher to access that app quickly and then search for what you need. All downloaded content will appear in the Downloads folder, but you can also add subfolders for easy storage.
• Customize your dock: You can pin apps to your dock (at the bottom of your screen) for easy access. At the bare minimum, you'll want to keep Chrome, Gmail, Files, and likely YouTube there. If you use your Chromebook for work, you may also want some productivity apps like Docs and Slides.

Organizing your dock is especially important if you connect to an external monitor via a docking station.

Learn ChromeOS keyboard shortcuts

We have a full guide on ChromeOS keyboard shortcuts, but there are a few basic ones to master immediately:

1. Take a screenshot: Press Ctrl + Show Windows.
2. Take a partial screenshot: Press Shift + Ctrl + Show windows, then click and drag.
3. Take a screenshot on tablets: Press the Power button + Volume down button.
4. To access more screenshot features: Press Shift + Ctrl + Show windows, then select a screenshot feature from the toolbar.
5. Turn Caps Lock on or off: Press Search + Alt. Or press Launcher + Alt.
6. Lock your screen: Press Search + L or press Launcher + L.
7. Sign out of your Google Account: Press Shift + Ctrl + Q (twice).
8. See all keyboard shortcuts: Press Ctrl + Alt + / (forward slash).

You can also remap keys in ChromeOS, which is an excellent way to take back the missing Caps Lock key. Remapping and other advanced options are covered further in the full guide linked above.

Expand your app selection with Android apps

If you use an Android phone daily, you'll already know how to install apps from the Play Store. On the other hand, the process might be a bit new for those coming from iOS. Installing apps from the Play Store is very similar to the process for Apple's App Store for iOS or macOS, but just in case you need a refresher, here's how to do it.

1. Turn your Chromebook on and log in.
2. Open the app drawer by tapping on the launcher icon.
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 will appear in your app drawer shortly after.

We recommend downloading Netflix and Twitter to get started. Check out our full guide to Android apps on ChromeOS for more app suggestions.

Linux apps on ChromeOS

What exactly can you accomplish running Linux apps? ChromeOS, by default, is a cloud computing platform, which leaves out some desktop-class apps you might see on a Mac or PC. For instance, it's impossible to run Photoshop natively on your Chromebook. Video editing is also quite difficult on ChromeOS. Both of these problems are addressed by Linux apps.

In addition, if you're a developer, you undoubtedly need Linux for coding tools. While not all Chromebooks support Linux apps (there are some baseline system requirements), most modern Chromebooks will have the option available.

1. As mentioned before, you need to check that your Chromebook actually supports Linux apps first.
2. Open up the ChromeOS settings (by clicking the time area in the lower-right corner of the desktop and then clicking the gear-shaped Settings icon).
3. Click on the Advanced tab and select Developers.
4. Turn on the Linux option.
5. The rest of the process for downloading and installing Linux apps is a bit technical but is covered in our guide to Linux apps on ChromeOS.

That's everything you need to know to move over to the ever-versatile ChromeOS. The grass is indeed greener on this side, and you can make the switch with just a few simple steps. Make sure to choose the cloud storage solution that's best for you and back up all files before you buy a new Chromebook.