Important:
- Official ChromeOS Flex does not support the Play Store or Android apps.
- This guide uses unofficial methods (e.g., Brunch + a full ChromeOS recovery image) to achieve Play Store functionality.
- Success is not guaranteed for all devices; proceed at your own risk.
- A 64-bit (x86_64) PC with UEFI firmware.
- Administrator (root) privileges on the device.
- Familiarity with Linux terminal commands.
ChromeOS with Android support typically needs at least a 4th Gen Intel (Haswell) or AMD Ryzen. Older CPUs are less likely to work. In particular:
- Intel: 4th Gen (Haswell) or newer.
- AMD: Ryzen architectures (and a few older APUs like Stoney Ridge).
Not supported:
- Dedicated GPUs (NVIDIA/AMD discrete graphics) can cause issues.
- Very old Intel/AMD CPUs (~pre-2013).
- Virtual machines or ARM-based systems.
Use this table to see which codename or platform (in ChromeOS recovery lists) corresponds to your CPU generation. Then, go to the ChromeOS Recovery Images or Chromium Dash Serving Builds page, find that codename, and download the Stable image.
| CPU Generation / Series | Example CPU Models | Look for these Codenames / Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| Intel Haswell (4th Gen) | i3-4xxx, i5-4xxx, i7-4xxx | Often just “Haswell” references |
| Intel Broadwell (5th Gen) | i3-5xxx, i5-5xxx, i7-5xxx | Often just “Broadwell” references |
| Intel Skylake (6th Gen) | i3-6xxx, i5-6xxx, i7-6xxx | “Skylake” |
| Intel Kabylake (7th Gen) | i3-7xxx, i5-7xxx, i7-7xxx | “Kabylake” or “Kabylake U/R” |
| Intel Apollolake (Celeron/Pentium) | N3350, N3450, N4200 | “Apollolake” |
| Intel Geminilake (Celeron/Pentium) | N4000, N4100, N4120 | “Geminilake” or “GLK” |
| Intel Cometlake (10th Gen) | i3-10xxx, i5-10xxx, i7-10xxx | “Cometlake” |
| Intel Tigerlake (11th Gen) | i3-11xxx, i5-11xxx, i7-11xxx | “Tigerlake” |
| Intel Jasperlake (Celeron/Pentium) | N4500, N5100, N6000 | “Jasperlake / JSL+” |
| Intel Alderlake (12th Gen) | i3-12xxx, i5-12xxx, i7-12xxx | “Alderlake-N”, “Alderlake-U/P” |
| Intel Raptorlake (13th Gen) | i3-13xxx, i5-13xxx, i7-13xxx | “Raptorlake-U/P” |
| AMD Stoney Ridge | A4, A6, E2, etc. (older APUs) | “Stoney Ridge” |
| AMD Picasso / Dali / Pollock | Ryzen 3000/4000 series (e.g. 3250C) | “Picasso”, “Dali”, or “Pollock” |
| AMD Cezanne / Barcelo | Ryzen 5000 series (5500C, 5700C) | “Cezanne” or “Barcelo” |
| AMD Mendocino | Some low-power Ryzen 7000 | “Mendocino” |
Example:
- An Intel Core i5-10210U (10th Gen) → Cometlake.
- An AMD Ryzen 3 3250C → Picasso/Dali/Pollock.
Download the matching recovery image in .bin or .img format from one of the official ChromeOS update serving sites.
- USB Drive: At least 16 GB.
- Chromebook Recovery Utility (Chrome extension):
- Install it.
- Launch → “Use local image” → point to your
.binor.img→ follow prompts → create USB.
You’ll likely need the Brunch Framework or a similar tool that injects needed files so that the full ChromeOS system (including Android) can boot on generic PCs. Standard ChromeOS Flex alone lacks Android/Play Store support.
-
Reboot & BIOS
- Press F2, F12, Del, or Esc after powering on.
- Disable Secure Boot.
- Save changes.
-
Select USB Boot
- Insert the ChromeOS USB.
- Choose it as the boot device.
-
Open Terminal
- Once ChromeOS boots from USB, press
Ctrl + Alt + T.
- Once ChromeOS boots from USB, press
-
Enter Shell & Root
shell sudo su
-
(Optional) Resize Data
sudo resize-data
If you need extra space for Android apps.
-
Install
- Identify your disk (e.g.,
/dev/sdaor/dev/nvme0n1).
sudo chromeos-install --dst /dev/[YourDisk]
Example:
sudo chromeos-install --dst /dev/sda
- Identify your disk (e.g.,
-
Complete Installation
- Follow on-screen instructions.
-
Reboot & Set Up
- Sign in with your Google account.
- Check “Settings” → “Google Play Store” to enable (if your build has it).
- If all went well and the image you downloaded includes the Android subsystem, you’ll see a Play Store in Settings.
- Sign in, accept Terms, and try installing Android apps.
- Results vary; some devices might not have all drivers or hardware features.
Congrats! You have (unofficial) ChromeOS on your PC, potentially with Android apps. Keep in mind that auto-updates, hardware compatibility, and stability can vary widely.
ctrl+alt+t does not bring up the terminal . and due to it being the initial steps the installation cannot proceed . however i found a method which works by including the brunch framework and it seems easy to perform . thanks .