Chromebooksare great at doing the work Google intended them to do.
Browse the web, watch videos on Youtube, or edit documents on Google Docs.
Also, Android app support means it’s possible for you to play supported games such as Roblox.
But if you want to run an system that requires Windows, you cannot do that.
Or at least thats what Google states.
But can you really?
Yes, you’re free to run Windows on your Chromebook or even install it natively.
To know how to do this, jump right into this article.
If thats not enough, you might install it as a virtual machine.
But installing Windows has some caveats.
Recent Chromebook withIntel Core i3or higher andAMD 5000series processors will not break a sweat when running Windows.
The problem arises when you install it on old Chromebooks released 3-5 years ago.
Windows requires you to have a Chromebook that has at least30 GBof storage.
Older models having 16 GB is not going to cut it.
But most Chromebooks do not have that luxury and have the RAM and flash storage soldered into their motherboard.
Also,4 GB RAMis a bare minimum requirement.
You will experience stutters if installed on anything less.
Before diving deeper into that process, lets see the easiest way to access Windows.
Here is our easy guide forhow to Copy and Paste on Chromebook?
Run Windows Remotely
A remote desktop allows you to access your PC over the internet on a different gadget.
You have a beefy desktop running the latest RTX GPU.
You want to enjoy the games in the comfort of your couch.
Google provides aChrome Remote Desktopextension that allows you to do this.
it’s possible for you to expect some latency as you jump into the other PC.
But the experience depends on the speed of your internet connection.
Try moving the mouse and keyboard, and it should work.
If the Remote Desktop window is small, you might change its size to fit the available screen space.
Technically you are running Windows, but it is mirrored to your Chromebook.
The latency you experience when moving the cursor is connected to your internet speed.
If you do not like the experience, it’s possible for you to install Windows on your Chromebook.
Here is another easy guide for how to accessMicrosoft Word on Chromebook?
This method will use the command line, so you should probably be comfortable using the Terminal.
This uses the Linux Kernel Virtual Machine (KVM).
Not all Chromebooks come with it.
So Windows will feel slow if you do not have it.
We will install Windows on the Chromebook in 3-steps.
First, enable Linux on your Chromebook.
Next, configure the VM app that will allow you to run Windows.
Finally, install our desired operating system.
So, lets begin.
Google introduced support for Linux apps within Chromebooks in 2018.
Most Chromebooks released after this period should support it.
By default, it is not enabled.
you’re gonna wanna go inside configs and enable it from there.
The installer proceeds, and when completed, you have a working Linux system alongside your Chrome OS.
Open Files, and you should see a new drive called Linux Files present.
This directory contains everything that you just installed.
It is a good practice everyone should develop.
And that is what I did after enabling the Linux subsystem.
The code below will check all software repositories and update them.
Read our epic post aboutSplit Screen on Chromebook.
We will use Virtual Machine Manager to run Windows.
It will execute the OS as a virtual machine from the Linux kernel.
There are other popular applications, such as Virtual Box.
You will see the VMM icon when the installation completes.
Download it fromMicrosofts website.
Now configure the VMM tool so that it can run Windows.
The tool then sets up a virtual environment, and soon you will see the Windows boot icon.
Then I saw the Windows icon.
That means everything is proceeding smoothly.
The next steps are straightforward.
If you have installed Windows before, these will not prove any difficult for you.
Still, go through the steps below if you need them.
Here are the steps to install Windows on your Virtual Machine:
The installation will take a few minutes.
On newer Chromebooks with SSDs, it will take a considerably short time.
After you complete the initial setup, the desktop will load.
Everything should work, including the sound and internet connections.
Now Try installing Chrome here.
It should be a nice joke, right?
Running Chrome inside Chrome.
you might check our simple solution forKeyboard on Chromebook not working.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where to download Windows 10 for Chromebooks free?
Download it from Microsofts download page.
Is it better to run Windows on a Chromebook or buy a Windows laptop?
Windows will run faster when running on a dedicated PC.
Conclusion
Windows should be running on your Chromebook by now.
I hope this article helps you out.
Do comment if you face any problems during the installation process.
Thats all for today.
