Chromebook Problems

You might be a teacher who's got a student with a stubborn device, or you may be the student trying to make it do a thing.  The chromebook may be out of date and it may need an update.

Updating Your Chromebook

You can always try to persuade it to download an update. Log in to your Chromebook and in Chrome type this address (where you might put replace it with) chrome://settings/help

Hopefully that page tells you "Google Chrome is up to date", but it may start downloading an update and ask for a restart, and that's great, too, because you're getting an update that can fix things.

However, if you see "This device will no longer receive the latest software updates. Please consider upgrading", it's time to trade it out for something newer.

That didn't fix my problem.

Please submit a work order to technology via the Web Help Desk (students, contact your teacher; if you're a teacher, contact your technology person if you need assistance):

The work order should include:
  • a PCSS barcode number
  • what isn't working with as many details as possible ("While other students' devices in Room 102 work, this one can't get on i-Ready in that room" is more helpful and will provide a quicker resolution than "Internet don't work").

I just want to check my chromebook's version. How do I do that?

Google. Sign in to your Chromebook. Managed by Learn more. Enter your email. Forgot email? Next. < Back. Shut down. Apps. U.S. 2:16
First, at your chromebook's log in screen, check the version  by pressing alt and V and the same time. It will display the version in the upper right-hand corner. If you are already logged in, this doesn't do anything, log out and then press ALT and V to see the version in the upper right corner.
Google Chrome 72.0.3626.122 (Platform 11316.165.0-19.03.04) SN: [deliberately obscured]

But what should the version be?

The latest versions of ChromeOS (the operating system your chromebook uses are here):

Note: You are likely on the Stable Channel (Beta releases will always have bigger numbers), and if you're at the stable release version, everything that does work on a Chromebook should work for you.

My chromebook isn't a new model, will it update?

Maybe, maybe not. To best answer that question, you need to know who made it (many of ours are ASUS, but some are Samsung or HP, etc.) then the model. Google uses the phrase Auto Update Expiration date to indicate if the computer is "vintage" and no longer capable of updating.

"Every Chrome device receives regular updates from Google until it reaches its Auto Update Expiration (“AUE”) date... When a device reaches AUE, automatic software updates from Google will no longer be provided."


Once a device is past its Auto Update Expiration, it's unlikely to get further updates, so it may not be able to update to the latest and greatest version of ChromeOS.

As an example, I am near a Samsung XE303C12, and if I look at that page, it tells me Chromebook - XE303 (that's any XE303 including XE303C12) has an Auto Update Expiration date of Jul 2018. It will go to ChromeOS 75 and that's it.  You can learn more here: