Chrome OS is preparing a feature called “Phone Hub” that links your Android device to your Chromebook. While we wait for the feature to become stable, you can try it out right now.
The idea behind Chrome OS’ “Phone Hub” is similar to Microsoft’s “Your Phone” app for Windows 10. You can use it to get notifications from your phone on your Chromebook, control the Android device, and continue scrolling through Chrome tabs that were open on your smartphone.
RELATED: How to Link an Android Phone to a Windows 10 PC With Microsoft’s “Your Phone” App
The Phone Hub will eventually be available by default for everyone, but it’s currently in testing. You can try it out for yourself by enabling it via a Chrome flag. You’ll need to be running Chrome OS version 89 (on any channel) to do this.
Warning: These features are not available to everyone for a reason. They may not work correctly and they can negatively impact your browser’s performance. Enable flags at your own risk.
On your Chromebook, open a browser window and navigate to chrome://flags#enable-phone-hub.
Select the drop-down menu for “Enable Phone Hub” and switch it to “Enabled.”
Click the blue “Restart” button to apply the changes.
Next, we’ll connect your Android phone in the Settings menu. Click the clock on your Chromebook’s on-screen Shelf to bring up the Quick Settings panel. Select the gear icon to open the Settings.
Go to the “Connected Devices” tab of the Settings.
You’ll see “Android Phone” listed here. Click the “Set Up” button.
A new window will open with a drop-down menu that lists the active Android devices associated with your Google account. Select the one you want to use and click “Accept & Continue.”
Enter the password for your Google account and click “Done.”
The device should now be connected! Click “Done” to return to the Settings.
Now you can click your phone’s name from the “Connected Devices” section.
Here are all the settings that pertain to your connected Android device. Make sure that “Phone Hub” is toggled on.
You’ll notice that a phone icon has appeared on your Chromebook’s Shelf. Click it to open the Phone Hub.
The Phone Hub shows your last two Chrome tabs, a few toggles for the connected device (including the option to enable the hotspot, silence your phone, or locate the handset), and Wi-Fi and battery status.
That’s all there is to it. The Phone Hub may change before it’s “officially” launched, but it works pretty well in its current state. It’s great to see Google bringing Chrome OS and Android closer together.
RELATED: How to Enable Google Chrome Flags to Test Beta Features
