Install Wine and Run Some Windows Programs I didn’t need to emulate a Windows computer to use some software. Then I realized that since I had Linux, those programs have Linux equivalents. When I first installed Crouton, I thought of running Firefox and Skype on my Chromebook. Once you have Linux on there, you have a few options for running Windows programs. If you want Windows running on a laptop, you’d be better off buying a cheap Windows laptop.Ĭhromebooks have a special Developer Mode which is like rooting an Android device or jailbreaking an iPhone.Īfter you put your Chromebook in Developer Mode, you’ll need to install Crouton on your system. I tried it for a day and realized it wasn’t worth it. The battery life takes a big hit running Windows and now you’re susceptible to malware on your Chromebook. Windows takes up about a 1/3 of the flash storage and runs slow. Windows programs on Chromebooks will run, but it misses the point of a Chromebook. The Problem with This Solution Image via Flickr Mac OS on a Chromebook? Coolstar installed Mac OS 10.9.1 on a Chromebook. He got Windows programs to run though and made a video to prove it. Vital functions like the trackpad, brightness, or HDMI audio don’t work on the Chromebook running Windows 8.1. Recently, Redditor Coolstar created drivers for most of the Chromebook’s functions. The problem with the installation is the drivers.

If you have an Intel-based Chromebook like the Acer C720, installing Windows isn’t that hard. Image via Flickr The Really Hard Way: Install Windows That doesn’t mean you can’t run Windows programs on Chromebooks, it’s just not obvious how. Google designed the Chromebooks as easy and reliable laptops. If you’re running Windows, or even Mac programs, you’ll find they don’t run on the Chromebook. Chromebooks are optimized to run ChromeOS.

Mac os emulator for chromebook