How to Install ChromeOS Flex on an Old Mac

While it’s pretty awesome to see what Apple is doing with the Mac and iPad lineup, you might be wondering what to do with your “old” device after it’s been replaced. You could always give your aging Mac to someone, but eventually, it will find itself on the “retired” list. But thanks to ChromeOS Flex from Google, you can breathe new life into that old Mac instead of just donating it for scraps.

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What Is ChromeOS Flex?

The origins of ChromeOS Flex actually don’t come from Google’s ChromeOS team. Instead, it was actually known as “Neverware CloudReady” which allowed users to easily install ChromeOS on virtual machines. This was extremely helpful for the Enterprise market, making it easy to deploy ChromeOS Flex across a myriad of devices.

In 2020, Google ended up acquiring Neverware, and many thought the CloudReady project was going to end up in Google’s “graveyard” of cancelled projects. However, Google surprised everyone in February 2022 as it announced ChromeOS Flex as a way to revive old hardware that you might have laying around your home.

Requirements for ChromeOS Flex

• Architecture: Intel or AMD x86-64-bit compatible device
• RAM: 4GB
• Internal Storage: 16GB
• Bootable from USB drive
• BIOS: Full administrator access. You’ll need to boot from the ChromeOS Flex USB installer and make some adjustments in the BIOS if you run into issues.
• Processor and graphics: Components made before 2010 might result in a poor experience. (Note: Intel GMA 500, 600, 3600, and 3650 graphics hardware do not meet ChromeOS Flex performance standards.)

ChromeOS Flex-Certified Mac Computers

• Apple iMac (11,2)
• Apple iMac (12,1)
• Apple Mac Mini (7,1)
• Apple MacBook (7,1)
• Apple MacBook Air (5.1)
• Apple MacBook Air (6,1)
• Apple MacBook Air (7,2)
• Apple MacBook Pro (9,2)
• Apple MacBook Pro (11,2)

NOTE: The webcam is non functional on the MacBook Air 6,1 and 7,2.

What Works With Certified Models

• Audio input, at least one method
• Audio output, at least one method
• Internal display, if present
• Video output
• Installation
• Network — Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or both, if present
• Touchpad, if present
• Keyboard
• Sleep and resume
• System UI and graphics
• USB
• Webcam, if present

What Might Not Work

• Automatic screen rotation
• Bluetooth
• Keyboard shortcuts and function keys, such as brightness and volume
• Touchscreens
• SD card slots

How to Install ChromeOS Flex on an Old Mac

Going through the steps to install ChromeOS Flex on an old Mac isn’t as simple as clicking a couple of buttons. Instead, you’ll need to create a physical USB installer that doubles as a boot device.

Create a ChromeOS Flex Installer USB Drive

Google recommends that this drive have at least 8GB of storage, which makes a USB thumb drive the perfect candidate. As a warning, whatever you use will have its existing contents erased during the creation process.

1. Open Chrome on your “installer device.”
2. Navigate to the Chrome Web Store.
3. Search for Chromebook Recovery Utility.
4. Click the Add to Chrome button.
5. When prompted, click the Add extension button.
6. Once installed, click the Extensions button in the Chrome toolbar.
7. Select Manage Extensions from the drop-down menu.
8. In the Chromebook Recovery Utility box, click the toggle in the bottom right corner.

Now that the Recovery Utility has been installed and enabled, it’s time to create the USB installer that will be used.

1. From Chrome, open the Chrome Recovery Utility extension.
2. Click the Get started button in the bottom right corner.
3. On the Identify your Chromebook page, click Select a model from a list.
4. Click the Select a manufacturer box.
5. Select Google ChromeOS Flex.
6. Click the Select a product box.
7. Select ChromeOS Flex.
8. Once both options are selected, click the Continue button in the bottom right corner.
9. When prompted, insert your USB drive into the computer.
10. Select the name of your inserted USB drive from the dropdown beneath Select the media you’d like to use.
11. Click the Continue button in the bottom right corner.
12. From the Create a recovery image page, click the Create now button.

The process may take a few moments, but you’ll be prompted once the USB installer has been created. When the USB installer has been created, remove it from the device, and then proceed with the steps below.

Change the Boot Drive

So, you’ve verified that your Mac is compatible with ChromeOS Flex. The USB installer has been created, and you’re finally ready to breathe some life into your old laptop or computer. Here’s what you’ll need to do:

1. Turn off the device that you want to install ChromeOS Flex onto.
2. Insert the newly-created USB installer drive.
3. Press the power button on your device.
4. Immediately begin pressing the boot key of your Mac. In most instances, you will need to hold the Option key (next to the CMD key).
5. When prompted, select the USB installer as your boot device.

Install ChromeOS Flex on an Older Mac

When you go through the steps below for the first time, Google also makes it possible for you to “test drive” ChromeOS Flex before installing it. This is just to give you a “lay of the land,” allowing you to see if it will work for you, while seeing if there are any issues before proceeding with the installation. But if you don’t care about test driving ChromeOS Flex, you can just install the OS onto your Mac.

1. From the Welcome to ChromeOS Flex screen, click the Get started button.
2. From the Start using ChromeOS Flex screen, click Install ChromeOS Flex.
3. Read through and confirm the on-screen warning regarding erasing data.
4. Click the Install ChromeOS Flex button.
5. After the installation is finished, a message will appear on the screen. Your device will then automatically turn itself off.
6. Once the device is turned off, remove the USB installer from the computer.

With ChromeOS Flex installed on your device, the only thing left to do is to turn it back on and get signed in. The setup process is no different from setting up a new Chromebook or other ChromeOS device for the first time.

From there, it’s the same setup experience that you’ll find with traditional Chromebooks. After a few moments, all of your apps and preferences will appear, and aside from the hardware itself, you wouldn’t be able to even tell the difference.

Andrew Myrick

Andrew is a freelance writer based on the East Coast of the US.

He has written for a variety of sites over the years, including iMore, Android Central, Phandroid, and a few others. Now, he spends his days working for an HVAC company, while moonlighting as a freelance writer at night.