Have you tried experimental features in Chromeos before? I lived on the experimental branch, but recently I am enjoying a stable branch – mostly because Google rolled a lot of features that the main operating system required flags.
From a proper calendar view to the custom keyboard shortcut, Chromos has become very mature in the last few years. Here are the five terrible features of chromos that require experimental flags which are now available as part of the core chrome operating system.
5
Floating and Snapping Window System
Once two flags are required to enable, chromos now supports both floating and snaping windows.
It sounds like a simple thing, isn’t it? You may also think that Chromos has always supported floating windows, and it is – but it is not so. With the new floating Windows update that appeared in the last few years, now you can always pin a window to swim on top by hovering on the top right of any open program.
I honestly want other operating systems such as Macos and Windows to create a window float at the top, as it is something that can be super useful in different circumstances. Despite this, Chromos now does this originally.
In the same update, the Chromos team introduced a Snaping Window System, which looks like Windows 11 Window Management Tools (this is a lot of Windows!).
This not only allows you to pull a window to the left or right and is snap to take it a half screen, but there are more options than hovering on the window icon on the top right of the screen. Simply say, you can snap a window with a click on full screen, partial screen, or half screen.
Connected
Chromebook Multitasking is going to be very better
Chromebooks have at least one cool multitasking facility on the way.
4
Calendar view in system tray
It is difficult to imagine that the calendar scene in the system tray of Chromos was a time before the visuality was available, but it is the truth. You had to trigger at least one (if not many) experimental flags to get a calendar in the system tray.
Now? This is just where it should always be. Clicking on the date of the lower right side of your screen will open a full monthly calendar scene so that you can see the whole month at a time.
Clicking on a date will reveal anything in your Google calendar for the day, and above the calendar is your Google task list where you can easily see things. It is a major productivity for Chromeos, and it is good to see that it is good to be able to enjoy it instead of the need of flags to include it by default.
Connected
A starting guide for chromos: tips for new users
Unlock the power of your Chromebook!
3
Custom keyboard shortcut
Similar to the system tray calendar view, it is difficult for me to believe that there was no time that Crusty keyboard shortcuts in Chromos were not there. However, that feature made it only in the mainstream chromos in 2024.
Up to 2024 updates, you cannot customize the keyboard shortcut in Chromeos. Instead, you only had to learn chrome-specific shortcuts, and there was no other option. Now you can customize that keyboard shortcuts do separate functions.
This is a great update, as it allows you to program Chromeos to perform more functions like Macos or Windows, it depends on which operating system you are more familiar with.
Connected
Chromebooks now support custom keyboard and mouse shortcuts
Chromeos 123 update also adds hotspot tedering to 4G LTE Chromebooks.
2
Partial division window layout
As part of the window snapping update, Chromos received a partial split window layout. This allows you to quickly snap a window on half a screen. Either by pulling a window on the left or right of the screen (or using the keyboard shortcut alt +) or (), this functionality is important to easily transfer files or upload.
Personally, I mainly use the Split Window Function, when I draw files from one folder to another, or from the file browser to an online service, where I am uploading them. However, there are many other reasons to use this type of snaping function.
For example, you can snap Google Docs on one side and a chrome tab from the other side for research and writing purposes. Or, you can open YouTube on one half of the screen and Facebook on the other. The possibilities are endless, and it is great that Google eventually made partial division-window layouts easily possible in chromos.
Connected
9 chromebook power user trick should be used
Are you ready to become a Chromebook Pro?
1
Android app streaming from your phone
Streaming Android apps in your Chromebook with your phone is a more limited feature, it is now an official part of Chromeos. This requires experimental flags, but is now baked in the main operating system.
The phone hub on Chromeos connects your Android device to Wi-Fi and its Chromebook on Bluetooth, enabling many features. One of those features is Android app streaming.
While modern Chromebooks can basically run the most Android app, there are some that are especially available on Android phones and not on Chromebook. If you have a supported smartphone (a pixel 4 or new, nothing (1) or (2), or a Xiaomi 12t, 12t Pro, 13, or 13 Pro), you will be able to stream apps directly from your phone to Chromebook.
This function is certainly more niche and is not quite useful as other people in this list, but it is still something that used to be only experimental and is now part of chromos.
Connected
Your Chromebook can stream apps with your Android phone
It is like a remote desktop, but for apps from your phone.
After trying these features, why not check these nine power users tricks, which you should use completely? There is a cruise of a lot of power user functionality on Linux Chromebooks, and it is great that you can basically install Linux apps on Google’s laptop.
Also, do not forget about the virtual desktop in Chromeos. This feature is not new at all, but it is an important part of any productivity setup, and if you have not done before you should definitely try it.
