Yes, Google succeeded in improving the connection between the Android and Chromebook through the new feature- Phone Hub. This feature that was announced last year was introduced through the new Chrome OS version 103. Making your tasks easier, the Phone Hub was one of the efficient features for users. There are changes that many people are not aware of. If you are one among them, don’t worry. Let’s read on to know more about the Chrome OS Phone Hub and how to use it.
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Feel free to jump to later sections
What is the Chrome OS Phone Hub? Features Points to Consider Before Setting Up Phone Hub How to Set Up Chrome OS Phone Hub How to connect the Message Application Using Chrome OS Phone Hub Access to Chrome OS Phone Hub Settings
What is the Chrome OS Phone Hub?
Phone Hub is the new feature of Chrome OS by Google that helps users to connect the Android phone and Chromebook. Through this upgraded feature, you can control your Android phones through the laptop. The major purpose of the Phone Hub is to give a smooth experience to the users while switching between Google devices. Allowing easy collaboration, this feature will allow you to work flexibly and easily. Along with the easy sharing of the data connection, the Phone Hub feature will allow you to view the notifications of the phone, send or receive messages through various applications, use the phone’s Internet, etc. You can even check your phone’s battery and switch on the hotspot, and more.
Features
Phone Hub will allow you to give quick commands such as switching on the hotspot. You can turn on the silent mode of the phone from Chromebook through this feature. Controlling notifications is one of the highlighting features of the Phone Hub. It also helps in giving access to the photos in the phone and downloading it. Browsing the chrome tab from your phone to your Chromebook can be done easily through the Phone Hub feature.
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Points to Consider Before Setting Up Phone Hub
If the devices are both an Android smartphone and a Chromebook, then you can easily connect the devices because they meet the requirements. Your phone should have Android 5.1 or more in order to use the Phone Hub. Having a Chromebook with a version of M89 or higher will be helpful. Check both your phone and laptop whether they meet the above-mentioned requirements.
How to Set Up Chrome OS Phone Hub
Since the Phone Hub is built within the operating system, you can simply connect it through its settings.
Open your Chrome book and go to the Settings app You will see “Connected devices,” on the sidebar. Select ”Connected devices,” under which you will see the Android Phones. Click on the “Setup” button next to it. Select the device from the drop-down menu where you will see all the devices that are connected to your Google account. Choose the device to which you connect the Chromebook. Click on the “Accept” and “Continue” buttons. Then, enter your password to confirm your Gmail account and Select “Done.”
Through this way, you can connect your Android phone and Chromebook with the Phone Hub feature.
How to Connect the Message Application
Connecting your phone and Chromebook through the Phone Hub will not connect your message applications automatically. You have to enable it through the following steps.
Open the settings application of your Chromebook. Under the connected device, click on your smartphone. Click on the Setup button to enable messaging. Read the instructions that appeared on your screen. Open the messaging application on your phone and tap on the three-dot menu button. Go to device pairing and click on the QR code scanner button. Scan your code that appears on the Chromebook. Following these steps, your messages will sync which will allow you to view and test the messages from your Chromebook.
How to Disconnect the Phone from the Chromebook
Go to the Phone Hub Shortcut on the status bar. Click on the gear icon. To disconnect the phone from the Chromebook, switch your phone status to disable. Doing this, all the Phone Hub features will be disabled temporarily.
If you want to disconnect your phone from the Chromebook permanently, move to the bottom of the page. Here you will see an option, “Forget Phone.” Click on the disconnect button next to it.
Using Chrome OS Phone Hub
To ensure that your devices are connected, check whether there is a phone icon on the right side of the taskbar. If you click on that icon, you will get to see some options such as “Locate phone,” “Silence phone,” and “Enable hotspot.” You will also get the phone notifications here along with the data details of the phone. You can click on the gear icon to go to Chrome OS Phone Hub settings.
Access to Chrome OS Phone Hub Settings
In order to see the features and the options available through the Phone Hub, follow the following steps. Open Settings > Connected Devices > Select your smartphone This will show you the available options.
Phone Hub Settings
Options that come under Phone Hub settings are Recent Chrome tabs and Notifications. Switching this on will give you access to this information while using the Chromebook.
Smart Lock
Smart Lock is a Phone Hub feature that allows you to unlock your device easily. It ensures your lock screen security during particular situations.
Instant Tethering
Through this feature, you can easily share your Internet connection from your phone to your Chromebook. Also Read:
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Connect your Laptops to Phone via Phone Hub
Phone Hub is an impressive feature that can make your tasks easy by syncing both your laptop and phone. For example, giving quick commands, viewing messages through your Chromebook, unlocking your device, etc. So, this can be considered a helpful feature for Chromebook as well as smartphone users if they meet the requirements mentioned. But if your Phone Hub feature is not working properly, no need to worry. You can simply update your phone and Chromebook to the upgraded version. You can even restart and check your device to overcome the connectivity issues. Are you aware of this feature in your Chromebook? Have you ever used it? You are free to share your experiences in the comments below.
