Your Chromebook gets a software update every six weeks. The latest version of Chrome OS is downloaded and installed automatically. This, however, will stop after a few years. This varies from device to device and depends on the Chromebook’s end-of-life or EOL date. This article explains how to find this end-of-life date.
You can find your Chromebook’s end-of-life date from the Settings app. Open the Settings app and go to About Chrome OS > Additional details and check the date under Update schedule. You will find the EOL date here.
Here are the detailed steps.
Find Chromebok EOL Date from Settings App
Google recently made it easy for us to look up the “expiration date” of our Chromebooks. They added this information to the “About” section of the Settings app. To find this date:
Time needed: 1 minute
To find your Chromebook’s end-of-life (EOL) date:
- Open the Settings app.
Click the Settings icon and open the app.
- Click About Chrome OS.
From the left-pane, click “About Chrome OS”.
- Click Additional Details
Click Additional Details link.
- Find the EOL date under Update schedule
Under the Update schedule section, you will see your Chromebook’s EOL date. Here is an example:
“This device will get automatic software and security updates until June 2026. Learn more“
Google currently shows the EOL date in future tense for all Chromebooks. If your Chromebook has already crossed the EOL date, it will still say “will get automatic software updates…” This will be fixed soon. The updated message for such Chromebooks will read “This device stopped getting automatic software and security updates in..”
EOL Chromebook – Frequently Asked Questions
You will be able to use your Chromebook even after reaching the EOL date. However, you will no longer receive security updates or new features.
Another option is to switch to a third-party build like CloudReady. With that, you will continue to get newer versions of Chromium OS, the open-source version of Chrome OS, through CloudReady. You will miss a few features, but your Chromebook will stay up to date.
Google generally provides six years of software updates for Chromebooks. This might vary according to the manufacturer. In some cases, you might get extended life up to eight years too.
A list of Chromebooks and their EOL dates is available on the Auto Update policy page.
Yes. Your Chromebook will continue to work even after the EOL date. However, you will no longer receive security updates or new features.
You cannot update an EOL Chromebook with the official Chrome OS version. However, you can use a third-party build like CloudReady to use Chromium OS, the open source version of Chrome OS.
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