How to use Phone Hub to connect your Chromebook and Android phone - Android Police

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Having a well-integrated Google ecosystem has long seemed like a dream. Android users have had to watch on in envy while iPhone owners have been able to send text messages from iPads and Macs, share files and photos across Apple devices, and seamlessly pass their AirPods connection from one product to another. With the wider adoption of Chromebooks, Google has made an effort to try and close the ecosystem gap somewhat. One of the big improvements it's made has been the addition of the Phone Hub to Chrome OS, a dashboard of sorts that brings Android phones and Chromebooks closer together. This guide will show you how to get started with Phone Hub and what you can do with it.

How to set up Phone Hub

Open the Settings app on your Chrome OS device
Go to the Connected devices section
Next to Android Phone, click the Set up button
Select the Android device you'd like to connect to and click the Accept & continue button
Enter your Google account password
Select the Done button and your phone and Chromebook will now be connected

How to change your Phone Hub settings

Open the Settings app on your Chrome OS device
Go to the Connected Devices section
Click the small arrow next to the name of your phone
In the list of options, there will be one called Phone Hub. You can use this toggle to turn the feature on or off
Underneath the Phone Hub switch, there are two further options:
- Notifications — Turn this on and follow the instructions to receive notifications from your phone on your Chromebook. You'll need your phone unlocked and nearby to complete the setup, which will involve Allowing notification access for Google Play Services
- Recent Chrome tabs — This will be turned on by default, allowing you to see your open Chrome tabs from your phone in the Phone Hub

What can Phone Hub do?

The Phone hub can be accessed by clicking on the phone icon at the bottom right of the tray to the left of the clock. At the top, it shows the name of your phone and its connectivity and battery status. Beneath that are three key functions:

Enable hotspot — This turns on your phone's hotspot and connects to it so you can share your internet connection with your Chromebook while you're out and about
Silence phone — Use this to turn off notification sounds on your phone remotely
Locate phone — Click this option to ring your phone so that you can easily find it

Below those buttons are a couple of the most recent Chrome tabs from your phone if you've turned the option on. If you've enabled notification syncing, alerts from your phone will also show up alongside your other Chrome OS notifications. If you dismiss a notification on your Chromebook, it will be dismissed on your phone as well.

What else can your Android phone and Chromebook do together?

In addition to the Phone Hub, there are a couple of other ways your Android phone and Chromebook can interact. To get to these options open the Settings app, go to the Connected devices section, and click the small arrow next to the name of your phone.

As well as the Phone Hub settings, you'll see a few other things your Android phone and Chromebook can do together.

Smart Lock — This will allow you to log in to your Chromebook without typing in a pin or a password, simply by unlocking your phone near your Chromebook. Bluetooth must be turned on in order to use this feature
Instant Tethering — Allows your Chromebook to use your phone's internet connection
Messages — If you use Google's Messages app on your Android phone, this option will let you text from your Chromebook. You can either answer messages in the notification when a text comes in or respond to SMS through the Messages PWA, which is pre-installed on most Chromebooks
- To set up the Messages PWA
  1. Click the Set up button next to the Messages setting in the Settings app or open the Messages PWA. Either one of these actions will bring up a screen with a QR code
  2. Open the Messages app on your Android phone
  3. Click the three dots in the top right of the app
  4. Select the Device pairing option
  5. Tap the QR code scanner button, and it will open your phone's camera
  6. Line up the box from the phone's camera with the QR code on your Chromebook and the two will instantly connect You should now see all of your texts and be able to send and receive them on your Chromebook
Wi-Fi Sync — Shares Wi-Fi networks from your Chromebook to other devices connected to your Google account

The Chrome OS Phone Hub may not be as powerful as the combination of MacOS and an iPhone — at least not yet — but it's getting all the time. We've got plenty more on what is next for the Phone Hub such as launching phone apps, making phone calls, and audio switching plus more right from your computer.

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About The Author

Zach Traverso (2 Articles Published)

Zach became an android enthusiast in 2016 when he got his first Android phone, A Motorola Droid Turbo 2, and has been following the industry since. Chromebooks have become a passion of Zach's since he picked up an original HP Chromebook x2 and he likes looking for the latest and greatest in the Chromebook world. Zach is also an avid Google fan having owned 2 Pixels and countless Chromecasts, Nest Speakers, and Google earbuds. In addition to writing, Zach works in the energy industry and is a big advocate for renewable energy and energy storage, and loves educating others about it.