Have you been curious what Phone Hub on your Chromebook is? It simply pairs your Android phone and laptop, enabling various features and functions that happen between the two devices.
Setup takes just a few minutes, so why not do it right now?
What Is Phone Hub on Chromebook?
With Phone Hub on Chromebooks, you’re able to link your Android smartphone to your laptop over Bluetooth to access certain functions of your phone.
For instance, Instant Tethering will automatically connect your Chromebook to your phone’s hotspot if a known Wi-Fi network is unavailable. This makes working on-the-go easier as you don’t have to go into your phone’s settings, turn on the hotspot, then go back to your Chromebook, find the hotspot’s Wi-Fi, and then enter your hotspot password. Instead, it all happens automatically.
Phone Hub will also allow you to see some notifications, reply to message notifications, and even ping your smartphone if you’re able to’t find it. Another great use would be to transfer photos and screenshots from your phone’s gallery to your Chromebook wirelessly.
Plus, Phone Hub (with compatible devices) can even stream apps from your Android smartphone to your Chromebook. This is different from a Chromebook’s ability to run Android apps natively, as it’s actually streaming the app from your phone—meaning it’s as if you picked your phone up to use the app.
App mirroring is different from installing Android apps on a Chromebook because not all apps support Chromebooks, and it also keeps you logged in as if you were on your phone. This makes it an ideal option for some social media platforms, some games that don’t support Chromebooks, and anything else you can think of.
Not All Phones Support All Features
While most Android devices are supported by Phone Hub, certain features are limited to select devices.
Most notably, streaming apps to your Chromebook are limited to the following devices: Pixel 4a or later (running Android 13 or later), Nothing Phone (1) and (2), and the Xiaomi 12T, 12T Pro, 13T, and 13T Pro (also running Android 13 or later).
Sadly, unless you have one of these devices, you won’t be able to stream apps from your Android phone to your Chromebook. Hopefully, Google opens this feature up to more devices in the future.
However, if you want to dig a bit deeper into your Android system, you may simplyuse ADB to wirelessly mirror the screenof any Android phone to your Chromebook. This does take a bit more command line know-how, since it doesn’t rely on Phone Hub to work, but it does open the door to mirroring any phone’s screen and bypassing Google’s limitations here.
Google Pixel 9
The Google Pixel 9 features a sleek design with a powerful Tensor G4 processor, 12 GB of RAM, and a vibrant 6.3-inch Actua display, making it ideal for capturing stunning photos and videos with its advanced 50 MP main lens and 48 MP ultrawide camera. With improved durability and a fast-charging all-day battery, the Pixel 9 is built to handle daily challenges while delivering top-notch performance and AI-driven capabilities.
How to Pair Your Android Phone to Your Chromebook
To pair your Android device with your Chromebook, you’ll want to start by making sure your phone and Chromebook are on the same Wi-Fi network and that they are logged into the same primary Google account.
Next, you’ll head to Settings > Connected Devices > Android phone. From this screen, you’ll want to click “Set up.”
After you click the “Set up” button, a pop-up will come up that shows what device you’re connecting to. Verify the device name and model to make sure which of your phones (if you have multiple) you are connecting to. This screen will also show you what functions you’ll have access to through Phone Hub with your paired device.
Now, click Connect and then enter your phone’s PIN code.
Once you’re done setting things up, simply click “Done” in the lower right-hand corner, and you’ll be paired!
HP Chromebook Plus x360 14b
The HP Chromebook x360 14b delivers an Intel i3-N305 8-core processor, 8GB of LPDDR5 memory, and 128GB of UFS storage to pack a solid punch as a portable computer. Flanked by a 14-inch 1080p touchscreen and a 360-degree hinge, this Chromebook is ready for whatever you want to throw at it.
Now that you have your Chromebook and Android phone paired through Phone Hub, you’ll be able to use all the features available to you over a simple Bluetooth connection!
However, your Chromebook isn’t the only device that your Android phone can pair to. Android phones and Windows 11 actually pair up pretty well, andthe process is similarto linking up your phone and Chromebook.
By pairing your Android phone to your Windows 11 computer, you’ll get notifications, messaging, photo copying, calls, and media controls.
There are other ways that you can pair your Android phone to your Windows computer, though, includingusing services like Scrspyto mirror your phone’s screen to your computer(which works with about every modern Android device).
Also,Windows 11 supports an instant tethering featuresimilar to Chromebook if you set it up, making pairing your phone and computer even more useful.
