Glow up. Don't throw out.

Google x refurbed | Introducing (re)flex: The Anti-Aging Stick for Europe's Forgotten Windows 10 Laptops

Here's how it works

1. Check whether your laptop is supported

Find your laptop’s model on Google’s ChromeOS Flex certified models list.

2. Get your USB stick

Already have the (re)flex stick? You’re ready to continue. If you haven’t, get it on refurbed. ChromeOS Flex is already loaded onto it.

3. Save your important files

Copy any photos, documents and other files you want to keep to an external drive or online storage, such as Google Drive or OneDrive. Installing ChromeOS Flex will delete everything stored on your laptop, including Windows.

4. Turn off your laptop and plug in the stick

Shut down your laptop completely, then insert the USB stick.

5. Start your laptop from the stick

Turn it on and immediately press your laptop’s boot key again and again, or hold it on a Surface or a Mac (see the list in the FAQ below). This opens a menu where you can choose what the laptop starts from. Select the USB stick.

6. Try ChromeOS Flex first

On the welcome screen, select “Get started”, then “Try it first.” This lets you test it without deleting your files. Check your Wi-Fi, sound, keyboard and the websites or online tools you use.

7. Install when you’re ready

If everything works for you, sign out and select “Install ChromeOS Flex.” Follow the instructions on screen and confirm only after you’ve saved your files elsewhere.

8. Remove the stick and sign in

When installation is complete and you’re asked to do so, remove the USB stick. Follow the setup instructions and sign in with your Google account.

Everything you need before, during and after the switch, in one place.

Will (re)flex work on my laptop?

Check Google’s certified models list. ChromeOS Flex needs:

• an Intel or AMD 64-bit processor
• at least 4 GB RAM
• at least 16 GB storage

Other models may run, but features are not guaranteed. Intel or AMD processors and graphics from 2012 or earlier, and Nvidia graphics from 2014 or earlier, are unlikely to work.

Why can’t my laptop get Windows 11?

Windows 11 needs a TPM 2.0 security chip, Secure Boot and a recent enough processor. Many home laptops miss one of them: Fraunhofer Austria estimates that about half of private Windows 10 PCs in the EU can’t upgrade.

Do I have to switch before October 2027?

Not yet. Home users on Windows 10 version 22H2 get free extended security updates with a Microsoft account until 12 October 2027. After that, newly found security holes stay open, and (re)flex keeps your laptop protected.

Can I try it without deleting my files?

Yes. Choose “Try it first”: ChromeOS Flex runs from the stick and leaves your drive and Windows untouched. The trial is slower than an installed system, and what you save in it isn’t kept after installing. Only installing erases the internal drive, so save your files elsewhere first.

Can I still use my Windows apps?

No. ChromeOS Flex replaces Windows, so Windows programs won’t run on it, and neither do Android apps from Google Play. You get web apps for browsing, email, documents and streaming instead, so check that your essential apps fit before switching.

Is the software free?

Yes. ChromeOS Flex is a free operating system from Google for existing PCs and Macs. The (re)flex stick comes with it already loaded, and you only pay €3 for shipping.

How long will my laptop get updates?

Once installed, ChromeOS Flex updates itself automatically. Each model on Google’s certified list has an end-of-support year, and updates stop on 31 December of that year.

Which key starts my laptop from the stick?

Turn the laptop off completely and plug in the stick. Press the power button, then immediately press the boot key again and again (on a Surface or a Mac, follow its own line below):

• Dell, Lenovo: F12
• HP: F9
• Acer: F2
• Asus: Del
• Toshiba: F2 or F12
• Microsoft Surface: hold the volume-down button, press and release the power button, and let go when spinning dots appear under the logo
• Mac: hold the Option key
• Other brands: try Esc, Enter or F1 to F12

In the menu that opens, choose the USB stick: look for its brand name or size. If the BIOS or UEFI settings open instead, set the stick as the first boot device, then save and restart.

What if the laptop doesn’t start from the stick?

Make sure it was fully off, not asleep, and try another USB port. In the BIOS or UEFI settings, check that USB boot is switched on and the stick comes first in the boot order. If the stick appears twice, choose the entry that starts with “UEFI:”. A black screen or a blinking cursor usually means trying another port, or that your model isn’t certified.

What happens when the installation finishes?

The laptop turns itself off. Remove the stick, switch the laptop on and sign in with your Google account.

Can I keep Windows as well?

No. ChromeOS Flex doesn’t run side by side with Windows: installing it replaces Windows. To use both for a while, keep running the trial from the stick.

Can I go back to Windows later?

Yes, by reinstalling Windows with Microsoft’s or your laptop maker’s installation media. That erases ChromeOS Flex, so back up your files first.