Install Android apps on your Chromebook

If you see a notification that says "Updates available" on the bottom right of your screen, click Update or Update all.

If you don’t see this notification:

1. In the corner of your screen, click the Launcher  Up arrow .
2. Click Play Store .
3. Follow the steps to update your apps.

Change app permissions

After you install an Android app, you can control which capabilities or information it has access to, known as permissions:

1. Click your account photo.
2. Click Settings .
3. In the "Google Play Store" section, click Google Play Store.
4. Click Manage Android preferences.
5. In the "Device" section, click Apps.
6. Click an app in the list.
7. Click Permissions.
8. Next to a permission you want to turn on or off, click or tap the switch.

Share or unshare your location

When you opt in to Android apps, you decide whether you will let Google see your location. To turn this on or off:

1. Click your account photo.
2. Click Settings .
3. In the "Google Play Store" section, click Google Play Store.
4. Click Manage Android preferences.
5. In the "Personal" section, click Location.
6. To turn location permissions off, move the switch from right to left. To turn permissions on, move the switch from left to right.
7. Optional: To turn location permissions on or off for a specific app, click the app, then click Permissions. Then click or tap the Location switch.

Note: If you’re using your Chromebook at work or school, you might not be able to choose whether or not to share your location.

Sync your apps across Chromebooks

By default, your Chromebook syncs the Android apps on your Chromebook across any other Chromebooks you’re signed in to. If your Chromebook isn’t syncing your apps, check your sync settings to make sure you’ve selected "Sync everything" or turned on Apps syncing. Learn how to change your sync settings.

Back up and restore your app data

By default, automatic backup and restore of Android app data is turned on. This way, if you move to a new Chromebook, you can restore your Android app data.

To turn backup and restore on or off:

1. Click your account photo.
2. Click Settings .
3. In the "Google Play Store" section, click Google Play Store.
4. Click Manage Android preferences.
5. In the "Personal" section, click Back up my data.
6. To turn data backup off, move the switch from right to left. To turn it on, move the switch from left to right.

Note: If your Chromebook has syncing turned off, but backup and restore turned on, it will still back up your Android apps. But if you have more than one Chromebook, your Android apps and their data might not sync across your Chromebooks fully.

What your Android apps can see

• Android apps can download files to and read files from your Chromebook’s downloads location. You can change this by opening an app’s permissions page, then turning off the Storage permission.
• Some Android apps that have permission to see your location might also access Bluetooth on your Chromebook.
• If you’re browsing in incognito mode and you open an app, then right click to open a link in that app, you’ll leave incognito mode.
• If you turn off the Google Play Store on your Chromebook, all data and settings for your Android apps will be erased from your device.
• You can review other privacy and security settings which come with using Android apps. Remember: some of the settings described in these links might not apply or appear on your Chromebook.

What Google can see

When you opt in to using the Google Play Store, some system apps and features may send Google information about how you use those apps.

If you’ve opted to send Google data about your Chromebook’s usage and performance, Google will also get diagnostic and usage data about your Android apps’ activities by default, as well as crash reports. Any crash reports Chrome sends to Google may also include some sensitive information about your Android apps.