ChromeOS 125 is rolling out with tons of new Chromebook features

Right on schedule, ChromeOS 125 looks to be rolling out across the board (save a few stragglers still waiting on the latest update), and that means a ton of new features are on the way for your Chromebook once you receive the download and restart your device.

For a change, there’s nothing in this update that should come as a massive surprise on the heels of the announcements yesterday surrounding Google’s latest Chromebook event. We have an entire post dedicated to the new features Google promised in NYC, and from what we can tell so far, nearly all of them are here and ready to try out of the box with this update. Some features are clearly meant for Chromebook Plus devices, so there will be certain things that only users with Chromebook Plus certified devices will see.

What’s new in ChromeOS 125

As there are no official release notes yet, we’re going off the Chromebook event from last week and the Explore App’s list of new features. The list is pretty extensive and we cover most of this stuff in our video from yesterday, so I’ll keep it brief.

Chat with Gemini: Chromebook Plus devices now have Gemini right on the shelf for more direct access to chat. You can use Gemini to boost your ideas and get assistance with brainstorming, planning, learning, and more.

Help me write: The long-awaited Help Me Write tool is here to help you write and/or rewrite using Chromebook Plus. Whether you’re writing a blog post, composing a review, or coming up with catchy social media captions, you can get help writing exactly where you need it: just a right-click away.

Magic Editor: In the Google Photos app for ChromeOS, you can now utilize Magic Editor to move objects, resize things, change the sky, improve lighting, and more. Just open a photo, select the Magic Editor button up top, and away you go. Google’s even included some helpful keyboard shortcuts for getting edits done easier on a Chromebook.

AI Backgrounds and Wallpapers: Another long-awaited AI ability is now here for ChromeOS with AI-created wallpapers and backgrounds. Whether looking for a unique background for your device or setting the right mood for a video chat, these backgrounds are interesting and one of a kind.

Game Dashboard: The game dashboard makes it simple to add keyboard input to Android games, record and capture your gameplay, and share your recordings with others. To access the dashboard menu, tap the Window Bar in your game window (or hit SEARCH + G) to see all the options available to you when in a game.

Google Tasks in Quick Settings: You can now access and add to your Google Tasks from your Chromebook shelf, right above the quick calendar. Tasks added from Gmail on your phone will be synced to your Chromebook. Just tap the date to view your calendar and Google Tasks checklist, and you can switch between your to-do lists by tapping on the down arrow to toggle between them. For what it’s worth, this is the only new feature I’m still not seeing yet on my devices, but it could be a server-side issue, too.

GIF recorder: I love this little feature. Baked right into the screen recording feature, you can toggle the record button to snag GIFs instead of video now. It makes grabbing a quick clip from a YouTube video or movie an absolute cinch, and it will be super handy for WhatsApp chats for sure.

I’m sure there are other tidbits hiding throughout the OS, but this is a lot of new stuff in a single update! Thankfully, it’s all being delivered on time and on schedule to align with the new hardware we’re seeing already hitting store shelves. And I’m happy that – for the most part – this launch is well coordinated and not promising features that are months away. They’re here today, they are ready for you to use, and they are each quite helpful in their own regard.