How to unlock your Chromebook with your Android phone using Smart Lock

So, you’ve heard of this Chromebook feature called Smart Lock, but you’ve either not set it up because you don’t know how, or this is your first time catching wind of it and want to know the benefits. Well, you’ve come to the right place! Today, we’re going to be covering what this helpful feature is, how to set it up and how to use it. Keep in mind that you can always enroll in Google’s Advanced Protection Program and use something like a hardware Ubikey to log into your device, but for most people, a phone is both more often available and more easily accessible.

What is Chromebook Smart Lock?

Smart Lock allows you to unlock your Chromebook using your Android Phone. It makes your life a whole lot easier, especially if you have biometrics set up on your handset. Basically, so long as your phone is within the distance of your Chrome OS device, you can touch your fingerprint sensor, perform a face unlock, or even a pin, pattern, or alphanumeric password on your phone and then instantly gain access to your laptop without having to type a lengthy password into your keyboard.

Obviously, the whole point of Smart Lock is to simplify or eliminate the need for typing an alphanumeric password into your Chromebook, so you’ll want to opt for face or fingerprint unlock on your phone if you have it as typing a full password into your phone to unlock your Chromebook defeats the entire purpose of this.

What are the requirements?

Before we begin setting up Smart Lock, you should know that it won’t work for everyone. First, you’ll have to have Android L or higher on your phone. Go ahead and check your Android version before we continue. If you have a relatively new phone, you’ve likely got nothing to worry about.

Additionally, you’ll need your Google Account’s password (your Chromebook login is the same!), an internet connection, and your Bluetooth enabled on your phone and Chromebook.

For your Chromebook, you’ll need:

1. A connected Android phone
2. An internet connection
3. To sign in to the same Google Account as your phone

For your phone, you’ll need:

1. Android version L-MR1 and up
2. Your phone unlocked
3. Bluetooth turned on
4. Screen lock set up
5. Automatic unlock turned on (optional)

Chromebook Help

How do I set it up?

So, your phone and Chromebook meet the above requirements – great! Next, go to the Settings app on your Chromebook and click the “Connected devices” option on the right sidebar. Now, you’ll see “Connected devices” in the main window, along with a “set up” button. Go ahead and begin that process by clicking the button.

You’ll then be met with the window you see below which will prompt you to select a device using the dropdown box. As you can see, my main phone, the Google Pixel 6 Pro is pre-selected. Once you’ve selected the proper device, just click the blue “Accept & continue” button at the bottom right.

On the very next screen, you’ll need to input your Google Account password. Again, this is the same exact password as you put into your Chromebook when you unlock it in the morning. Once you click the blue button again at the bottom right, it will say “All set”, and let you know that you can now control your connected device directly through the Settings app.

I just want the steps!

1. Make sure your phone and Chromebook meet the requirements listed above
2. Open the Settings app on your Chromebook
3. Click “Connected devices”
4. Click “Set up”
5. Choose a phone from the dropdown menu
6. Click “Agree & continue”
7. Input your Chromebook / Google Account password and continue
8. All set!

Other benefits of “Connected devices”

Now that your Google Chromebook Smart Lock is set up, return to the Settings app and then to the “Connected devices” section where we first began the setup process. Now, you should see your phone listed. Clicking on it or on the right-facing arrow that appears next to it will take you to all of the awesome settings that come with Smart Lock.

Here, I have my Google Pixel 6 Pro listed, and clicking on it takes me to the screen you see below. While we are discussing Smart Lock today, I wanted to take a moment to introduce you to several added benefits of a “connected device”. Smart Lock is the most obvious, but you can also tether your phone’s cellular data to your Chromebook as an internet connection, get your SMS or Google Messages and phone notifications right on your laptop, and more. With that out of the way, let’s test out our Smart Lock, shall we?

How do I use Smart Lock?

First, lock your Chromebook. Even if you’re not done using it, we’re going to test the digital lock and make sure that your phone is communicating properly with your laptop. After successfully setting up Smart Lock in the last section, you should see a notification just like this appear in your shelf.

Smart Lock is turned on

Next time, your phone will unlock your Chromebook. You can turn off Smart Lock in Settings.

Change Settings

If you’re unsure of how to lock your Chromebook, there are two methods. First, you can click the clock at the bottom right of your screen and then click the lock icon as shown in the image above. Otherwise, you can hold down the ‘Everything button’ or “Search” key on your keyboard (right where Caps Lock used to be!) and press the “L” key with it. However you do it, you should be taken to your Chromebook’s lock screen.

Here, you’ll see your profile image, a password box, and a small lock icon on the left side of that box. The lock itself should be pulsating since it’s now searching for your nearby Android phone. If you unlock your phone, you’ll see the lock turn green and swing open. Clicking on your face (not your real face, the profile image) and waiting for a moment will take you straight back to what you were doing and you’ll have full access to your Chromebook again! That’s pretty dang sweet, right?

I just want the steps!

1. Lock your Chromebook
2. Check for the pulsating lockscreen ‘lock’ icon
3. Unlock your Android phone
4. Check that the Chromebook lockscreen icon has turned green
5. Click your Chromebook account image
6. Enjoy!