We’re always finding ways to make using Chromebooks as seamless as possible. Today, with our latest Chrome OS release, we’re introducing a faster sign-in experience as well as personalized lock screens.
And in case you missed it, we’ll share the exciting new Chromebooks that were recently announced at CES 2021.
Faster and easier web sign-in
Forget the hassle of typing in a long password or trying to remember which one you use for a specific online account. Now you can securely sign in to websites with the PIN or fingerprint you’ve set up to unlock your Chromebook with our new Web Authentication (WebAuthn) feature. Websites that support WebAuthn will let you use your Chromebook PIN or fingerprint ID—if your Chromebook has a fingerprint reader—instead of the password you’ve set for the website. And if you use 2-Step Verification to sign-in, your Chromebook PIN or fingerprint ID can be used as the second factor, so you no longer need to pull out your security key or phone to authenticate.
To get started, sign in to a supported website like Dropbox, GitHub or Okta, and you’ll be prompted to switch to using WebAuthn for future sign-ins.
Beautify your space with a personalized lock screen
The Chrome OS screen saver lets you transform your Chromebook’s lock screen into a personalized smart display. Show off your favorite photo album from Google Photos or pick from hundreds of art gallery images. You can use your lock screen to check information like the current weather and what music is playing; you’ll also be able to pause a track or skip songs without unlocking your device.
Go to your Chrome OS Settings and select Personalization > Screen saver to turn it on now.
ICYMI: New Chromebooks announced at CES 2021
From left to right: Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2, ASUS Chromebook Flip C536 and Acer Chromebook Spin 514
Our partners, Acer, ASUS and Samsung, introduced five new Chromebooks earlier this month: The Acer Chromebook Spin 514 and the ASUS Chromebook Flip CM5 are among the first AMD Ryzen Chromebooks in the market and deliver great performance for work and play at an affordable price. There’s also the ASUS Chromebook Flip C536 and the ASUS Chromebook CX9, which are some of the first Chromebooks to come with the latest 11th generation Intel processors, so they’re a powerful option for working or streaming video. And the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 is the first Chromebook to feature a QLED display; it has a thin, light design and comes in Fiesta Red and Mercury Gray.
That’s all for now—but check back here in March when we’ll have more news about what’s coming to Chromebooks.
