Skip to main content

Google is bringing desktop Windows apps to Chromebooks

One of the key complaints about what has prevented traditional PC users from switching to Chrome OS has been the absence of desktop apps. Google wants to fix that in order to shape Chromebooks as a more viable option for enterprises that especially rely on legacy apps. In partnership with virtualization software maker, Parallels, Google has announced it’s bringing support for proper Windows apps, including Microsoft Office, to Chrome OS.

In a blog post discussing the remote future of workforces, John Solomon, vice president of the Chrome OS division, said that Google is now working with Parallels to “add legacy application support — which includes Microsoft Office desktop apps— to Chromebooks.”

Recommended Videos

“We’ve long been saying that almost any business role can be a cloud worker, and COVID-19 has dramatically made this point. As a result, the Chrome OS team is working on new ways to make sure every company can benefit from the velocity created by supporting a cloud workforce,” Solomon added.

While Google didn’t comment on the feature’s timeline, Solomon said there’s “more to come on this over the coming months.” It also didn’t offer any demos or comment on what the end result would look like.

While Chrome OS users always had the clumsy option to run Windows desktop apps by streaming them through a Parallels Remote Application Server, this new update means they’ll be able to install them locally in a virtual environment.

Computing jargon aside, the bottom line is that Chromebooks will soon be better equipped to serve enterprise users who still actively depend on full-fledged desktop software. However, this likely will be restricted to productivity software and not resource-intensive apps such as Steam or Adobe Premiere Pro since they won’t be technically running natively as Android or Linux apps.

Unfortunately, at least initially, Parallels support will remain exclusive to commercial Chromebooks users and won’t be available for everyone. We’ve reached out to Google for more information and we will update the story when we hear back.

Over the last two years, Google has dramatically expanded what users can do on a Chromebook. In addition to Android apps, Chrome OS users can run Linux software including the programming platform, Android Studio. The Chromebook market in general, as well, has seen a huge wave of premium options from Samsung, Asus, and more. Dell reportedly is also expected to launch a Chrome OS version of its XPS lineup.

Shubham Agarwal
Shubham Agarwal is a freelance technology journalist from Ahmedabad, India. His work has previously appeared in Firstpost…
Google reacts to questionable shopping Chrome extensions
chrome web store logo on computer

Google has updated its policies for Chrome extensions following a controversy over the Honey extension. The extension, from PayPal, has been accused by creators of misappropriating affiliate links without its users' knowledge, and Google now specifies that similar extensions are not permitted on its Chrome Web Store.

The issue regarding Honey came to light in December 2024, when YouTubers accused the extension of being a scam. The extension claimed to search through discount codes and automatically apply them to user's shopping baskets across many different websites. However, it has been accused of injecting its own affiliate links into users' purchases without their knowledge, taking revenue from content creators who also use affiliate links. In an ironic twist, this likely negatively affected the same tech influencers that Honey paid to promote its extension.

Read more
The new Windows app is officially replacing Remote Desktop
A person compares Bitdefender and Norton antivirus software pricing on a Windows PC.

Microsoft is ending support for Remote Desktop, requiring users to switch over to its new Windows app. From May 27, the Remote Desktop app will no longer be available for download and Microsoft recommends current users uninstall the app.

The replacement, the Windows app, launched in September last year and is designed to give users "unified access" to a range of formerly separate Windows services.

Read more
The Gemini app is now the only way to access Google’s AI on iOS
The Google Gemini AI logo.

Google announced Wednesday that it is removing its Gemini AI model from the Google app on iOS, meaning that Apple users will need to download the dedicated Gemini app in order to use it.

When Google first introduced its Gemini AI to the Apple product ecosystem, it did so through its existing Google App, which had been available on iPhones and iPads since 2008. It wasn't until last November that Google released its dedicated Gemini app. Over the past three months, iOS users had their choice of which app through which to access the chatbot, but that is no longer the case.

Read more