If you’re a parent of a school-age child who has had to borrow a Chromebook from school for remote learning during the Covid -19 pandemic, chances are you’re already well-acquainted with the good things about this simple, user-friendly laptop. Since Chromebooks were designed predominantly for Internet use, they are an ideal choice for students accessing online learning platforms such as Google Classroom, Canvas, and numerous educational cloud-based software for supplemental enrichment. The simplicity of these plug-and-play computers allows even the youngest learners to have a relatively easy time of getting connected and completing assignments, either individually or with a group.
However, no computer hardware is perfect, and Chromebooks also have a few common issues that can cause frustration among users young and old. Here are a few of the most common Chromebook problems along with their solutions.
Lagging/Running Slowly
If you or your child is experiencing a bit of a lag, or if the Chromebook is taking a long time to load pages, one of the simplest fixes is also the one that tends to help the most often: reboot! Shutting your Chromebook down and restarting may be just enough to clear whatever connectivity issue it’s experiencing, allowing it to run faster. Simply hold down the Power button, click “Power Off” on the pop-up window that appears on the screen, and press Power again to turn your Chromebook back on once it has fully shut down. If this fails to fix the issue, check system settings and see if there is an available system software update that can improve performance.
Headset Incompatibility
Since most headsets can be used almost universally, it shouldn’t matter which set your student has, right? Actually, it’s a good idea to check before you purchase any headsets to ensure that they are compatible with Chromebook headphones. While most headsets should function just fine on a Chromebook, others, especially wireless Bluetooth models, may not be compatible unless they are specified as Chromebook headphones.
Error Message During System Update
If you’re getting an error message pop-up when you try to run system software updates on your Chromebook, the first thing you should check is your Wi-Fi connection. If it appears you are having a connectivity issue, try rebooting your wireless router before running the update again. If your connection appears fine, a nice hard reset just may do the trick. Press and hold the Power button to access the pop-up window that allows you to select Power Off, then press Power again to restart your Chromebook once it has shut down fully.
If you are experiencing more complicated issues with your student’s rental Chromebook from school, you may wish to reach out to your child’s school IT specialist to see if you can swap computers. However, if you purchased the Chromebook yourself, call tech support for advanced assistance.