How to Use Chromebook Offline
Your first option is to enable the apps and services you’ll use while you’re offline to work in offline mode. That’s most of what you’ll access through Google Drive apps, including:
Checking your email. Creating and editing documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Creating and accessing notes or note taking capabilities. Reading saved web pages. Playing movies, music, or games.
To get started, you’ll need to make Google Drive, and maybe some specific files available offline.
Make Google Drive Available Offline
You’ll need to make Google Drive available while you’re still online so it will have time to sync files with your computer before you don’t have access to the internet. To do that:
Open Google Drive while you’re connected to the internet and open the Google Docs Offline Extension. Click Add to Chrome. If the extension button says Remove from Chrome or Added to Chrome, then the extension has already been enabled. Then go to Google Drive Settings (while you’re still online). In the Offline section of the Settings dialog box, place a checkmark in the box next to the option to make your Google Drive files available offline. It may take a few minutes for this option to turn on after you’ve selected it. ) Once the option is turned on, click Done.
How to Access Offline Files
Now, you’ve granted offline access to Google Drive. This will sync your most recent used files to your Chromebook’s internal storage so you can access them when you don’t have access to the internet. You can make any changes you would like to the files while offline and those changes will sync automatically the next time you connect your Chromebook to the internet.
To access your offline files:
Click the Launcher and then click ^ (the up arrow). Select Google Drive. Find and double-click the file you want to open and make changes as you normally would. Your changes will be saved automatically and synced the next time your Chromebook is online.
Make Specific Files Available for Offline Use
By default, the files made available when you enable Offline Use on your Chromebook will be the files you’ve most recently accessed in your Google Drive. If there are other files you would like to have available, you can enable those individually, while you’re still connected to the internet.
In Google Drive select the file you want to enable for offline use. Select the three dot menu at the top of the documents list. Toggle Available offline to On. Give the document time to sync and you’ll be able to access it offline.
How to Remove Offline Access
If you no longer need access to a document while you’re offline, you can remove it from offline access at any time.
While you’re online, in Google Drive select the file you made available for offline editing. Click the three dot menu at the top of the documents list. Deselect Available offline. Google will immediately stop syncing the document with offline versions.
Using Chromebook Offline
Your Chromebook offers a lot of capabilities (some of which may surprise you) even if you can’t get an internet connection. Much like Windows and Mac computers, however, you’ll need to think ahead if you’re going to be offline to enable some of the functions you may need.
You have two options:
Enable apps and services that are compatible with offline work to be available when you’re not connected to the internet. Use third-party apps and services that are available offline.
Fortunately, Google Apps have a built-in offline mode, so once they’re enabled, you should be all set. As for third party apps, there’s an easy way to find apps that are compatible with offline mode, but as a general rule of thumb, if it works for Android devices offline, it will probably work with your Chromebook offline.
Other Chromebook Offline Apps
Google Drive isn’t the only Google app you can access while you’re offline. Gmail, Google Keep, and other Google Apps can also be made available offline. Each app is slightly different, but in general, you’ll need to go into Settings for the app while you’re online and toggle on the Available offline app to make the app available when you have no internet service. As with Google drive, any changes that are made offline will sync the next time your Chromebook is connected to the internet.
There are also tons of third-party apps for any purpose you may need that are available offline. You can find those apps by going to the Chrome Web Store and selecting Apps then search for Runs Offline. There you’ll find popular apps like Evernote, Trello, and Pocket (which is used to save webpages for offline viewing) and dozens of others.
title: “How To Use A Chromebook Offline” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-17” author: “Rose Barretto”
In this article we’ll explain what sorts of things you can achieve on your Chromebook when it’s offline.
Will all Chromebook apps work offline?
No. The nature of web-based apps and services means that quite a lot of Chromebook apps will not work without an internet connection. The good news is that many of Google’s own apps (which are arguably some of the best and most useful on ChromeOS) do have offline capabilities. Of course, these will need to be set up while connected to the web, but after that you’ll be able to use them anywhere.
To see which apps you can use without a connection, open their page on the Chrome Web Store and you should see Runs offline listed next to the developer’s name.
1. Use Gmail offline on a Chromebook
While you won’t be able to send or receive any emails when offline, you can still read your existing ones and create replies which will then be sent once you have a network connection.
To enable this, open Chrome and go to mail.google.com or click the Gmail app icon which does the same thing. When on the page and logged into your account, click the cog icon to open Settings then select See all settings.
Along the top of the page you’ll see various headings, including General, Labels and Inbox. At the end of that line should be Offline. Select that and then tick the box to Enable offline email.
Now, you’ll be able to access your email even if you’re not connected to the web.
2. Use Google Docs, Sheets and Slides offline on a Chromebook
Google’s office suite is available offline if you set up the feature in Google Drive. To do this, open Google Drive on your Chromebook and click the Settings (cog) icon. Select Settings then scroll down through the options that appear in the pop-up window until you see the Offline heading. Lastly, click the tickbox marked Create, open and edit your recent Google Docs, Sheets and Slides files on this device while offline and click Done to complete the process.
Now, when offline, you can work on existing documents by opening the Files app, selecting the Google Drive section from the left-hand column, clicking Offline, then opening your file.
If you want to start a new file, then you can do so in Google Docs, Sheets or Slides and the files will sync up when you’re online once more.
3. Use Google Keep offline on a Chromebook
New notes can be created in Google Keep when you’re offline, plus you can also work on existing ones if you’ve synced them up. To do the latter, simply open the Google Keep app when connected to the internet, then wait a minute or two for the files to sync. Then, you will be able to edit them offline and have the changes applied the next time you go online.
4. Watch movies offline on a Chromebook
If your Chromebook supports Android apps (you’ll know because it will have the Google Play Store installed), then you should be able to download Netflix, Android Prime, Disney+ or any of the other streaming and entertainment apps. So long as you have an active subscription to the service, you should be able to download various shows or movies and watch them on your Chromebook when you’re offline.
These are just some of the things you can do offline with a Chromebook. Be sure to investigate the Chrome Web Store and Google Play Store for plenty of other apps, such as games, music and photo editing, that will make your ChromeOS laptop more useful when you venture far from the reach of a Wi-Fi network.
If you’re thinking of upgrading your device to one with more onboard storage or a faster processor to take full advantage of the offline capabilities, then take a look at our best Chromebook chart for the pick of the current bunch.
Martyn has been involved with tech ever since the arrival of his ZX Spectrum back in the early 80s. He covers iOS, Android, Windows and macOS, writing tutorials, buying guides and reviews for Macworld and its sister site Tech Advisor.
