Google is working on a new method to recover Chrome OS; using Android phones. While a device using in recovery mode, users will be able to press CTRL + P to initiate recovery via an Android phone.

Keyboard Shortcut Recover Chrome OS Using Android Phone – CTRL + P

The code change request that we spotted today clearly explains how this feature will work:

“Introduce ctrl+P to enable recovery via Android phone”

“Enable a new key combo: Control P. This key is available during dev and recovery screens. If pressed, it explicitly enables recovery via Android devices. This is needed because the Android recovery device enumeration is potentially dangerous to other USB devices, so its use should be keyed off explicit user intent.”

“When Shelley’s UI extravaganza comes in, she can also utilize this callout for recovery via phone.”

Chromebook users use recovery media when their device has crashed. When the Chromebook shows “Chrome OS is missing or damaged”, users download Chrome OS into a memory card or a USB drive using an app. This device is used to re-install Chrome OS on a Chromebook.

Users currently rely on another Chromebook or Chrome browser on any other operating system to download and create a Chrome OS recovery media. With this change, they will be able to use their Android phones to do this.

It is not clear how the Android side of this feature will look like. Google could release a Chrome OS recovery app similar to the Chrome app that will allow users to select their Chrome OS device to download the correct recovery file.

Source: Gerrit.