Phone Hub on your Chromebook lets you access recent photos from your Android phone without touching your phone or waiting for Google Photos to sync. Here is how to set it up and use it.
What You Need
- A Chromebook running ChromeOS 89 or later
- An Android phone signed into the same Google account
- Both devices connected to the internet
Set Up Phone Hub on Your Chromebook
- Click the clock in the bottom-right corner to open the Quick Settings panel.
- Click the gear icon to open Settings.
- In the left panel, click Connected devices.
- Under “Android phone”, click Set up next to your phone.
- Follow the on-screen prompts and confirm on your Android phone when asked.
- Once connected, make sure the Phone Hub toggle is turned on.
Access Recent Photos from Phone Hub
- Click the Phone Hub icon in the bottom-right corner of your Chromebook screen. It looks like a small phone.
- In the Phone Hub panel, scroll down to find the Recent photos section.
- Your most recent photos and videos from your Android phone’s camera roll will appear here.
- Click any photo to open it in a larger view.
- From there, you can download it to your Chromebook’s Files app.
Recent Photos Not Showing?
If you do not see photos in Phone Hub, try these fixes:
- Make sure your Android phone is unlocked and connected to the internet.
- On your phone, open the Google app and check that cross-device features are enabled.
- Go to Chromebook Settings > Connected devices and confirm that Camera Roll is toggled on under Phone Hub features.
- Restart both your phone and Chromebook if photos still do not appear.
Quick Tips
- Phone Hub shows only the most recent photos, not your full camera roll.
- You can also reply to texts, check battery level, and control hotspot from the same Phone Hub panel.
- This feature only works with Android phones, not iPhones.
Phone Hub makes it fast to grab a photo you just took on your phone and use it on your Chromebook, without any cables or extra apps.
