San Francisco, April 9, 2026, 08:07 PDT
Google is pitching ChromeOS Flex as an option for breathing new life into old Windows PCs and Macs. The company is teaming up with refurbished electronics marketplace Back Market to offer a roughly $3 USB installer kit, aiming to make installation easier. Google says the kit targets users looking to keep aging hardware secure after Microsoft ends Windows 10 support.
The timing is key here: Windows 10 lost its free security updates on Oct. 14, 2025. Microsoft maintains that PCs can still operate, but without technical support, software updates, or security patches—unless users make the jump to Windows 11 or sign up for Extended Security Updates, known as ESU. That program extends critical patches for a set timeframe.
There’s a sizable backlog of outdated machines in play. Back in November, Dell COO Jeffrey Clarke pointed to about 500 million PCs that could handle Windows 11 but haven’t been updated, plus another 500 million that simply don’t meet the requirements. That split keeps the upgrade cycle ticking for PC manufacturers—and hands Google a shot at picking up some of the slack.
Google’s pitch saves money versus a hardware upgrade, though it’s not the sole workaround. Microsoft will let users extend security updates on qualifying Windows 10 machines through Oct. 13, 2026 if they join ESU. That can be free with synced PC settings, by using 1,000 Rewards points, or by paying $30. Over at Google, converting existing Windows PCs or Macs to ChromeOS Flex stays free.
Google and Back Market are pitching their partnership with a sustainability angle. “Millions of laptops are approaching the end of their supported operating systems, even though the hardware is still perfectly fine and works,” said Alexander Kuscher, senior director at Google, in a March 4 release. Extending device life, Back Market CEO Thibaud Hug de Larauze added, is “one of the most immediate ways to reduce e-waste.” PR Newswire
There are some caveats here. Google notes that while ChromeOS Flex targets plenty of PCs and Macs made over the past decade, official support is limited to certified models. Not all machines come with a compatible Trusted Platform Module, or TPM—the chip that handles encryption keys. Without it, Google says your data can be encrypted, but it could be more vulnerable.
ChromeOS Flex, though, isn’t a simple Windows replacement. Google points out it won’t run Google Play or Android apps, won’t dual boot alongside other operating systems, and erases all files, settings, and programs when you install it. Those restrictions might leave some home users and small businesses sticking with Windows for now.
It’s a different story for businesses. Microsoft is offering its commercial ESU program at $61 per device in the first year. Companies can keep paying for up to three years beyond Windows 10’s end-of-support, which lets IT staff extend the life of older machines and avoid switching operating systems right away.
Google rolled out ChromeOS Flex back in 2022, pitching the free software to schools and businesses aiming to breathe new life into old PCs and Macs. The timing now is notable, with the Windows 11 migration lagging previous cycles.
