City of Hillsboro, OR
Home MenuUsing a Chromebook
Computer Use Agreement
When using a library Chromebook, you agree that you will not use it as part of any illegal activities. You will not make any attempt to gain unauthorized access to restricted files or networks, or to damage or modify computer equipment or software. The Library is not responsible for any files, data, or personal information accessed or transmitted using this device. The Library does not track internet usage on this device. The device is not filtered. No files are saved on this device after the user exits the session or shuts down.
How do I log in?
You will have the best experience if you log in to the Chromebook with a Google account. Logging in with an account means that any changes you make to the Chromebook during your session will be saved. To log in with your Google account, click the "Add Person" button in the bottom left of the login screen.
If you don’t want to use a Google account, you can use Guest mode by clicking the arrow under “HPL Guest User.” Keep in mind that anything you download or change in a guest session will be erased as soon as you exit the session.
How do I know my personal information is secure?
When using guest mode, anything you do or save on the Chromebook is automatically wiped clean after every session. If you log in with your Google account, your data is stored in the cloud. Other users will not have access to your information unless you provide them with your login credentials. As always, please take care when working on a public Wi-Fi network. Open public networks are not as secure as private password-protected networks. Before returning the Chromebook, click the down arrow next to your profile name and select “Remove account.”
How do I install an app?
If you are logged in with a Google account, there are many useful web apps available in the Google Play Store. To visit the store, click the triangle icon on the taskbar or search for Play Store.
Where can I see my installed web apps?
Click the launcher on the bottom left of the task bar or hit the search key on the keyboard to see your apps. To pin an app to the taskbar, right click the app in the list and select "Pin to shelf."
How can I learn about using a Chromebook?
To learn more, try these tutorials:
- How to Chromebook from Google
- Goodwill Community Foundation’s Chromebook Basics tutorial
Keyboard basics
Where is Microsoft Word/Excel/PowerPoint?
Chromebooks use Google Drive to create and save files instead of Microsoft Office applications. Think of Google Drive as your main storage space, and Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides as the equivalents to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Get Google Drive training and help here.
Files in Google Drive save automatically, so you can open them from any web browser on any Chrome OS device, as long as you log in with your Google account.
| Task | Recommended Chromebook App | Similar Software |
|---|---|---|
| Create a document | Docs | Word, Pages |
| Create a spreadsheet | Sheets | Excel, Numbers |
| Take a note | Google Keep | Notepad, Notes |
| Write an email | Gmail | Outlook, Mac Mail |
| Find and save files | Files | My Computer, Finder |
Can I use a USB flash drive or other external storage device?
Yes. Plug your flash drive into a USB port and view your files in the Files app. You may also open a web app like Docs and navigate to your USB drive from there.
To safely eject your flash drive, go to the Files app. In the left column, find your device and click the eject icon (triangle with a line under it).
I need to save my Google document in another format to share it with someone. How do I do this?
In the Google document, go the File menu and click Download. Select your file format (Word doc, PDF, etc.) and click Save. Your file will be saved in the Downloads folder of the Files app.
How do I print?
You can print from a Chromebook to most printers that connect to Wi-Fi or a wired network, either by connecting wirelessly or using a USB cable. Currently, Chromebooks don't support Bluetooth printing.
If you do not have access to a printer, you can use the library's mobile printing service! (You will first need to convert any Docs, Sheets, or Slides files into a Microsoft or PDF format.)
Thanks to Arlington Public Library for the use of their FAQs.