How to Change Owner of Chromebook

People love Chromebooks for their rich security options, speed, and ease of use. Students and families, and businesses also love them. But what happens when the owner of a Chromebook must change? Whether it is selling the Chromebook, giving it away, or changing it within an organization, it must be changing ownership to give the next owner a clean and hassle-free experience.

Chromebooks are all tied to ownership. Ownership is tied to the first Google Account created and the Chromebook’s first set up. Admin privileges for managing system and user accounts are assigned to one Google Account. To change ownership, the Chromebook must be reset and a new primary Google Account must be set for the new owner.

Why Change Chromebook Ownership?

You might need to change ownership for a few reasons:

• Selling the Chromebook
• Gifting to a different user
• Device reassignment within an organisation
• Starting fresh due to any continuous errors or performance issues

Understanding Change of Ownership

Before you change the ownership, ensure you have:

• Access to the current owner’s Google Account
• New owner’s Google Account information
• Reliable Internet connection
• Backup information

Backing Up Information

Because a factory reset erases everything stored in local memory, be sure to backup your information. Consider using Google Drive, or another cloud service to protect your documents, pictures, and any other files you would like to keep.

Step-by-Step Process to Change Chromebook Ownership

1. Do a Factory Reset (Powerwash)

The most important thing to do is reset your Chromebook to its original state.

1. Sign yourself out of your Chromebook.
2. Press Ctrl+Alt+Shift+R key then click on Restart.
3. In the pop up, select Powerwash, then click Continue.

This process will completely remove all data, accounts, and settings.

2. Configure the Chromebook for the Incoming User

Once the powerwash is complete, the Chromebook will restart and the welcome screen will pop up. The new user of the Chromebook should be instructed to do the following.

1. Connect to the Wi-Fi.
2. Sign in with their Google Account.
3. Complete all the instructions on the screen.

Once everything is finalized, the new Google Account will become the primary owner of the Chromebook.

Common Issues Troubleshooting

Issues with Factory Reset

If Powerwash does not run correctly, please check the following steps:

• Make sure the battery is charged enough
• Make sure you are connected to a strong Wi-Fi network
• Restart the device and see if that solves the issue, if not try the next step

If nothing is working, you may need to do a hard reset

New Google Account Issues

If the new owner is having trouble logging in, please check the following:

• Ensure that the Google Account is active
• Make sure you are connected to the internet
• Please check if there is a Google services outage and try again later

Tips for First Chromebook Users

Getting the Most out of a Chromebook

When ownership is officially assigned, the new user will want to:

• Learn about the new Chrome OS and its settings
• Set a personal wallpaper and add preferred apps and shortcuts
• Activate features that may be useful, such as Google Assistant
• Use the Google Play Store to download apps

New Owner's Safety Measures

To help keep your information as secure as possible:

• Regularly update your Chrome OS
• Use a strong and unique password for the Google Account
• Turn on two step verification (2SV)

Conclusion

Changing ownership of a Chromebook is a small but necessary action that can take a few minutes to accomplish and offer privacy and safety for both the current and new users of the device. It can be done and you can be assured that you are offering a user's device with the necessary steps of backing up the data current to the Chromebook, performing a factory reset on the device, and finally setting the device up with another Google Account.

FAQs

How can I backup my data before I factory reset?

Use the Google Drive application or any other cloud application to backup your important files before you factory reset your Chromebook.

How can I perform a factory reset?

Sign out of your account, then press Ctrl+Alt+Shift+R at the same time. Click Restart, select the Powerwash option, and press Continue.

What can I do if I experience problems in changing ownership?

Make sure your device is charged and is connected online in order to avoid problems that may occur when changing ownership. If the problem continues, you can always contact Google Support Services for help.

Is it possible to change ownership if a factory reset is not completed?

No, it is not possible. A factory reset must always be completed in order to dissociate the previous owner and all their information on the device.

What are some tips you can give to a new owner of a Chromebook on security?

Make sure your operating system is frequently updated, have strong and secure passwords, and set up a two-step authentication for an extra layer of security.