How To Use a Chromebook Offline

Published 2023-01-22

Formerly, Chromebooks were mainly cloud-based. But that’s not the case anymore If you just bought a new Chromebook and wondering what you can do with it when there is no internet connection or thinking if you could use a Chromebook without internet. Then you are at the right place.

The better option to enjoy a Chromebook, or most laptops, is without a doubt with internet service. Still, the OS of Chromebook has developed, and there are offline apps you can use even when your device is not connected to the internet.

Will All Apps for Chromebooks Function Offline?

The straight answer is No. Many Chromebook apps require an internet connection in order to function considering the nature of internet applications and services. The exciting thing is that most Google apps—many of which are unquestionably among the most helpful on ChromeOS—support offline use. Naturally, setting these up online is required, but once you have, you may use them from anywhere.

First, let us disconnect our Chromebook from the Internet. To do so follow the steps below.

Tap on the “Clock” icon from the bottom right corner of the screen.
Toggle the network connection by clicking the button. You can turn off your mobile data or Wi-Fi connection using this button.
Alternatively, by clicking the network name, you can reach the toggle switches to turn off certain network connections.

3 Ways To Use Chromebook Offline

The offline mode on your Chromebook has now been enabled. Now let’s look at how to use a Chromebook offline with Google apps.

1. How to Use Google Docs/Sheets Offline

Go to the “Chrome Web Store” and download the offline extension of Google Docs.
Now go to the official Google Drive website.
From the top left corner of the screen tap on the ⚙️ icon.
Now choose “Settings.”
On the right side of the page, under the “Offline” option, mark “☑️” the only given box.
Now open apps like Google Sheets or Docs and tap on the “File” from the top left corner of the screen.
Now scroll down and tap on “Make available online” to enable it.

You can now use Google Drive without the internet to complete your work, from writing documents to updating spreadsheets. Your work will be synchronized and accessible on other devices once your Chromebook reconnects to the internet.

2. How to Use Gmail Offline on a Chromebook Without Internet

Open “Gmail” on your Chromebook while you are still connected to the internet.
Now tap on the ⚙️icon from the top left corner o the screen and then choose “See all settings.”
At the settings page, from the right click on the “Offline” tab.
Now check ☑️ the box in front of the “Enable offline mail” option.
Choose one option from the “Security” field, scroll down, and click on “Save Changes.”

Due to its inability to display new emails, Gmail’s offline version has some limitations. Emails can be written and sent when disconnected from the internet, but Google won’t forward any email until you get online again.

3. How to Watch Movies & TV Shows using Chromebook Offline

You can enjoy movies/shows offline when your Chromebook while you are still connected to the internet by downloading a film or television program to watch later. You must purchase the programs or films you like to watch to download them via Google TV. How? Read on.

Launch the “Google TV” app and if it hasn’t previously been done, finish the initial setup.
Go to the bottom-right corner and select “Your Stuff” and choose the “Shows or Movies” tab.
To download a show or movie, hit the download button.
If this is your first time downloading a show, choose between HD and SD resolution and press Apply.

You can use the app at any time to watch the movie or episode offline when it has finished downloading.

To Wrap This Up

So, this is how you can use a Chromebook offline. These are just a few of the offline activities a Chromebook allows you to perform. Configure your Gmail & Google Keep Notes accounts to support mobile note-taking and offline email access. Also if you also know some other things/tasks which can be performed on a Chromebook without the internet then let us know in the comments below.