In this guide, I will explain to you how to unlock a Chromebook without using a password. Chromebooks are the new lightweight workhorse for professionals and students. Cheap price and software support for long-duration has made Chromebooks an ideal replacement for classic laptops.
These budget laptops run on Chrome OS designed by Google. You need to signup for a Chromebook using your Gmail account to use it. By some unfortunate circumstance, it may happen that you forgot or lost the Gmail password. In that condition, if you logged out of your Chromebook, then how are you going to gain access back to your machine?
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I have explained three amazing ways to unlock Chromebooks without using passwords. Let’s check them out.
Unlock Chromebook Without a Password
Here is the first way of accessing a Chromebook without a password.
Create A Smart Lock for Chromebook
Follow the steps mentioned below.
- Open the Chrome settings.
- Click on the Setup button present under the tab Connected Devices which you can find on the left-hand side.
- This will initiate the process to connect your Android smartphone to the Chromebook.
- Enter the Chromebook password to authenticate that it’s the original user who is making these changes.
- This will connect the smartphone with the Chromebook.
- Under connected devices, you should see the name of your smartphone being listed.
- Click the arrow beside the smartphone name to go to more options.
- There will be an option Smart lock which allows you to access your Chromebook via the smartphone. Make sure to enable the feature.
- You should be notified on your phone that the smart lock for the Chromebook has been enabled.
Keep in mind that you must have your smartphone on to be able to use the smart lock to access the Chromebook.
Use a PIN Code Instead of a Password
Let’s assume you forgot your password for your Chromebook. What if there is an alternate password that also grants you entry to your Chromebook?
You have to set up a PIN code and tweak your Chromebook to gain access by either authenticating via the original Gmail account password or the PIN code. Here is how you have to set this up.
- Open Chromebook settings and navigate to People.
- Under that, click on Screen Lock.
- You will be asked to enter the password[the original Gmail account password] and you provide the same.
- Under screen lock options, you will see an option PIN or Password that allows you to use both PIN Code or Password to unlock the Chromebook. It means you can use any of the two elements. Select this option.
- Enter the PIN code which should be of 6-digit value.
- Make sure to enable the option Unlock Automatically once the PIN is entered.
NOTE: The two of the above workaround will work when you have remembered your password. This means you have to set the PIN code while you still remember the original password to access the Chromebook to make the changes.
Unlock the Chromebook via Guest Mode
What if there is no hassle of signing in or signing up to use a Chromebook? Is that possible?
Well, yes, on Chromebook there is the guest mode which allows you to use the device without having to sign up or log in using any account password.
- Press the Chromebook power key to lock it. [You may restart it as well and eventually, you will land upon the login page]
- On the login screen, you should see an option for Guest mode. Click on it and proceed.
Downsides of Guest Mode
If you access the Chromebook through guest mode, you can only perform web browsing. You will have no access to Play Store to install any apps as that requires signing into your Gmail account.
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Files that you download on Guest Mode won’t be stored on the device. No cookies will be stored for the session you spend on the internet. Also, your browsing session won’t be recorded in the chrome browser history.
So, these are the various ways by which you can unlock your Chromebook without using the Gmail password.
