You can now link your Android phone to your Chromebook with ‘Phone Hub’

Google is celebrating the 10th anniversary of Chromebook with some new features. Possibly the biggest feature coming to Chrome OS is the ability to connect an Android phone to a Chromebook. This feature is called “Phone Hub” and it lets users respond to messages, check their phone’s battery life, turn on the Wi-Fi hotspot and more.

Phone Hub brings a built-in control center with key features of your Android phone to your Chromebook. There’s a new phone icon on the bottom shelf of your Chromebook, and once you tap on it the control center for your Android phone will appear. On top there are three icons to enable Wi-Fi hotspot, turn silent mode on, and locate your phone. It also shows your cellular signal and battery life like you would see on your Android phone.

Phone Hub also shows the recent Chrome tabs opened on your Android phone. In addition to this, you can also respond to text messages from your Chromebook.

Google is also expanding Wi-Fi Sync to more devices. If you’re signed with the same Google account on your Android phone, and other Chrome OS devices, your Chromebook will automatically connect to trusted Wi-Fi networks. You can enable this by going to “Connected devices” in Chrome OS Settings, and turn “Wi-Fi Sync” on.

More new features for Chromebooks include screen capture that lets you easily toggle between a screenshot and screen recording. There’s also a new holding space called “Tote” that should make it easier to find the right file fast. Google is also making it easier to copy and paste with Clipboard that saves the last five items copied on your Chromebook.