

Update 4/22: While opening Family Link Chromebooks to the handful of vetted extensions above is a good step in the right direction, there are thousands of other extensions that are currently stuck unavailable. Other items on the list include the fantastic flowchart/mind map app Lucidchart, as well as some lesser-known but equally useful extensions for typing with voice and automatically highlighting the most important parts of articles. Oddly, the latter doesn’t seem to have an official extension in the store, with the closest match being one for Google Hangouts “ classic.” With the new update, Google has loosened the restriction on Family Link accounts to allow a selection of seven vetted extensions to be installed.Ĭhief on the list of student Chromebook approved extensions is the booming video conferencing app Zoom, along with its Google-branded competitor Hangouts Meet. Most Chromebooks were already able to install and use these extensions just fine, but students using a Family Link account were prohibited from installing any kind of extension.Īs spotted by Android Police, that has now changed, following a recent update to Chrome OS, part of Google’s efforts to keep Chrome version 80 as stable as possible.

Update 4/22: Even more extensions are coming soon to Chromebooks with Family Link.īoth Zoom and Hangouts are usable on Chromebooks without needing to install any extension, but the extension goes a long way toward making the experience feel more native. However, the Chromebooks that many students have handy were hindered by not being able to install the Chrome extension for either Zoom or Hangouts, but that has just changed.

With everyone - including students of all ages - working from home, video conferencing apps like Zoom have become essential parts of daily life.
