Quick answer: Yes, you can still install full ChromeOS with the Google Play Store on a normal Windows PC or laptop in 2026 and dual boot it with Windows. The method uses the free Brunch framework (latest stable release: r154, October 2026), an official ChromeOS recovery image, WSL2 on Windows and the Grub2Win boot menu. You need an Intel 10th gen or newer CPU, or any AMD Ryzen CPU, plus at least 16 GB of free space. Google’s official ChromeOS Flex is easier and safer, but it does not give you the Play Store or Android apps, which is why Brunch is still popular.
This 2022 guide is now fully updated with current recovery images, corrected commands and fixes for common errors.
Brunch vs ChromeOS Flex: Which One Should You Use?
| Feature | Brunch (this guide) | ChromeOS Flex (official) |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | Open-source community project | |
| Google Play Store / Android apps | Yes | No (only some admin-deployed VPN apps) |
| Supported CPUs | Intel 10th gen and newer, AMD Ryzen | Most 64-bit Intel/AMD PCs from 2010 onwards |
| Dedicated graphics card (dGPU) | Not supported | Varies by model |
| Dual boot with Windows | Yes, using Grub2Win | Not officially supported |
| Difficulty | Medium (needs Linux terminal) | Easy (USB installer) |
| Risk | Unofficial, possible data loss | Official and stable |
If your PC is old (8th gen Intel or older) or you just want a fast, simple OS for browsing, read our ChromeOS Flex review instead. If you want Android apps and games from the Play Store on a newer PC, continue with this guide.
Requirements
- CPU: Intel Core 10th gen or newer (including Core Ultra), or any AMD Ryzen. Older Intel/AMD chips, ARM chips and virtual machines are not supported.
- Graphics: Integrated graphics only. Brunch does not support dedicated GPUs, so on a gaming laptop with NVIDIA/AMD graphics it will only work if the laptop can run on the integrated GPU.
- Firmware: UEFI boot (almost every PC from the last 10 years has this).
- Storage: An NTFS partition (for example your D: drive) with at least 16 GB free. More is better because Android apps and games take space. BitLocker must be turned off on that drive.
- RAM: Brunch does not set a minimum, but we suggest 8 GB if you plan to use Android apps.
- Software: Windows 10 or 11 with WSL2 (Ubuntu), Grub2Win, the latest Brunch release and a ChromeOS recovery image.
- Backup: The Brunch developer clearly warns that it is unofficial and could cause data loss, even on other partitions. Back up your important files first.
Step 1: Pick the Right ChromeOS Recovery Image
Brunch converts an official ChromeOS recovery image (made for a real Chromebook) so it can run on a normal PC. The Chromebook you choose depends on your CPU. The Brunch team currently recommends these:
| Your CPU | Recovery image to download |
|---|---|
| Intel 10th gen | jinlon |
| Intel 11th, 12th and 13th gen | voxel |
| Intel 14th gen and Core Ultra | kanix |
| AMD Ryzen (all) | gumboz |
Not sure about your CPU? Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, open the Performance tab and click CPU. The name appears at the top right.
Download the recovery image from cros.tech by searching the name (for example “voxel”). The latest version is usually fine; it does not need to match the Brunch version number. Note: our 2022 video used the “zork” image for AMD; for Ryzen today the recommended image is “gumboz”.
Step 2: Download Brunch and Grub2Win
- Open the Brunch latest release page on GitHub and download the file named like
brunch_r154_stable_20261010.tar.gz. Do not download the “Source code” files, and do not use Brunch files from other websites. - Download Grub2Win from SourceForge and install it. Windows Defender sometimes flags Grub2Win by mistake; if it gets removed, restore it from Defender’s Protection history.
- Put the Brunch file and the recovery zip in your Downloads folder.
Step 3: Install WSL2 (Ubuntu) on Windows
Brunch’s installer is a Linux script, so we run it inside Windows using WSL2. Open Terminal (Admin) or PowerShell as administrator and run:
wsl --installRestart when asked. Ubuntu opens after the restart and asks you to create a Linux username and password. Remember this password; you need it for sudo commands. If virtualization is disabled, turn on Intel VT-x or AMD SVM in your BIOS first.
Step 4: Prepare the Files in Ubuntu
Open Ubuntu from the Start menu and run these commands one by one. (The 2022 version of this post had two typos here; these are the corrected commands.)
Install the required tools:
sudo apt update && sudo apt -y install pv cgpt tar unzipIf you get an error that a package is unavailable, run sudo add-apt-repository universe and try again.
Go to your Windows Downloads folder (replace username with your Windows username; capital letters matter):
cd /mnt/c/Users/username/DownloadsExtract Brunch:
tar zxvf brunch_r154_stable_20261010.tar.gzExtract the recovery image (use your file’s exact name; type the first few letters and press Tab to auto-complete):
unzip chromeos_xxxxx_voxel_recovery_stable-channel_mp.bin.zipStep 5: Create the ChromeOS Dual Boot Image
Make a folder for ChromeOS on the drive where you want to install it. For the D: drive:
mkdir /mnt/d/chromeosNow run the installer. Replace the .bin name with your file, and replace 40 with the size in GB you want to give ChromeOS (minimum 14, and less than the free space on that drive):
sudo bash chromeos-install.sh -src chromeos_xxxxx_voxel_recovery_stable-channel_mp.bin -dst /mnt/d/chromeos/chromeos.img -s 40When the script asks for the install type, type dualboot and press Enter. The process can take a while. A few “GPT header” warnings are normal. When it says ChromeOS was installed and shows no other errors, you will find a chromeos.img and a chromeos.img.grub.txt file in the folder.
Step 6: Add ChromeOS to the Boot Menu with Grub2Win
- Open Grub2Win and click Manage Boot Menu.
- Under “Import Configuration File”, click Chrome.
- Select the
chromeos.img.grub.txtfile from your ChromeOS folder and click Import Selected Items. - Click Apply. If you skip this, the entry is not saved.
Step 7: Turn Off Fast Startup, Hibernation and BitLocker
If Windows locks the NTFS drive, ChromeOS will fail to boot or become unstable. Do these three things:
- Hibernation and Fast Startup: In an admin Terminal, run
powercfg /h off. This disables hibernation, and Fast Startup along with it. - BitLocker / Device Encryption: Run
manage-bde -status. If the ChromeOS drive shows “Protection On”, turn BitLocker off for that drive in Settings > Privacy & security > Device encryption (or Control Panel > BitLocker). Save your recovery key before making any change. - Always fully Shut down or Restart Windows before switching to ChromeOS.
Step 8: First Boot and Turning On the Play Store
- Restart your PC. You will now see the Grub2Win menu. Choose the ChromeOS entry.
- Be patient. The first boot can take a long time, sometimes up to an hour on some hardware. If you see the Brunch logo, it is usually still working.
- Connect to Wi-Fi and sign in with your Google account.
- Open Settings > Apps > Google Play Store and turn it on. Accept the terms, and the Play Store will appear in your app launcher.
- Install your Android apps and games just like on a phone.
Tip: the boot menu also shows a ChromeOS (Settings) option. Use it to change the kernel or turn on extra Brunch options if something like Wi-Fi, sound or the touchpad does not work.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
“Verification failed: (15) Access Denied” blue screen
This is Secure Boot. Either turn off Secure Boot in your BIOS, or enroll the Brunch key: select OK > Enroll key from disk > EFI-SYSTEM > brunch.der > Continue, then reboot.
Stuck on the white ChromeOS logo
This usually means your PC is using an unsupported dedicated graphics card. On laptops, check the BIOS for an option to use integrated graphics only.
“Not enough space” during install
Lower the number after -s in the install command. Part of the drive is reserved by the system, so the image cannot use all the free space.
PC reboots by itself while starting ChromeOS
Brunch has hit an error. Boot “ChromeOS (Settings)” and try a different kernel, or ask on the official Brunch Discord linked on the GitHub page.
Grub2Win menu not showing, PC boots straight into Windows
Open Grub2Win again and confirm you clicked Apply. Also check the BIOS boot order and that the PC is in UEFI mode.
Wi-Fi, camera, microphone or touchpad not working
Brunch depends on Linux hardware support, so some parts may not work. Try a different kernel from the Settings boot option, or use a USB Wi-Fi adapter that has Linux support.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Full ChromeOS with Google Play Store and Android apps
- Keeps Windows; choose your OS at every boot
- Free, regularly updated (r154 released in October 2026)
- Fast and light for study, browsing and office work
Cons
- Unofficial; Google does not support it and data loss is possible
- No support for older CPUs or dedicated GPUs
- Needs a few Linux commands, so not for complete beginners
- Some hardware (camera, mic, touchpad) may need fixes
Who Should Try This?
Brunch suits students and home users with an Intel 10th gen+ or Ryzen laptop who want Android apps but still need Windows. If you have an older PC or want zero risk, use ChromeOS Flex or a beginner Linux distro instead. Our list of Windows 10 alternatives can help you choose.
Verdict
The Brunch dual-boot method from our 2022 video still works in 2026. The main changes are new recovery images per CPU (jinlon, voxel, kanix or gumboz), newer Brunch releases and a corrected set of commands. Follow the steps carefully, back up your data, turn off hibernation and BitLocker, and you will get ChromeOS with the Play Store running next to Windows on your PC. For a simpler comparison of the two ChromeOS options, read Chrome OS Flex vs Chrome OS.
FAQs
Is it legal to install ChromeOS on a PC with Brunch?
Brunch is an open-source project that uses Google’s publicly available recovery images. It is not official or supported by Google, so use it for personal use at your own risk.
Can I install ChromeOS with Play Store on an old PC (Intel 8th gen or older)?
Not with the current Brunch releases, which officially support Intel 10th gen and newer, plus AMD Ryzen. For older PCs, ChromeOS Flex is the better option, but it has no Play Store.
Will installing Brunch delete Windows?
The dual-boot method in this guide creates an image file on an existing NTFS drive, so Windows stays. However, the developer warns that data loss is possible, so back up first.
How much space should I give ChromeOS?
The minimum is 14 GB for the image, on a drive with at least 16 GB free. If you plan to install Android games, 40 to 64 GB is more practical.
Does ChromeOS get updates with Brunch?
ChromeOS can update itself, but a ChromeOS update can sometimes break compatibility until a matching Brunch release comes out. Check the Brunch releases page before big ChromeOS updates.
Sources and Credits
- Brunch framework on GitHub (sebanc) – requirements, supported CPUs and recovery images
- Brunch: Install with Windows (dual boot guide)
- Brunch releases – r154 stable, 10 October 2026
- cros.tech – ChromeOS recovery image downloads
- Grub2Win on SourceForge
- Microsoft Learn: Install WSL
- Google ChromeOS Flex Help: differences from ChromeOS
