Soon your Chromebook could be an LTE or 5G hotspot

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales

You might be able to use your Chromebooks as a hotspot if it supports mobile internet. The upcoming change was spotted by 9to5Google in the web based code review system.

The feature will be activated through chrome://flags when it's available for testing. The ability is described as a way for a Chromebooks to share its cellular internet connection to other devices through the internet. You should be able to connect your phone, tablets, and laptop to your mobile network once it is rolled out.

You can get access to a mobile network right away if you purchase a limited line of Chromebooks from one of the four major carriers. You can add a Chromebook to an existing plan or use a sim card to do so, according to the instructions on the website.

If your device supports it, you can share your internet connection from a Windows 10 or 11 device. MacBooks have an internet-sharing feature, but they don't have an option for cellular.

It's a smart move to give Chromebooks the capability since the devices typically have a long battery life or are already being used while plugged in. It is not clear how much power the hotspot feature will drain from the Chromebooks. One less item to keep track of while avoiding draining your phone's battery is what building a hotspot directly into the laptop will mean for business customers.