Unboxing day is exciting, and it is also the day mistakes are easiest to make: signing in on an unsecured network, skipping the update check, or handing the device to someone else to “set up” with their account. This guide is for when yours arrives — students who have a scheme Chromebook in their hands — and it walks through first use in the order that actually matters. It is not an application guide; if you have not received a device yet, start with our Chromebook scheme overview instead.
First, inspect the device before you sign in
- Look it over: check the screen, keyboard, trackpad, hinges, charging port, and charger for visible damage. Note anything wrong immediately, with a photograph, and report it through the channel your school or scheme contact gave you — do not wait a month and hope it was already like that.
- Write down the details: note the model name and serial number from the sticker on the device, and keep them somewhere safe. You will need them for any support query, and they are the fastest way to identify your exact machine.
- Charge it first: plug in the supplied charger and let the battery reach a comfortable level before a long setup session. If the charger or battery behaves oddly — extreme heat, swelling, or a loose port — stop using it and report it rather than improvising with another charger.
Remember, scheme Chromebooks are refurbished devices. Refurbished does not mean faulty, but it does mean the device has had a previous life — which is why the update check in the next section matters more for you than for someone who bought a brand-new machine.
Set up ChromeOS properly
As of late October 2026 the scheme had only just launched; if you have not received a device yet, start with the scheme overview instead of this setup guide.
- Power on and connect to a trusted Wi-Fi network — your home network, not an open public hotspot for the first sign-in.
- Sign in with your own Google account, or the account your school instructs you to use. Do not let a shopkeeper, relative, or friend set the device up under their account “to save time”: the account that signs in first controls the device, its data, and its recovery options.
- Let ChromeOS update itself. Go to Settings, then About ChromeOS, and check for updates. Install what is offered and restart when asked — an update interrupted halfway is a common cause of the “stuck” setups students complain about.
- Set a strong sign-in password or PIN, and turn on two-step verification for your Google account from another device if you have not already. A school device that holds your classwork, email, and photos deserves the same protection as a phone.
- Open the apps you will actually use — the browser, a documents app, and your classroom or learning platform — and sign in to each one yourself, so you know the passwords are yours.
The check most recipients skip: your update end date
Every Chromebook has a date after which Google stops sending it ChromeOS and browser updates — its update schedule, sometimes called its Auto Update Expiration date. For a refurbished device, that date is measured from the platform’s release, not from the day you received it, so it may be sooner than you expect. Finding it takes less than a minute:
- Select the time at the bottom right of the screen, then open Settings.
- Select About ChromeOS at the bottom left.
- Select Additional details.
- In the Update schedule section, read the date of the last update your Chromebook will receive.
Write that date down. While updates continue, your device receives security fixes and new features. After the final update, Google’s own help pages warn that the device will no longer receive ChromeOS and browser updates, existing features may stop working, and support for apps that require newer browser versions may end. The device does not stop working overnight — but it becomes progressively less safe for accounts, passwords, and online payments, and that is the point at which you should plan for a replacement rather than keep pushing it.
Google’s published policy is ten years of automatic updates, measured from the platform’s release (for Chromebook platforms released in 2021 or later), with some features and services unsupported on extended updates for devices from before 2021. Your own device’s Update schedule line is the authority for your machine, not a general policy statement — check the line, not a blog’s guess at your model.
If your school manages the device, your school administrator may control sign-in and updates — in that case the school’s instructions override the general steps here.
Connect the MiFi device, carefully
Scheme recipients also receive a MiFi internet device. Treat it like a second device, not an accessory: charge it, set its password to something only you know, and keep its own account details safe. Do not share its password casually with a whole class — shared access means shared data use, and a connection that runs out mid-assignment helps no one. If the MiFi device came with its own instructions or SIM, follow those rather than a generic online guide, because the scheme’s connectivity arrangement may differ from a shop-bought device.
Look after it like a study tool
- Keep the Chromebook in its bag when travelling, and never carry it loose with books pressing on the screen.
- Back up classwork regularly — a document stored only on one device is one accident away from disappearing. Use your Google account’s cloud storage, and download important files before exams.
- Do not install apps, extensions, or “speed booster” tools from outside the official store on the promise of free games or unlocked features. On a school device, that is the fastest route to malware and to a device your school can no longer support.
- Never pay anyone for “activation”, “registration”, or “unlocking” of a scheme device. If someone asks, it is a scam — see our guide to fake Chromebook registration scams.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check when my Chromebook stops getting updates?
Open Settings, select About ChromeOS, then Additional details, and read the Update schedule section. That date is your device’s last scheduled update.
Will my Chromebook stop working after that date?
No, it will still switch on and run, but it will no longer receive security or browser updates, and some features and apps may stop working over time. Avoid sensitive accounts on it after that point.
Should someone else set up my Chromebook for me?
No. Sign in with your own account yourself, so you control recovery, data, and passwords from day one.
Is there an official scheme setup manual I should follow?
No official scheme setup manual was found during our check, so this guide follows Google’s own ChromeOS help steps and general first-use practice, and says so. If your school issues its own instructions, those take precedence for your device.