Common Pixelbook Problems and How to Fix Them (Topic)

Google's Pixelbook is sleek in design and fast in performance. But like any new product, the Pixelbook is not without flaws. Here are some of the most common problems you may encounter while using your laptop and how to fix them.

Chrome OS is damaged

Shortly after downloading, you may see a message that says “ Chrome OS is missing or damaged ”. This error is quite common and comes in many different forms, but the solution is the same in all cases.

First of all, restart your laptop. If that doesn't fix the error, make sure all important files are backed up to the cloud. The next step is to reset your Pixelbook to factory settings.

After you have dealt with the backup, press Ctrl + Alt + Shift + R and then "Restart" (" Restart "). After rebooting, click the Reset button and log into your Google account.

The laptop will revert to factory settings and the boot problems should be gone. If that doesn't fix the problem, Chrome OS will have to be reinstalled completely. It is a long and complicated process, but you can find step-by-step instructions on Google.

Google Assistant is not responding

Google Assistant is at the heart of the Pixelbook, and when you run into problems with it, it's doubly frustrating.

Press the assistant key . It is located on the left side of the keyboard between the Ctrl and Alt keys. Further, two options are possible: you either hear the assistant's voice greeting, or you will be prompted to turn it on. In the second case, click " yes ".

Now say " OK Google " and check if the assistant is responsive. If not, go to settings. Click on your account picture, find the settings icon (it is made in the form of a gear). Scroll through the list until you find the " Search engine and Google Assistant " section. Make sure the Assistant is enabled in the Google Assistant subsection.

Then press the assistant key on the keyboard again. A menu will appear in the upper right corner. Click the little icon that looks like a space, click the three vertical dots, Settings , Chromebook , and finally " OK Google detection ". Here, just make sure speech recognition is turned on. If not, you will have to reconfigure it. Click the Speech Recognition icon and follow the instructions on the screen.

In most cases, this helps to fix the assistant's work. Other possible causes of the problem: You are too far from your laptop or working in a noisy environment, so Google Assistant cannot recognize your speech.

Tabs in Chrome browser are constantly updating

The root of the problem is that the laptop simply doesn't have enough memory. Close all open tabs, restart Pixelbook and go to Task Manager ( Shift + Esc ). In the manager, you will see which applications are running at the moment. Stop all processes except the system ones (they are marked with a green icon).

Launch your browser, type chrome: // extensions in the search bar and press Enter . You will be taken to the list of extensions installed in the browser. Disable or remove anything you don't need. The browser will then consume less memory and the tabs will not reload.

You have to press hard on the stylus

The stylus is optional when using the Pixelbook, but makes it easier to select and crop items, add notes, customize sliders, and more. According to some users, they have to press down hard on the pen to make it work. As the problem can damage an expensive display, it needs to be addressed urgently.

First, reset your laptop to factory settings. How to do this was described above. When the laptop restarts, check how the pen works. If you still have to put in considerable effort, contact the store where you purchased your laptop and ask for a replacement stylus. Or contact Google Support to find out how you can get a different pen.

High pitched squeak

Unfamiliar sounds that the laptop began to make is always a reason to be on your guard. But in the case of the Pixelbook, the squeak most likely comes from the charger. Unplug it from the outlet, the noise should be gone. Try connecting the charger in another room and see how it behaves. Chances are, the problem lies with the outlet.

If you find out that the charger is beeping regardless of the outlet, contact the store or Google support to replace it. Until then, you can charge your laptop with another USB-C charger.

Smart Lock not available

One of the coolest features of the Pixelbook is the ability to use your Android smartphone to unlock your laptop. To work with Smart Lock, the phone must be updated to the latest Android version (5.0 Lollipop and higher). Make sure your phone and laptop are connected to the same Wi-Fi network and the same Google Account.

To set up Smart Lock, go to the Settings menu. Scroll down to the “ People ” section and click “ Screen Lock "). You will have to enter the password for your account. Go to the settings menu and follow the instructions. They will help you set up Smart Lock correctly.

Unable to access the Play Market

This issue most often occurs when using a Pixelbook with a G Suite account instead of a regular Google account. G Suite accounts are used by educational or corporate organizations.

On the Pixelbook support forum, one of the users posted instructions on how to access the Play Market through G Suite, but there is an easier way: just create a regular Google account and switch to it if necessary.

The Topic of Article: Common Pixelbook Problems and How to Fix Them.
Author: Jake Pinkman