How to Get Android Apps, Google Play Store on a Chromebook

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to reflect the growing number of machines gaining support for Chrome OS in the Stable version that do not require using a beta version.

You can finally use Android apps on touchscreen Chromebooks, but there's a catch: the long-promised feature isn't available on all Chrome OS machines and requires use of the Beta channel for certain models.

While most Chromebooks ship with the Play store, you might need to update your Chromebook to make these apps appear. Fortunately, Beta doesn't risk as much on a Chromebook as it does any other machine, as the cloud-based nature of Chromebooks means there's little work to do if and when you need to reset your device (moving back to Stable from Beta will wipe your disk).

MORE: Best Chromebooks Available Now

Hopefully, your Chromebook supports this feature now, but here are the current devices that support Android emulation natively in Stable channel, and those that require beta. If an item features an asterisk, it requires a profile migration process, described here.

Asus Chromebook Flip C100PA
Asus Chromebook Flip C101PA
Asus Chromebook Flip C213
Asus Chromebook C202SA*
Asus Chromebook C300SA / C301SA*
Asus Chromebook Flip C302*

Dell Chromebook 11 (3180)*
Dell Chromebook 11 Convertible (3189)*
Dell Chromebook 13 (3380)*
Dell Chromebook 13 (7310)*

Google Chromebook Pixel (2015)
Google Pixelbook

HP Chromebook x360 11 G1 EE
HP Chromebook 11 G5 EE*
HP Chromebook 11 G5
HP Chromebook 13 G1*

Lenovo ThinkPad 11e Chromebook (Gen 4)
Lenovo Thinkpad 11e Yoga Chromebook (Gen 4)
Lenovo Thinkpad 11e Chromebook (Gen 3)
Lenovo ThinkPad 11e Yoga Chromebook (Gen 3)
Lenovo Flex 11 Chromebook*
Lenovo N23 Yoga Chromebook*
Lenovo N22 Chromebook*
Lenovo N23 Chromebook*
Lenovo N42 Chromebook*
Lenovo Thinkpad 13 Chromebook*

Samsung Chromebook Plus*
Samsung Chromebook Pro
Samsung Chromebook 3

This list is changing at a rapid pace. Visit this page for the latest version.

Chromebooks featuring Android apps on the Beta Channel:

Acer Chromebook 11 (C730 / CB3-111 / C730E / CB3-131)
Acer Chromebook 15 (CB3-531)

Asus Chromebook C200
Asus Chromebook C201PA
Asus Chromebook C300

Dell Chromebook 11 (3120)

HP Chromebook 11 G3
HP Chromebook 11 G4 / G4 EE
HP Chromebook 14 G4
HP Chromebook 13 G1

Lenovo 100S Chromebook
Lenovo N20 / N20P Chromebook
Lenovo N21 Chromebook
Lenovo ThinkPad 11e Chromebook
Lenovo ThinkPad 11e Yoga Chromebook

Samsung Chromebook 2 11" - XE500C12

Toshiba Chromebook 2

We've seen varying degrees of stability when trying out Android apps on different devices. Naturally the best performance came on laptops running on the stable channel, such as the Google Pixelbook and Samsung Chromebook Pro, where titles has small hiccups, but nothing too shoddy.

Back when we had to put an Acer Chromebook R13 on the beta channel to access the Google Play Store, it ran games and titles with slight choppiness but nothing too bad. As long as you don't demand peak performance -- and what Chromebook user does? -- this is a beta test worth trying out. The popular gaming title Asphalt 8 ran a little choppy but was still playable, while the less demanding, but fun PinOut pinball game showed no such lag.