Is There a Chromebook Expiration Date?
/Where Do I Find It When My Chromebook Expires?
Whether you call it an Expiration Date, End of Life Policy, or Auto Update Policy, Chromebooks do have a date beyond which Google does not guarantee updates.
In the past, it used to be called End of Life Policy, but then Google changed the term to Auto Update Policy. Also, Google has changed the timeframe to Auto Update Expiration several times. For example, before it was 4 years, then 5 years, and now 6 and a half years.
The Auto Update Expiration countdown starts from the date of the release, not from the date when you bought it. However, although Google’s Auto Update Policy does not guarantee to provide updates beyond expiration (6 and a half years, currently), it does not necessarily mean you will not receive updates.
There is no firm policy on this or nothing written in stone. You might keep getting updates even once your Chromebook expires. Some of the very old Chromebooks, Google’s CR-48 and Samsung’s Series 5, for example, (and many others) received updates beyond their expiration dates.
You can find your device’s Auto Update Expiration Date following the link provided. Should you continue using your Chromebook beyond its expiration date if no updates are provided? It depends on how comfortable you are in terms of your Chromebook’s security vulnerability.
Google recommends getting a new Chromebook after expiration because it will be vulnerable to unpatched exploits.
My Asus Chromebook Flip C302 will expire in November of 2022. So I still have about 5 years to go and that’s a very good life in my opinion. I will be happy to upgrade to a new one because there will be more new features and enhancements at that time. Besides, unlike Windows laptops, Chromebooks won’t break your wallet.
