I Write Chromebook Reviews Professionally, and I Install These 5 Apps Every Time

Setting up your Chromebook for the first time? I have a few suggestions for apps you should download right away to make it a more versatile, useful, and just plain fun laptop.

I know because I’ve been reviewing them for years, so I’ve been through the process of unboxing and setting up a new Chromebook dozens of times. Heck, I’ve been doing it long enough to remember when you could choose between Chrome and Android apps, but since Google essentially eliminated Chrome apps a few years ago, Android apps in the Google Play Store are now the best choice for customizing your Chromebook.

Over the years, I’ve noticed that there are a few Android apps that I reach for immediately when setting up a new computer, because they help transform any Chromebook from a feature-packed web browser into a more powerful laptop that can be used for photo editing, watching movies, streaming games, and more.

And since readers occasionally ask me how to watch movies on a Chromebook or play games, I thought it would be helpful to quickly go over the top 5 apps I install on every Chromebook I review to make it a more functional and efficient laptop.

In my experience, these apps greatly improve even the best Chromebooks, and I hope at least a few of them will make your life easier on ChromeOS.

Adobe Lightroom

Adobe Lightroom Launched on Chromebook

Adobe Lightroom is my free app for quick and easy photo editing on Chromebook. (Photo source: Future)

As a working journalist, I regularly have to edit and resize photos for publication, so I need to have easy access to a decent photo editing program. And when I’m on my Chromebook, I always reach for Adobe Lightroom.

The reason is simple: It’s free and good enough for basic tasks like cropping images and retouching photos, and you can also play around with some fun filters. If you’re willing to upgrade and pay Adobe a monthly fee, you get a few more features, like the ability to do light video editing and remove elements from photos using AI.

But honestly, I don’t think paying Adobe a monthly fee for this app (since Adobe is now focusing on subscriptions) is a good idea — I recommend it because it’s free and good enough, not because it’s good enough to be worth paying for.

If you’re willing to pay for a decent image editor on ChromeOS, I recommend Gimp — it’s generally free to use on the web, but you have to pay a nominal fee ($1.99 at time of publication) for the Android app, but it’s worth paying if you think you might want to edit images when you don’t have internet access.

Discord

(Image Source: Discord)

There are many communication apps available on the Google Play Store, but I find Discord to be the most useful and that’s what I’m looking for.

Discord started out as a messaging platform for video game fans, but it’s evolved into a versatile and useful tool for all kinds of communication. I’ve come to rely on Discord as a way to stay in touch with friends around the world, as well as the communities I’m involved in and the work I do, so it’s become one of the first apps I download onto every new Chromebook, MacBook, and Windows 11 laptop.

While I wasn’t a huge fan of the app when it was released, the way Discord lets you easily chat with friends, follow multiple Discord servers at once, stream games, and chat in voice channels all within the same app made it a must-download for me.

I personally like to use it to chat with my buddies about RPGs and movies we’re watching, but you can use it for anything you and your friends are interested in. It’s also a common way that artists, game developers, and musicians run their communities these days, so there’s a good chance that some of your favorite creators run fan Discords that you can join for free!

GeForce now

Acer Chromebook 516 GE on a desk

The GeForce Now app lets you stream games from Steam, Epic Game Store, and other platforms directly to your Chromebook. (Photo source: Tom’s Guide)

I love playing video games, so trust me, one of the first apps I install on my new Chromebook is something that lets me play the best PC games available. And right now, for me, that’s Nvidia’s GeForce Now game streaming service.

I’m generally not a huge fan of game streaming services, but they’re valuable on a Chromebook because a) no Chromebook can run demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 and b) you’re usually connected to the internet, so clicking a button and streaming a game for 30 minutes isn’t a huge sacrifice.

I like GeForce Now because it lets me play almost any game in my Steam library on a remote gaming PC and then stream the video to my Chromebook, giving me the feeling of playing on a big PC while having a small Chromebook on my lap.

Of course, the tradeoff is that you’ll need to rely on a good, strong internet connection for maximum playability. Some rare gaming-focused Chromebooks (like the Acer Chromebook 516 GE) have dedicated Ethernet ports that you can use to connect to a wired connection for solid game streaming, but even if you rely on Wi-Fi, you can usually get good performance with a strong connection.

If you’re unfamiliar with the process, check out our quick guide on how to use GeForce Now on Chromebook to get started!

Tubi

Tubi works on Chromebook

(Photo source: Future)

All the top streaming services offer Android apps you can use to stream TV shows and movies on your Chromebook, but I always download the Tubi app first.

If you’re not familiar, Tubi is a free (ad-supported) streaming service with an eclectic variety of content that’s constantly changing. I really love it because it often has movies and TV shows that I love that I haven’t thought about in ages, so every time I fire up the app and dive into the catalog, I know I’ll be surprised (and often delighted) by something new or unexpected.

Of course, another reason I love Tubi is that it’s free, so I don’t have to pay for a streaming service like Hulu or Netflix to watch crappy TV when I’m on the road and having trouble falling asleep. So while I recommend downloading apps for whatever streaming services you like on your Chromebook, don’t skip Tubi — it’s one of my favorite streaming services (and the first one I download) for a reason.

VLC

(Photo source: Videolabs)

If you want to watch a specific video on your Chromebook instead of using a streaming service, there’s a good chance the VLC Media Player app for Android can handle it.

It’s been my favorite media player for decades because it’s simple, easy to use, and supports a ton of formats and codecs that otherwise wouldn’t play on your computer out of the box.

This makes it incredibly useful on a Windows or Mac computer, and even more valuable on a Chromebook, because I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Chromebooks aren’t the most versatile devices out of the box. But with VLC installed and a few videos saved to your Chromebook, you can count on having something to watch the next time you find yourself somewhere without an internet connection.

Summary

Everyone has different needs and interests, so I understand if not everything on this list is for you. Heck, depending on the week, I might sometimes download the PBS Android app instead of Tubi, or skip VLC altogether if I don’t use my Chromebook away from the internet at all.

More often than not, though, these five apps are the first to install on every new Chromebook I unbox, and they go a long way toward making a freshly installed ChromeOS feel like a natural experience.

Ultimately, having a strong, secure internet connection is the best thing you can do to get the most out of your Chromebook. But once you have it, it’s time to load it with all the apps you need and love to make it yours. I hope you’ve discovered at least one cool new app to add to your Chrome repertoire, and I encourage people to leave more suggestions in the comments below.