Every Chromebook ships with a built-in expiration date for software updates, officially called the Auto Update Expiration, or AUE, date. It’s worth knowing before buying, and worth checking if your current one feels neglected by updates.
What AUE Actually Means
Google guarantees ChromeOS updates, including security patches and new features, only until a device’s AUE date. After that, the Chromebook keeps working, but stops receiving updates entirely, including security fixes. It’s not a kill switch; the hardware doesn’t stop functioning, but it becomes gradually less secure and compatible with newer web standards over time.
How to Check Your Chromebook’s AUE Date
- Go to Settings > About ChromeOS > Additional details.
- Look for a line noting when automatic updates end for this device.
- If it isn’t listed there on an older device, search your exact model name plus “AUE date” to check Google’s published list directly.
Why It Varies by Model
AUE dates are tied to the specific hardware platform inside a Chromebook, not the brand or price point alone. Two Chromebooks from the same manufacturer released a year apart can have very different expiration dates depending on which chipset generation they use.
What to Do as the Date Approaches
- Continue using the device normally; it won’t stop working on the AUE date itself.
- Avoid using it for anything sensitive, like banking, once security updates have actually stopped.
- Consider ChromeOS Flex if you want to keep using the hardware with a supported, updated OS after Google support ends for the original ChromeOS build.
- If shopping for a replacement, checking the AUE date upfront avoids buying a device that’s already close to end of support.
Still Confused About Your Specific Model?
If Settings doesn’t show a clear date and searching the model number doesn’t turn up a definitive answer either, the safest assumption is to plan around whichever number you find for the closest matching model in your device’s chipset generation, since AUE dates are set by hardware platform rather than exact SKU in some cases.
FAQ
Does a Chromebook stop working entirely after its AUE date?
No. It keeps functioning normally, but no longer receives ChromeOS updates, including security patches, after that date.
Can I extend a Chromebook’s AUE date myself?
No, the date is set by Google based on the hardware platform and isn’t something a user setting or workaround changes.
Does buying a newer Chromebook always mean a later AUE date?
Usually, but not always. It depends on which chipset generation the specific model uses, so it’s worth checking the actual AUE date rather than assuming based on release year alone.
