Quick Answer
Go to Settings > Connected devices > Set up, sign into the same Google account on your phone and Chromebook, and turn on Bluetooth on both. Once linked, Phone Hub adds a panel to your shelf showing notifications, hotspot controls, recent Chrome tabs, and messages from your phone.
What Phone Hub Does
Phone Hub is part of a feature set Google calls Better Together, which links a compatible Android phone to your Chromebook over Bluetooth. Once connected, it surfaces phone notifications on your Chromebook, lets you turn on your phone’s hotspot without picking it up, shows recent Chrome tabs you had open on your phone, and can silence your phone automatically when your Chromebook is in Do Not Disturb. It also enables related features like Smart Lock and Instant Tethering.
Fix Steps
Step 1: Check both devices are compatible
You need an Android phone running a reasonably recent Android version and a Chromebook on a current ChromeOS release. Both devices must be signed into the same Google account.
Step 2: Turn on Bluetooth on both devices
Phone Hub relies on a Bluetooth connection between the two devices, so make sure Bluetooth is enabled on your phone and your Chromebook before starting setup. If Bluetooth won’t pair reliably, sort that out first.
Step 3: Start setup from Chromebook settings
Open Settings, go to Connected devices in the left sidebar, and click “Set up” next to Android phone. Follow the on-screen prompts, which will send a notification to your phone to confirm the connection.
Step 4: Confirm on your phone
Tap the notification on your Android phone and approve the connection. This links the two devices and enables Better Together features, including Phone Hub.
Step 5: Open the Phone Hub panel
Click the clock or Quick Settings area on your Chromebook’s shelf, then select the phone icon to expand the Phone Hub panel. From there you can browse notifications, toggle your phone’s hotspot, or open a recent tab.
Step 6: Choose what Phone Hub shows
In Settings > Connected devices, you can toggle individual Phone Hub features on or off, such as notifications or recent tabs, if you only want part of the functionality.
Still Not Working?
If Phone Hub shows “Connected” but nothing loads, toggle Bluetooth off and back on on both devices and reopen the panel. If setup won’t complete at all, confirm you’re signed into the identical Google account on both devices, since a mismatched account is the most common cause of a failed pairing.
FAQ
Does Phone Hub work with an iPhone?
No. Phone Hub and Better Together are Android-only features and have no equivalent for linking an iPhone to a Chromebook.
Does Phone Hub drain my phone’s battery?
The Bluetooth connection uses minimal power, similar to a Bluetooth headset pairing, so the impact on battery life is small under normal use.
Can I use my phone’s hotspot through Phone Hub without unlocking it?
Yes, toggling the hotspot from the Phone Hub panel works even while your phone screen is off, as long as both devices stay within Bluetooth range.
