FydeOS 22 Review: How to Install FydeOS or Dual Boot with Windows

FydeOS is an operating system that is based on the Chromium OS as you know it. Then see you know you cannot simply officially install Chrome OS on a Windows or Mac computer. With this operating system you can quickly make a bootable USB and run it on your computer it supports a majority of laptops and computers. If you are looking to test Chrome operating system with minimal effort to install on your computer FydeOS is a good option that you have for free.

v22 – Radiant Anatomy (January 2026) — Current

Key new features:

• Quick Share (Nearby Share): Send and receive files, photos, and links between nearby devices wirelessly — no cables needed. Works with Android devices and other ChromeOS devices that support the Quick Share protocol. FydeOS
• Qwant as Default Search Engine: FydeOS now ships with Qwant, a privacy-focused French search engine, as the default. Qwant tracks zero searches, zero ad activity, and sells zero personal data. You can switch to any other search engine in settings. FydeOS
• Browser Split View: Split a single browser tab into two resizable side-by-side panes. You can swap panes, open links from one into the other, and detach them back into individual tabs — useful for comparing content or referencing docs while working. FydeOS

Important Notes for v22

OTA updating after installing GApps can break the Play Store — see the FydeOS knowledge base for a fix.

Steam (Borealis) has been removed. Steam for Chromium OS was discontinued by Google on January 1, 2026, and is no longer part of FydeOS. FydeOS

Developer mode is disabled by default starting from v18. You need to explicitly enable it via settings. FydeOS

Android subsystem data backup/restore is currently not supported on the Intel Modern variant.

You can log in with Google Account on FydeOS, for that to work registration is required with a FydeOS account. However, you can browse as a guest to avoid this but that limits you to basic features. Starting from version 13 you can set up an offline account.

The new version was insanely fast and booted in under 20 seconds. This is tested on a HP ENVY laptop (Intel i7 8th gen). Android subsystem and related functionalities are limited to Intel series graphics cards. We are quite impressed to see how it manages to run Linux Apps and Android apps together. That being said you could install Chrome extensions, Android Apps, and Linux Apps on FydeOS. Based on Chromium OS we found both Google’s Assistant and Play store are missing.

Download FydeOS for PC (v22)

FydeOS now offers multiple PC variants based on your hardware. Head to the official download page and choose the one that matches your GPU: FydeOS

FydeOS Download (64-bit) Only

• fydeOS 64-bit IMG (1.8GB) Intel 8th to 13th generation.

Either RUFUS (1MB) or Etcher (100+MB) can be used to make a bootable USB.

How to Boot FydeOS from USB Drive

How to Boot FydeOS from USB

1. Download the correct .img.xz file for your hardware from the link above.
2. Open Rufus or Etcher and select the image file.
3. Select your USB drive and click Start/Flash.
4. Restart your PC and press the boot menu key (commonly F9, F12, Del, or Esc) to select the USB drive.
5. FydeOS will boot directly from the USB — your main OS is untouched. Session data saves to the drive.

Tip: Use a USB 3.0/3.1 drive for noticeably better performance.

• This will keep your session data saved in USB drive.
• You don’t need to interfare with original OS on y our computer.

1. You will need to save the image file to your computer and a pen drive with a minimum of 8GB of space these days 32GB pen drives are common.
2. Get RUFUS (1MB) and open it.
3. Select the IMG using the browse button in Rufus tool and locate the FydeOS IMG file.
4. Plug your USB DRIVE and click on Start Button.
5. Creating a bootable device using a 3.1 USB drive takes only a few minutes, and if you use USB 2.0, the boot time and performance will be bad.
6. Go ahead, press the restart button on your PC and select the USB drive to boot. Some common boot device menu keys are F9, Del, ESC and F2.

How to enable android subsystem; FydeOS

FydeOS does not include the Google Play Store (it was built outside Google’s ecosystem), but you can sideload Android APKs:

1. Press the Windows/Search key to open the launcher, scroll to find the Android app/settings.
2. Accept the license terms to enable the Android subsystem.
3. Download .apk files from sites like APKMirror and install them.

How to Dual Boot FydeOS with Windows 10/11

True dual booting FydeOS alongside Windows on the same drive can be tricky — ChromiumOS-based systems are not easy to add to a standard Windows bootloader. The most practical and stable option remains booting from a USB drive, which also keeps your session data on the drive. If you want a persistent installation, you can install FydeOS directly to a separate partition or secondary drive, but be prepared to manage boot entries manually or with a tool like rEFInd.