Power Issues

A burning smell from the Chromebook charger is a danger sign. It suggests that it either must be replaced or looked at from a closer angle. The scent of burning plastic from Chromebook or laptop adapters can be extremely hazardous and must be looked into right away. When you smell something similar to that, disconnect the Chromebook computer power supply immediately. 

Inform your teacher about the issue and they can create a ticket for a replacement charger.

Just like laptops, Chromebooks can get hot.  That's totally normal.  But it's not normal for the heat to be excessive to the point that your Chromebook starts to freeze, stutter or even shutdown.  If this is occurring to you, unplug the Chromebook and power it off, and keep it powered off until it cools down. 

Once the Chromebook is cool to the touch, plug in the charger again, power it on and see if the Chromebook begins to emit excessive heat again.  If it does, inform your teacher who can create a ticket for a replacement device.

Chromebooks don’t have any active cooling systems. They’re passively cooled by heat dissipation through built-in vents around the bottom panel. If the Chromebook is sitting on a soft surface (pillow, bed, etc.), the heat is not able to dissipate.  Moving the Chromebook to a flat, smooth surface such as a desk or table should rectify this problem.

We appreciate you attempting some of the troubleshooting tips we provided to resolve your technology issue. ​Unfortunately, it is likely your device is experiencing an issue that cannot be resolved by you. 

For further assistance, you can do one of the following:

• Contact your teacher or school to report the issue.  They will log a ServiceDesk ticket on your behalf.

Once a ServiceDesk ticket is generated, someone will be in touch with you.  If the issue cannot be resolved with your existing device, a replacement may be arranged.

• Do not use the charger if the cable appears damaged or the brick feels hot! This is a hardware issue and should be reported to your teacher.

• Make sure the power cable from the wall is firmly plugged into the power brick.

• Make sure the LED light is on the power brick (some bricks do not have LED lights and some bricks have LEDs that do not turn on, but the brick still works).

• If you have a USB-C Charger, try using another USB-C phone charger in your household. Newer Android phones usually have a USB-C Charger. Additional Information: USB-C | Wikipedia​

• If you have more than one Chromebook in your household, try using another charger.  IMPORTANT NOTE:  Only use the power adapter of the same manufacturer, for example, do not use an HP power adapter on a Dell Chromebook/laptop.

• There are two types of chargers:
  
  1. Standard Charger has a cylinder tip
  2. USB-C Charger has a flat tip​

Your issue could be as simple as the power outlet or power bar receptacle that you are using.

If there is no light illuminated on the Chromebook power adapter, try unplugging the power cable from the wall (or power bar if you are plugged into a power bar) and try another outlet in the room or another outlet on the power bar.

If there is still no light on the power brick your problem could be the charger. To rule out the power outlet, plug another device or electrical item (such as a lamp) into the same outlet to see if this gets power. If it does you have ruled out the outlet and now know the issue is likely the charger.

Sometimes a Chromebook will not turn on using the power button even when you know it is charged. Sometimes this power cord trick works:

• ​Close the lid of your Chromebook.
• Plugin your Chromebook power cord into a wall outlet and then plug the other end into your Chromebook
• Open the lid of your Chromebook without pressing any keys
• After a few seconds you might see that beautiful white screen with the Chrome logo on it. Oftentimes after doing this once the power button works again.

Sometimes for Chromebooks that do not turn on, the battery charging status is around 1%. In this case, you need to let the battery completely run down. To do this:

• ​Remove the power supply (cord) from the Chromebook and leave the screen up overnight.
• In the morning, close the screen, plug in the power supply, then open the screen (do not press the power button).
• If the Chromebook does not turn on (and you have tried another outlet in case it is a faulty electrical outlet you are plugged into), inform your teacher.

We appreciate you attempting some of the troubleshooting tips we provided to resolve your technology issue. ​Unfortunately, it is likely your device is experiencing an issue that cannot be resolved by you. 

For further assistance, you can do one of the following:

• Contact your teacher or school to report the issue.  They will log a ServiceDesk ticket on your behalf.

Once a ServiceDesk ticket is generated, someone will be in touch with you.  If the issue cannot be resolved with your existing device, a replacement may be arranged.

• Do not use the charger if the cable appears damaged or the brick feels hot! This is a hardware issue and should be reported to your teacher.

• Make sure the power cable from the wall is firmly plugged into the power brick.

• Make sure the LED light is on the power brick (some bricks do not have LED lights and some bricks have LEDs that do not turn on, but the brick still works).

• If you have a USB-C Charger, try using another USB-C phone charger in your household. Newer Android phones usually have a USB-C Charger. Additional Information: USB-C | Wikipedia​

• If you have more than one Chromebook in your household, try using another charger.  IMPORTANT NOTE:  Only use the power adapter of the same manufacturer, for example, do not use an HP power adapter on a Dell Chromebook/laptop.

• There are two types of chargers:
  
  1. Standard Charger has a cylinder tip
  2. USB-C Charger has a flat tip​

Restarting a Chromebook

• ​Turn off your Chromebook by pressing one of the power buttons, or by clicking into the menu in the bottom-right corner and selecting the power icon.
• Press and hold down the "refresh" button (which is located just above the 3 and 4 keys) and tap the power button.

Reset a Chrom​ebook

For most Chromebooks, follow the steps below:

• Turn off your Chromebook.
• Press and hold Refresh  + tap Power. When your Chromebook starts up, release Refresh.​

We appreciate you attempting some of the troubleshooting tips we provided to resolve your technology issue. ​Unfortunately, it is likely your device is experiencing an issue that cannot be resolved by you. 

For further assistance, you can do one of the following:

• Contact your teacher or school to report the issue.  They will log a ServiceDesk ticket on your behalf.

Once a ServiceDesk ticket is generated, someone will be in touch with you.  If the issue cannot be resolved with your existing device, a replacement may be arranged.