What you need to know
- Google has announced plans to integrate Microsoft 365 into ChromeOS.
- Once available, users will be able to access OneDrive from the built-in Files app.
- This integration will be available “in the coming months” with a new “guided setup experience”.
Google Drive remains the de facto choice for cloud storage on Chromebooks, but that all changes later this year. Google has announced plans to offer a built-in Files app integration with Microsoft OneDrive for users who have installed the Microsoft 365 PWA.
Currently, you can already install Microsoft 365 PWA on your Chromebook and access Word, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Excel from your apps. But if you use OneDrive or Microsoft To Do, the PWA’s button just takes you to a new Chrome tab.
According to the ChromeOS Beta Tester Community announcement post, the new guided setup process will walk you through all the steps required for setup. Once the Microsoft 365 and OneDrive integration is available, the best Chromebook owner will be able to automatically move files open in the Files app to his OneDrive.
The move comes as a bit of a surprise given that Google rarely actively promotes competing services within its platform. But regardless of the reason, it’s a welcome addition for those who rely on OneDrive and other Microsoft apps and services on a regular basis.
As expected, the official launch and announcement is expected to take place “within the next few months.” Google also shared that this feature will first come to users with Chromebooks in the Dev or Beta channels. So we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled for this integration until it happens, and we’ll dig deeper to see how it all works out.
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