Before you begin

Step 1: Set up cloud storage for your users

Configure Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive.

Google Drive

If your organization prefers, you can use Google Drive. Make sure that:

1. Your organization has purchased Google Drive.
2. In your Google AdmIn console, on the Users & browsers settings page, Google Drive syncing is set to Enable Google Drive syncing. For details, go to Set Chrome policies for users or browsers.

Microsoft OneDrive

Let your users edit their Microsoft Office documents, including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel documents on their ChromeOS devices.

Follow these instructions to create a desktop-like experience for Office for the web in Microsoft 365:

• (Required) Step 1: Accept use of the Microsoft Connect OneDrive ChromeOS app
• (Optional) Step 2: Install the Microsoft 365 PWA on devices
• (Required) Step 3: Integrate Microsoft OneDrive into the Files app
• (Optional) Step 4: Set up Office document handling

Step 2: Restrict Android apps on ChromeOS devices

Setting up cloud-only storage has no effect on Android apps running on ChromeOS. Android apps are exempt from local data storage limitations. As a result, you’ll need to carefully select the Android apps that fit your organization’s requirements.

Choose which Android apps your users can install and use on their ChromeOS devices. For instructions on how to block or install Android apps on ChromeOS devices, go to Deploy Android apps to managed users on ChromeOS devices.

Depending on your organization's needs, decide how Android apps are installed on ChromeOS devices:

• Prevent users from installing Android apps—For Android applications on Chrome Devices, select Do not allow users to install Android apps.
• Only allow users to install allowlisted apps—In Additional settings on the Apps & extensionsUsers & browsers page, edit the Allow/block mode setting—Under Play Store, select Block all apps, admin manages allowlist. Then, in the list of apps and extensions, under Installation policy, choose Allow install for the apps that users are allowed to manually install.
• Force install certain apps—In Additional settings on the Apps & extensionsUsers & browsers page, edit the Allow/block mode setting—Under Play Store, select Block all apps, admin manages allowlist. Then, in the list of apps and extensions, under Installation policy, choose Force install or Force install + pin to ChromeOS taskbar for the apps that you want to automatically install on users’ devices.

Step 3: (Optional, but recommended) Block USB storage

Depending on your organization’s needs, you can continue to let users access and save data on their external storage devices, including USB flash drives.

1. Sign in with an administrator account to the Google Admin console.

   If you aren’t using an administrator account, you can’t access the Admin console.

2. Go to  Menu  Devices > Chrome > Settings. The User & browser settings page opens by default.

   Requires having the Mobile Device Management administrator privilege.

   If you signed up for Chrome Enterprise Core, go to Menu  Chrome browser > Settings.

3. (Optional) To apply the setting only to some users and enrolled browsers, at the side, select an organizational unit (often used for departments) or configuration group (advanced). Show me how

   Group settings override organizational units. Learn more

4. Go to Hardware.
5. For External storage devices, select Block external storage devices or Allow external storage devices (read only).
6. Click Save. Or, you might click Override for an organizational unit.

   To later restore the inherited value, click Inherit (or Unset for a group).