Phone Hub on Chromebook: Samsung Setup Guide

Phone Hub on a Chromebook lets you see notifications, reply to texts, check your phone’s battery, and even use your phone’s mobile data hotspot — all from your Chromebook’s dock. This guide walks you through connecting a Samsung phone (typically running Android 11 or newer) to your Chromebook, step by step.

What You’ll Need

A Chromebook (ChromeOS version 89 or later recommended)
A Samsung phone running Android 11 or newer (most recent Galaxy models qualify)
Both devices signed in to the same Google account
Both devices connected to the same Wi-Fi network (for initial setup)
Bluetooth enabled on both devices
Phone and Chromebook within a few feet of each other

Step-by-Step

Check compatibility. Open ChromeOS settings on your Chromebook (click the clock, then the gear icon). Go to Connected devices and look for Phone Hub. If you see it, your Chromebook supports it. On your Samsung phone, go to Settings > About phone and confirm the Android version is 11 or higher.
Sign in to the same Google account. Ensure your phone and Chromebook are both signed in to the same Google account. This is essential — Phone Hub uses your Google account to sync data.
Turn on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. On both devices, make sure Bluetooth is on. Keep Wi-Fi on as well; even if you’ll later use mobile data, the initial handshake works better over Wi-Fi.
Open Phone Hub. On your Chromebook, click the Phone Hub icon in the shelf (it looks like a phone with a small arrow). If you don’t see it, right-click the shelf, select Phone Hub, and choose Show.
Click “Set up”. In the Phone Hub panel, click the Set up button. A dialog will appear with a QR code.
Scan the QR code with your Samsung phone. Open the camera app on your Samsung phone and point it at the QR code on the Chromebook screen. Tap the notification that appears to start the connection.
Confirm the pairing. A Bluetooth pairing request will appear on both devices. Verify the same 6-digit code on both screens and tap Pair on both.
Grant permissions. On your phone, you’ll see permission requests for notifications, SMS, and phone calls. Tap Allow for each. Without these, Phone Hub won’t show notifications or let you reply to texts.
Wait for the connection. After pairing, the Phone Hub panel will show your phone’s name, battery level, and signal strength. This can take up to 30 seconds.
Test it. Send yourself a text from another device, or ask someone to call you. You should see the notification appear in Phone Hub. You can also click the Hotspot toggle in Phone Hub to turn on your phone’s mobile hotspot (if your carrier supports it).

Common Mistakes

Forgetting to sign in to the same Google account. This is the #1 reason setup fails. Double-check on both devices.
Skipping the QR scan. Some users try to pair via Bluetooth settings directly, which doesn’t work. You must use the QR code in Phone Hub.
Not granting permissions. If you deny the notification or SMS permission, Phone Hub will be a shell with no content.
Bluetooth off. Phone Hub relies on Bluetooth for the connection. If it’s off on either device, the feature won’t work.
Using a work or school Chromebook. Managed devices may have Phone Hub disabled by policy. If you can’t find the setting, check with your administrator.

Tips

Keep Bluetooth on. Phone Hub uses Bluetooth even when you’re not actively using it, to stay connected.
Pin Phone Hub to your shelf. Right-click the Phone Hub icon and choose Pin to keep it always visible.
Use “Do Not Disturb” sync. If you enable Do Not Disturb on your phone, it will also mute notifications on your Chromebook (if you have that toggle on in Phone Hub settings).
Manage which apps send notifications. In Phone Hub settings, you can choose to only show notifications from certain apps. This reduces clutter.
Turn on “Silence phone” when using Chromebook. In Phone Hub settings, you can have your phone automatically silence when you’re actively using your Chromebook. Handy for meetings.

Troubleshooting

Phone Hub doesn’t show my phone. First, make sure both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network. Then, restart both devices. If that doesn’t work, go to ChromeOS settings > Connected devices > Phone Hub and click Forget next to your phone, then set it up again from scratch.

Notifications aren’t appearing. Check that you granted notification access during setup. On your Samsung phone, go to Settings > Apps > Phone Hub (or Google Play services) and make sure notifications are allowed. Also, in Phone Hub settings on the Chromebook, verify that “Notify me” is toggled on.

Phone battery shows wrong percentage. This is usually a sync lag. Wait a few minutes, or toggle Bluetooth off and on on both devices. If it persists, re-pair.

Hotspot toggle doesn’t work. Your carrier may not allow mobile hotspot, or your plan may not include it. Check with your carrier. Also, ensure your phone’s hotspot is not already on manually.

Connection drops frequently. Move your phone closer to the Chromebook. Bluetooth range is about 30 feet, but walls and interference reduce it. Also, make sure your phone’s battery saver mode isn’t killing background connections.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Phone Hub work with any Android phone? Yes, but the experience is best on Samsung phones. Google has been rolling out Phone Hub to other Android phones, but some features like SMS sync may be limited. Samsung phones get the full set of features.

Can I use Phone Hub over the internet, not just Bluetooth? No, Phone Hub uses a direct Bluetooth connection. Both devices need to be physically close. There’s no internet-based remote connection.

Will Phone Hub drain my phone’s battery? Slightly, because Bluetooth stays on. But the impact is minimal — typically a few percent per day. You can turn off Phone Hub in settings if you’re concerned.

Can I make phone calls from my Chromebook via Phone Hub? Yes, if you have the “Call” feature enabled. You’ll see incoming call notifications and can answer them on your Chromebook. However, the audio comes through your phone’s speaker unless you connect a headset to the Chromebook.

What if my Samsung phone is older than Android 11? You can still try, but Google officially requires Android 11 or newer. Some features may not work. Consider updating your phone’s software if possible.

Is Phone Hub the same as “Continue on PC” or Samsung’s own link? No. Phone Hub is built into ChromeOS. Samsung’s “Link to Windows” is for Windows PCs. They’re separate systems, but you can use both if you have a Windows PC and a Chromebook.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

More in this bed

The whole Tech How-To bed →