If your Chromebook repeatedly shuts down and starts again, remove every accessory, try one normal restart, and then use ChromeOS Recovery. If you can still sign in, Google recommends restarting and then trying a factory reset before recovery. Recovery is the definitive reinstall path, but it permanently erases files stored on the Chromebook, including Downloads, so copy anything you can first.
What a Chromebook boot loop means
Google describes this failure as a Chromebook that “turns off, then back on, over and over again.” The computer never reaches a stable ChromeOS session, or it reaches one briefly before restarting. The practical fix is to restore ChromeOS rather than repeatedly forcing the power button.
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The exact key combination and available recovery options depend on the Chromebook’s model and form factor. Newer devices may recover through an internet connection; older devices may require a USB recovery drive, and some older models may no longer support updates or recovery. If the Chromebook belongs to a school or employer, involve the administrator before changing it.
Why the order of steps matters
A restart is the only step in this guide that does not intentionally alter the Chromebook’s stored data. Removing accessories also leaves the internal drive untouched. A factory reset is more disruptive and should be attempted only when ChromeOS is accessible and you can follow its prompts. Recovery is the reinstall route: it removes ChromeOS and the files on the internal hard drive, then installs ChromeOS again.
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That distinction prevents two common mistakes. First, do not keep repeating forced restarts when the computer cannot reach a usable session. Second, do not treat recovery as a harmless diagnostic test. Once recovery is confirmed, files that were not backed up may be gone permanently.
Choose the least-destructive path first
Use this order. Do not jump straight to a wipe if the machine can still start normally.
| Route | What you need | Data consequence | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accessory removal and restart | No additional equipment | No intentional data change | The loop may be caused by an attached drive, mouse or other peripheral, or ChromeOS can still reach the desktop. |
| Factory reset | Ability to sign in and follow ChromeOS’s reset prompts | Review the warning shown on screen before confirming | You can sign in, have restarted once, and the problem remains. |
| Internet recovery | A recovery screen that offers “Recover using internet connection” and a working connection | Recovery permanently erases the Chromebook’s internal files, including downloaded files | The option is offered and you have backed up what is possible. |
| USB recovery | Another computer with Chrome and an erasable USB flash drive of at least 8 GB | Recovery permanently erases internal files; creating the USB also erases that USB drive | Internet recovery is unavailable or the model requires external media. |
| Manufacturer or administrator support | The Chromebook’s model and failure details | They can determine whether hardware service or managed-device steps are required | Recovery fails, the device is too old for the available method, or the Chromebook is managed. |
Google does not publish comparative success rates for internet versus USB recovery. The meaningful choice is availability: whether the recovery screen offers internet recovery, whether your model supports it, and whether you have another computer and a disposable USB drive.
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- Disconnect external devices, including USB storage, SD cards, docks, mice and external drives.
- If ChromeOS stays open long enough, copy important local files from the Chromebook before attempting recovery. Downloads are stored on the device and are specifically included in Google’s warning about permanent erasure.
- Do not use a USB drive containing needed files for recovery media. The creation process erases it.
- For a work or school Chromebook, stop and contact the administrator. Management policies or enrollment can change the correct recovery procedure.
Recovery should be treated as a reinstall, not a temporary restart. Google’s official warning is explicit: “Recovery permanently erases everything on your Chromebook’s hard drive, even your downloaded files.”
Make a final backup attempt
If the desktop appears for even a short period, prioritize irreplaceable local files rather than troubleshooting settings. Copy them to a separate location before opening the recovery screen. If the loop prevents a stable session, do not keep powering the Chromebook on and off in the hope that a longer attempt will make recovery safer; move to the appropriate recovery route and accept that unbacked-up local data may not be recoverable.
Check the equipment before choosing USB recovery
The external route has two separate storage risks. The affected Chromebook’s internal drive will be erased during recovery, and the USB flash drive will be erased when the Chromebook Recovery Utility creates the media. Label the drives or check their names carefully so an important drive is not selected accidentally. The required USB capacity is at least 8 GB. A drive that is smaller than that minimum is not suitable, while a larger drive may be used if the utility recognizes it and it can be erased.
Step 1: remove accessories and perform a basic restart
Disconnect everything external
Power the Chromebook off if you can, remove every nonessential accessory, and leave only the charger connected if the battery needs it. A damaged or incompatible peripheral can interrupt startup, so test the computer without external storage or input devices.
Remove USB flash drives, external hard drives, SD cards, docks, mice and other accessories. This is both a troubleshooting step and a way to prevent the recovery process from interacting with the wrong storage device. Keep the removed accessories together so you can reconnect them one at a time later.
Restart once through ChromeOS
If you can reach ChromeOS, use the normal power menu to turn the Chromebook off, wait briefly, and turn it back on. If it starts normally, reconnect accessories one at a time to identify a trigger. If it immediately returns to the loop, do not spend time repeating ordinary restarts; continue to recovery mode.
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If the Chromebook never reaches the sign-in screen, there is no usable ChromeOS session in which to perform the reset step. Go directly to the recovery procedure for the laptop or tablet form factor instead.
Step 2: try a factory reset only when you can sign in
Google’s sequence is conditional: sign in if possible, restart first, and if the error remains, try a reset to factory settings. Follow the reset prompts shown by your ChromeOS version and read the confirmation screen before accepting.
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A factory reset is not a guaranteed solution for a Chromebook that cannot reach a sign-in session. If the computer loops before sign-in, proceed to recovery mode instead of repeatedly attempting a reset that you cannot complete.
Before confirming a reset, make sure you understand the warning presented by ChromeOS and that any files you still need have been copied. If the reset does not fix the recurring shutdown, Google’s next step is recovery, which reinstalls ChromeOS and permanently erases the internal drive.
Step 3: enter Chromebook recovery mode
Start with the keyboard sequence for your form factor. Keep the Chromebook connected to power if the battery is low.
Most Chromebook laptops
- Turn the Chromebook off completely. If it is trapped in the loop, wait for the screen to go dark and begin the sequence as it powers down.
- Hold Esc and Refresh.
- While holding those keys, press Power.
- Release Power, then release the other keys when the recovery message appears.
The Refresh key is the keyboard key used to reload a page. The layout and symbols vary by model.
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Models that use the Maximize key
Some Chromebook models use Esc and Maximize instead of Esc and Refresh. Hold those two keys, press Power, release Power, and release the other keys when the recovery screen appears.
Chromebook tablets
- Press and hold Volume Up, Volume Down and Power together.
- Keep all three pressed for at least 10 seconds.
- Release them when the recovery screen appears.
Tablet buttons and laptop keys are not interchangeable. If the device is a detachable or tablet-style Chromebook, use the tablet sequence rather than forcing a laptop keyboard shortcut.
If none of these combinations produces a recovery screen, the model may use a different procedure. Do not guess at model-specific shortcuts; use the manufacturer’s instructions or support channel. On a managed device, ask the administrator for the approved sequence before proceeding.
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Step 4: use internet recovery when it is offered
On supported, newer Chromebooks, the recovery screen may show “Recover using internet connection.” Choose that option and follow every on-screen instruction.
- Connect to the requested wireless network or other available connection.
- Select the internet-recovery option.
- Keep the Chromebook powered and connected while ChromeOS downloads and reinstalls the required files.
- Wait for the process to finish. Google says the computer automatically restarts when the steps are complete.
Internet recovery avoids preparing a separate USB drive, but it is not available on every model. If the option is missing, unavailable, or fails repeatedly, use the external-disk route if your model supports it.
The absence of an internet option is not, by itself, proof that you pressed the wrong keys. Google notes that older Chromebooks may not support internet recovery. Some older devices may also no longer support updates or recovery, so the manufacturer may need to confirm whether a supported path remains.
Step 5: create and use a USB recovery drive
Prepare the equipment
- Another Chromebook, Windows computer or Mac with Chrome installed.
- Google’s Chromebook Recovery Utility.
- An empty USB flash drive with at least 8 GB of capacity. The utility erases the drive, so copy off anything you need first.
You do not need to buy a USB drive if internet recovery works or you already have a suitable erasable drive. No model-specific replacement part or repair tool can be selected responsibly without the Chromebook’s model and the observed failure details.
The 8 GB figure is a minimum capacity requirement in Google’s current support guidance, not a measure of recovery success. A larger drive is acceptable if it can be erased and is recognized by the utility.
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- On the working computer, install and open the Chromebook Recovery Utility in Chrome.
- Use the utility’s device-selection control to choose the affected Chromebook model. If the utility asks for a model number, use the identification information shown on the Chromebook or its original documentation rather than guessing.
- Insert the erasable USB flash drive and select it as the recovery medium.
- Confirm the erase warning and let the utility download and write ChromeOS recovery media.
- Safely eject the completed drive from the working computer.
Model selection matters because the utility creates media for the selected Chromebook. If you are uncertain about the model, stop before confirming the download and check the device identification information or ask the manufacturer. Guessing can send you back to troubleshooting without resolving the loop.
Run recovery on the looping Chromebook
- Enter recovery mode using the keyboard or tablet procedure above.
- Insert the prepared USB drive.
- Select “Recover using external disk.”
- Follow the prompts until the reinstall finishes. Keep the USB connected and do not interrupt power during the process.
- Remove the drive only when ChromeOS tells you to, then allow the Chromebook to restart.
Because recovery reinstalls ChromeOS and erases the internal drive, the first start can look different from a normal reboot. Complete the setup screens and test the Chromebook before reconnecting accessories.
Internet recovery versus USB recovery
Choose internet recovery when the recovery screen offers it and the connection is usable. It removes the need for a second computer and a USB drive. Choose USB recovery when the internet option is not offered, is unavailable for the model, or cannot complete. The USB route requires access to another computer with Chrome and an erasable drive of at least 8 GB.
Neither route has a published success-rate advantage in Google’s guidance. Both are reinstall procedures with the same central consequence: files on the Chromebook’s internal hard drive, including Downloads, are permanently erased. The deciding factors are model support, the option shown on the recovery screen, equipment availability and whether you have completed the backup you can make.
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Fix common USB recovery errors
“An unexpected error has occurred”
Google’s recommended response is to erase the recovery storage and create the media again. Reopen the Chromebook Recovery Utility, select the USB drive, and repeat the creation process from a clean drive.
The same error appears after recreating the media
Try a different USB flash drive. Google notes that some drives do not work well with Chromebook recovery even when they meet the stated capacity. Use another empty drive of at least 8 GB, recreate the media, and run external-disk recovery again.
The recovery option is missing
If the recovery screen does not offer internet recovery, that does not necessarily indicate a new fault; older Chromebooks may not support it. Use USB recovery when available. Some older devices may no longer support updates or recovery at all, in which case the manufacturer must confirm the remaining options.
The utility cannot complete media creation
Confirm that the selected USB drive is the one you intend to erase, then erase it and run the creation process again. If the error repeats, switch to another USB drive rather than repeatedly reusing a drive that may not work well with Chromebook recovery. Keep the affected Chromebook out of the process until the utility has produced usable media.
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- Let the Chromebook complete its automatic restart and initial setup.
- Install any ChromeOS updates offered during setup before judging whether the loop is fixed.
- Sign in and verify that the machine remains on for several minutes.
- Reconnect external devices one at a time. If the loop returns after a particular accessory is attached, leave that accessory disconnected.
- If the Chromebook still restarts without accessories after a successful recovery, record the model, the recovery method used, and any exact error text for support.
Test the Chromebook without accessories first. This separates a successful ChromeOS reinstall from a problem that returns only when a particular drive, dock, mouse or other peripheral is connected.
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Do not keep repeating the same failed recovery indefinitely. Contact the Chromebook manufacturer when Google’s restart, reset and recovery procedures do not resolve the loop, when every suitable USB drive fails, or when the model appears too old for the available recovery options. The manufacturer can determine whether the symptom points to a hardware fault or a model-specific procedure.
For a school- or workplace-managed Chromebook, contact the administrator instead of removing management or attempting unofficial firmware changes. The administrator can apply the organization’s recovery process and decide whether the device should be serviced or replaced.
Keep the following information ready for support:
- Chromebook model and form factor (laptop or tablet).
- Whether you could reach the sign-in screen.
- Whether the loop continued with all accessories removed.
- Which recovery key sequence you used.
- Whether internet recovery was offered.
- The exact USB capacity, utility result and any displayed error message.
Tell support whether you attempted a factory reset, internet recovery or USB recovery, and whether the recovery process completed or stopped with an error. This avoids repeating steps that have already failed and helps the manufacturer determine the next supported action.
Quick decision checklist
- Remove USB devices, SD cards, docks and other accessories.
- If ChromeOS opens, restart normally.
- If you can sign in and the loop remains, follow the factory-reset prompts after reviewing the warning.
- If you cannot sign in, enter recovery mode with the correct laptop or tablet key sequence.
- Choose internet recovery when the screen offers it.
- Otherwise, create USB media on another computer with Chrome and an erasable drive of at least 8 GB.
- For USB errors, erase and recreate the media, then try another drive.
- Escalate unresolved failures to the manufacturer, or to your organization’s administrator for managed devices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will recovery delete my Downloads folder?
Yes. Google says recovery permanently erases everything on the Chromebook’s hard drive, including downloaded files. Back up local files before recovery if the device stays usable long enough.
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Can I factory-reset a Chromebook that never reaches the sign-in screen?
Google places the factory-reset step after a restart when you can sign in. If the Chromebook loops before sign-in, use recovery mode instead.
Do I need to buy a USB drive?
Not necessarily. Internet recovery avoids USB media when the option is offered. USB recovery requires an erasable flash drive with at least 8 GB, so you only need one if that route is required and you do not already have a suitable drive.
What if my Chromebook has no internet-recovery option?
Older models may not support internet recovery. Use USB recovery when available. Some older devices may no longer support updates or recovery; the manufacturer can confirm the remaining options.
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Erase the recovery storage and create the recovery media again. If the error remains, try a different USB flash drive of at least 8 GB because some drives do not work well with Chromebook recovery.
Which keys open recovery mode?
Most Chromebook laptops use Esc and Refresh while pressing Power. Some models use Esc and Maximize instead. Chromebook tablets use Volume Up, Volume Down and Power held for at least 10 seconds. The exact sequence can vary by model.
Should I remove accessories before recovery?
Yes. Disconnect USB storage, SD cards, docks, mice and other external devices. Test the Chromebook without them, and reconnect them individually only after recovery and setup are complete.
Who should fix a managed school or work Chromebook?
Contact the school or workplace administrator before resetting or recovering it. Managed-device policies can change the approved procedure, and the administrator can arrange service if recovery fails.
The Bottom Line
Remove accessories and try one normal restart. If you can sign in, restart and then follow ChromeOS’s factory-reset prompts. If the loop prevents sign-in, enter recovery mode and choose internet recovery when offered; otherwise create USB media with Chrome and an erasable drive of at least 8 GB. Recovery permanently erases the Chromebook’s internal files, so back up first. If recovery still fails, try a freshly created drive and then contact the manufacturer or your organization’s administrator.
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