Chromebook says it will stop getting updates next year, what happens then?

It stops working. When the date hits, the Chromebook locks you out and says the device is unusable, so you have to buy a new one. That is how Google forces people to upgrade. You might as well start looking now.

@Tyler B. no, it does not brick. Google's own help page says you can keep using the Chromebook after it stops receiving updates. It just will not get new security fixes, which is why you stop doing banking on it.

Two things first. 1. It does not stop on the date. The laptop keeps booting and the browser keeps opening pages, it just stops receiving new ChromeOS and browser updates. 2. If it is a work or school device, the date and the policy come from the administrator, so ask them.

For personal use, back up anything important now, make sure sync is on for your Google account, and note the date so you can plan. Do your banking on a patched device once that date passes.

My kids' school Chromebooks show the same message. The school manages them, so I do not decide anything, but it was a useful reminder to check which of the home devices are close to their date. A good habit is to write the expiry date on a sticky note on the fridge.

If you like tinkering, there are ways to put other software on some of these machines once Google drops them, but it depends on the model, it voids your warm feelings about "it just works," and it is not something to attempt the week before your shift swap deadline. For you I would simply plan to replace it, not rescue it.

Your Chromebook keeps working after the date, but it stops receiving ChromeOS and browser updates, including security fixes. Google says you can keep using it, yet it will not get further updates, so you should plan an upgrade. Check your exact date under Settings, About ChromeOS, Additional details, Update schedule.

Nadia, the detail. Google's help page "Use or upgrade an old Chromebook" says older Chromebooks eventually stop receiving updates when hardware can no longer support the latest versions. You may see a message that the device will no longer receive software updates and that you can continue using it but should consider upgrading. The page gives two options: upgrade to a newer Chromebook, or keep using yours, with the reminder that it will not get any more software updates. Work and school devices follow the administrator's policy. Source: Use or upgrade an old Chromebook, Chromebook Help.

For your other question, the same help article and Google's update page describe where the date lives: Settings, About ChromeOS, then Additional details, where "Update schedule" says the device will get automatic updates until the specified date. Google calls this Auto Update Expiration the most reliable way to gauge your Chromebook's age and remaining official support. The update page also explains how to check for updates and finish them with a restart. Source: Update your Chromebook's operating system, Chromebook Help.

Tyler, it does not lock you out on the date. My advice for banking: once the date passes, move sensitive tasks to a device that still gets updates. For other ideas, our thread on what happens at a Chromebook's auto update expiration date covers it in more depth.

@Marcus Hale thank you, that is the plain explanation I needed. I checked, and the date is as the settings said. I will keep it for streaming and recipes after that and move banking and my work-related logins to my other laptop.