Short Answer:
Not the exact ChromeOS that ships on a Chromebook, but you have a much better option now than you used to: ChromeOS Flex. It is a free, official build of ChromeOS from Google designed specifically to install on ordinary PCs and Macs. The full version that comes on Chromebooks is still licensed to certified hardware only, but ChromeOS Flex covers most of what people are actually after.
Long Answer:
When this question first came up years ago, the answer was a flat no, and your only real workaround was hunting down community builds of the open-source Chromium OS or a third-party product called CloudReady from a company named Neverware. That whole landscape has been folded into one clean, supported path. Google acquired Neverware in 2020, turned CloudReady into an official product, and relaunched it as ChromeOS Flex, which reached general availability in 2022.
ChromeOS Flex installs on the vast majority of PCs and Intel-based Macs made in the last decade or so. You download the installer through the Chromebook Recovery Utility extension in Chrome, write it to a USB drive, boot your old machine from that USB stick, and you can either try it live without touching the existing drive or install it permanently. It is genuinely one of the best ways to give an aging Windows laptop or older MacBook a fast, secure second life, since ChromeOS Flex is light on resources and gets the same kind of background security updates a Chromebook does. Google publishes a certified models list so you can check whether your specific machine is supported before you commit.
There is one real difference to understand. ChromeOS Flex does not include the Google Play Store, so it cannot run Android apps, and it lacks some of the hardware-tied security features (like the Titan-C security chip and verified boot) that depend on Chromebook hardware. For most people that gap does not matter, because the browser, web apps, and the Linux development environment all still work. But if Android apps are the reason you want ChromeOS, Flex will disappoint you, and a real Chromebook is the answer.
Consider Getting an Official Chromebook
While Chromium OS can run on many PCs and Macs, the experience with an official Chromebook is significantly better. Chromebooks receive automatic updates directly from Google, have optimized hardware drivers, support Android apps from the Google Play Store, and come with verified boot security. You can even install Java and other development tools through the built-in Linux environment. If you're interested in Chrome OS primarily for its simplicity, speed, and security, purchasing an affordable Chromebook often makes more sense than dealing with the limitations of unofficial builds.
For those on a budget, the HP Chromebook 14a offers excellent value starting at $174, with a great keyboard and long battery life. If you want a more premium experience with convertible functionality, the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i provides strong performance and a 360-degree hinge at around $429. For power users who need the best specs, the Acer Chromebook Plus 515 delivers a 15.6-inch display, Intel Core i3 processor, and Chromebook Plus certification for around $399.
