ChromeOS 125 is rolling out with tons of new features

It looks like ChromeOS 125 will be rolling out across the board right on schedule (aside from a few stragglers still waiting for the latest update), and that means There are a ton of new features coming to your Chromebook once you receive the download and restart your device.

For a change, there’s nothing in this update that should come as a big surprise after yesterday’s announcements around Google’s latest Chromebook event. We’ve dedicated an entire post to the new features Google has promised in NYC, and from what we can tell so far: almost all of them are available and ready to try right away with this update. Some features are clearly intended for Chromebook Plus devices, so there will be certain things that only users with Chromebook Plus-certified devices will see.

What’s new in ChromeOS 125

Since there are no official release notes yet, we’re going off last week’s Chromebook event and the Explore app’s list of new features. The list is quite extensive and we cover most of these things in our video from yesterday, so I’ll keep it short.

Chat with Gemini: Chromebook Plus devices now have Gemini on the shelf for more direct access to chat. You can use Gemini to boost your ideas and get help with brainstorming, planning, learning, and more.

Help me write: The long-awaited Help Me Write tool is here to help you write and/or rewrite with Chromebook Plus. Whether you’re writing a blog post, writing a review, or coming up with catchy captions for social media, you can get writing help right where you need it: just a right-click away.

Magic editor: In the Google Photos app for ChromeOS, you can now use Magic Editor to move objects, resize things, change the sky, improve lighting, and more. Just open a photo, select the Magic Editor button at the top and get started. Google has even added some handy keyboard shortcuts to make operations easier on a Chromebook.

AI wallpapers and backgrounds: Another long-awaited AI capability is now available for ChromeOS, with AI-created wallpapers and backgrounds. Whether you are looking for a unique wallpaper for your device or want to create the right atmosphere for a video chat, these wallpapers are interesting and one of a kind.

Game Dashboard: The gaming dashboard makes it easy to add keyboard input to Android games, record and capture your gameplay, and share your recordings with others. To access the dashboard menu, tap the window bar in your game window (or press SEARCH + G) to see all available options during a game.

Google Tasks in Quick Settings: You can now access and add your Google Tasks from your Chromebook Shelf, right above the Quick Calendar. Tasks added to your phone from Gmail will sync to your Chromebook. Just tap the date to view your calendar and Google Tasks checklist, and you can switch between your to-do lists by tapping the down arrow to switch between tasks. For what it’s worth, this is the only new feature I’m still not seeing on my devices, but it could also be a server-side issue.

GIF Recorder: I like this little feature. Built right into the screen recording feature, you can now use the record button to capture GIFs instead of video. It makes grabbing a quick clip from a YouTube video or movie an absolute breeze, and it will definitely be super useful for WhatsApp chats.

I’m sure there are more tidbits hidden in the operating system, but this is a lot of new stuff in one single update! Fortunately, it’s all delivered on time and on schedule, to match the new hardware we already see on store shelves. And I’m glad that this launch is – for the most part – well coordinated and doesn’t promise promising features that will take months to arrive. They are here today, they are ready to go and they are all helpful in their own way.