What changing ownership means and when you need to do it
Changing the owner of a Chromebook means transferring control of the device from one Google Account to another. The owner account has full administrative rights — it can add or remove other users, change settings, and manage what software gets installed. If you bought a used Chromebook, inherited one, or need to hand it off to someone else, you'll need to change who that owner account is.
The process is straightforward but permanent. Once you change the owner, the previous owner loses administrative access. They can no longer sign in as the owner, though other user accounts on the device may remain active depending on how you set things up.
Key Takeaways
- Changing ownership requires signing out the current owner account completely and signing in a new Google Account as the owner.
- The new owner must have a working Google Account before you start — you cannot create one during the ownership transfer.
- All user accounts on the Chromebook remain after the transfer unless you delete them manually.
- The previous owner will no longer have administrative control, but their files and data stay on the device unless you remove their user account.
Sign out the current owner account
Start by signing out of the Google Account that currently owns the Chromebook. Click the user profile icon in the bottom right corner of the screen, then select Sign out. The Chromebook will return to the sign-in screen.
Do not delete the account yet — just sign out. This leaves the account on the device but removes it from active use, which is important if you want to preserve any files or data associated with that account.
Sign in with the new owner account
At the sign-in screen, click Add person or the plus icon. Enter the email address and password for the Google Account that will become the new owner. This account must already exist — you need to set it up on Google's website before you start this process.
The Chromebook will sync the new account's settings, apps, and files from Google's servers. This can take a few minutes depending on how much data is attached to that account. Do not turn off the device during this step.
Confirm the new account has owner rights
Once the new account is signed in, open the Settings app by clicking the time in the bottom right corner, then selecting the gear icon. Go to Manage other people or Users (the exact name varies by Chrome OS version).
You should see the new account listed with Owner status next to it. If it shows as a regular user instead, the account did not take owner rights during sign-in. In that case, sign out and try the process again, making sure you are signing in for the first time on that Chromebook with the new account.
Remove the old owner account if needed
If you want to delete the previous owner's account from the device entirely, go back to Manage other people in Settings. Find the old account in the list and click the Remove button next to it. A dialog will ask whether to keep or delete the files associated with that account — choose based on whether you need to preserve anything.
Removing the account is optional. You can leave it on the device as a regular user account if someone else needs to access their files, or if you want to keep the account available for future sign-in. The important part is that it no longer has owner rights.
What to do if you forgot the old owner's password
If the previous owner's password is unknown and you cannot sign out normally, you have two options. The first is to perform a Powerwash, which erases everything on the Chromebook and returns it to factory settings. To Powerwash, sign in with any account, open Settings, go to Reset settings, and select Powerwash. This removes all accounts and data, so use it only if you do not need anything from the device.
The second option is to contact the previous owner and ask them to sign in and sign out themselves. If that is not possible and you need to keep the device's data, you may need to contact Google Support or the device manufacturer for help, though they have strict verification requirements before they will information with account changes.
Transferring a work or school Chromebook
If the Chromebook is managed by a school or employer, you cannot change the owner yourself. The device is locked to the organization's account, and only an administrator at that organization can transfer it to a different person or remove it from management. Contact your IT department or school tech support — they have tools to reassign the device or reset it for a new user.
Attempting a Powerwash on a managed device may lock it permanently, so do not try that without permission from the organization first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the new owner have access to the old owner's files?
No. Each Google Account stores its files separately in Google Drive and on the local Chromebook storage. The new owner will see only their own files unless you manually copy files from the old account before deleting it. If you need to transfer specific files, sign into the old account, read them, then upload them to the new account's Drive.
Can two people own the same Chromebook?
No. Only one account can have owner status at a time. Other accounts can be regular users with limited permissions, but there is only one owner. If you need multiple people to manage the device, ask your IT administrator about supervised user accounts or managed device settings.
What happens to apps installed by the old owner?
Apps installed from the Chrome Web Store remain on the device and available to all users. Apps installed only for the old owner's account may not appear for the new owner unless they install them again. Check the Apps section in Settings to see what is available.
Can I change the owner back to the previous account later?
Yes, but only if that account still has a user profile on the device. Sign out the current owner, sign in with the old account, and it will regain owner status. If you deleted the old account entirely, you cannot restore it — you would need to set up that Google Account fresh and add it as a new user.
Do I need to know the new owner's password to change ownership?
Yes. You need the new owner's Google Account email and password to sign them in during the ownership transfer. If they do not have a Google Account yet, they should create one at google.com before you start the process.