How Schools Can Prepare for the ChromeOS M136 Update

A ChromeOS Update Is Coming September 1, 2026. Here’s What Schools Should Know

Managing a ChromeOS fleet comes with a lot of moving pieces. Updates, device lifecycles, admin settings, warranties, refresh planning, support tickets, and all the little things that somehow become much bigger things when they are not checked early enough.

That is why an upcoming ChromeOS remote management change is worth paying attention to now. For schools, this is a good time to take a closer look at fleet health, update settings, and any devices that may be nearing or past their Auto Update Expiration date.

What ChromeOS Update Is Coming September 1, 2026?

Google has shared that ChromeOS version M133 and older will no longer support real-time remote management commands beginning September 1, 2026.

To maintain full remote management functionality, school devices will need to move to ChromeOS M136 or newer.

That does not mean every device needs to be replaced right away. Some devices may simply need updating. Others may be held back by Admin Console settings. And some older devices may no longer be able to update because they have reached their Auto Update Expiration, or AUE, date.

Why Does This ChromeOS Remote Management Change Matter?

Remote management is one of the reasons ChromeOS works well at scale. It gives IT teams a way to manage devices, apply settings, support users, troubleshoot issues, and keep things running without physically touching every device.

If devices fall too far behind on ChromeOS updates, maintaining them can become harder. That can be especially frustrating during busy windows like back-to-school setup, testing, device collection, and refresh planning, when teams need reliable access to device information and management tools.

For districts, this update creates a useful checkpoint to ask:

• Are all managed ChromeOS devices able to update to M136 or newer?
• Are any devices pinned to an older ChromeOS version?
• Are there AUE devices that can no longer receive the needed update?
• Are upcoming refresh plans aligned with ChromeOS support timelines?
• Are Chrome Education Upgrades accounted for on new or refreshed devices?

The earlier districts can review these details, the easier it becomes to plan next steps before the September deadline.

How Can You Check Which Devices Are Impacted?

The best place to start is the Chrome Versions report in the Google Admin Console. This report helps admins see which ChromeOS versions are currently running across managed devices, making it easier to identify devices that may need to be updated, unpinned, or reviewed for replacement.

As teams review the report, they should look for:

• Devices running M133 or older
• Device groups with a large number of older ChromeOS versions
• Devices that have not updated recently
• Devices that may be near or past their Auto Update Expiration date
• Organizational units with different update patterns

This gives IT teams a clearer view of where to focus first. Instead of reviewing the entire fleet device by device, admins can use the report to spot patterns, prioritize higher-risk groups, and decide which devices need a closer look before the September deadline.

Need Help Finding the Chrome Versions Report?

To access the Chrome Versions report:

1. Sign in to the Google Admin console.
2. Go to Menu > Devices > Chrome > Reports > Versions.
3. Choose Browser Versions or ChromeOS Versions at the top.
4. Optional: Select an organizational unit, or OU, on the left to filter results.
5. Click Export to download the data.

How Do Target Version Settings Affect ChromeOS Updates?

Some devices may be able to update to ChromeOS M136 or newer, but are being held back by update settings in the Google Admin Console.

That is why schools should also review their Target Version settings to make sure devices are allowed to update to and beyond ChromeOS 136. If devices are pinned to an older version, they may not receive the update needed to retain real-time remote management commands after September 1, 2026.

This is especially worth checking if your team previously paused ChromeOS updates for testing, app compatibility, or a staged rollout. Those settings may have made sense at the time, but they can cause issues if not reviewed before the deadline.

Need Help Checking Target Version Settings?

To review Target Version settings:

1. Sign in to the Google Admin console
2. Go to Menu > Devices > Chrome > Settings > Device settings
3. Select the organizational unit, or OU, you want to review
4. Find the Device update settings section
5. Review the Target version setting
6. Make sure supported devices are allowed to update to ChromeOS 136 or newer

What Should Schools Do with AUE Chromebooks?

Some Chromebooks may not be able to update to ChromeOS M136 because they have reached their Auto Update Expiration, or AUE, date.

For those devices, this update becomes part of a larger refresh planning conversation. If a device can no longer receive the ChromeOS version needed to retain real-time remote management commands, schools may need to consider replacing it.

As such, now is a good time to review Chrome Education Upgrade needs. As older devices are refreshed, districts will want to make sure the right licenses are in place so new devices can be enrolled, managed, and supported from the start.

For teams reviewing AUE devices, it can help to ask:

• Which devices are already past AUE?
• Which devices will reach AUE before September 1, 2026?
• Are those devices still actively used by students or staff?
• Are they assigned to specific schools, grades, carts, labs, or programs?
• Will replacement devices need new Chrome Education Upgrades?

Once those answers are clear, teams can better prioritize which devices need attention first and align refresh planning with budget, deployment, and support timelines.

Read more about Chromebook’s AUE dates: Check out this blog on What is a Google AUE Date and Does it Really Matter?

How Can Schools Prepare Before the ChromeOS Remote Management Change

Once teams understand which devices may be impacted, the next step is to build a plan for updates, settings, refresh needs, and licensing.

A simple way to approach this is to group devices by next step:

• Update → Devices that can move to ChromeOS M136 or newer
• Unpin → Devices held back by Target Version settings
• Review → Devices with unclear update status or inconsistent reporting
• Refresh → Devices that have reached AUE and cannot update further
• License → Refreshed devices that need Chrome Education Upgrades

This gives school IT teams a cleaner path forward while also helping with timing. Instead of treating every older device the same way, teams can focus on the action each device actually needs. And, if devices need to be refreshed, schools will have extra time to plan budgets, confirm quantities, order replacements, attach Chrome Education Upgrades, and prepare for deployment. The sooner those details are reviewed, the easier it becomes to avoid last-minute decisions closer to the deadline.

Need Help Reviewing Your ChromeOS Fleet?

Trafera’s Google team can help you review your options, identify devices that may need attention, and think through next steps for updates, refresh planning, and Chrome Education Upgrade needs.

If your team has questions about the September 1, 2026 ChromeOS update or wants help preparing your fleet, let us know. We have a team of experts who are ready to help!