San Francisco, Feb 16 (IANS): US based search engine giant Google has announced an early access programme called Chrome OS Flex that will bring its operating system to existing Windows and Macs.

The new version of Chrome OS, designed for businesses and schools and can be installed within minutes.

"Chrome OS Flex is a new, free-to-download operating system from Google. Built for businesses and schools, it's fully compatible with Google's powerful cloud-based management. Chrome OS Flex modernises devices you already own, allowing you to experience the benefits of Chrome OS on PCs and Macs," the company said in a statement.

Devices running Chrome OS Flex will also have the ability to be managed with the same setup and licensing as enterprise and education Chromebooks without any differences in the process.

Chrome OS Flex will only require 4GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, and an Intel or AMD x86 processor.

Chrome OS Flex is basically an upgraded version of CloudReady, which had the same functionality. CloudReady was developed by NeverWare, which Google acquired in 2020. The company's free CloudReady installer can make it easy to transform an old Windows PC into a Chrome device.

"Chrome OS Flex boots up in seconds and doesn't slow down over time. And with system updates that happen in the background, there's less downtime for users," the company adds. One can also install the OS to machines through a USB drive or network in minutes.