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AARP Tax-Aide�Chromebook Training

Nevada 1

Nick Mancini

Version 10/4/2025

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Introduction to Chromebook

First Time Log In
Verify Wi-Fi Connection
Desktop & VITA/TCE Springboard Overview
Personalization
Accessibility Options
Adapters & Peripherals
Personal Google Drive
Microsoft documents
Resource Sites

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First Time Log In - Start

Fully charge the Chromebook
Open the lid of the Chromebook.
The Chromebook should turn on. If not press the Power Key.

Note: AARP controls the Chromebook OS. � They can change the order of screens or which screens appear.

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QUICK START FOR FIRST TIME USE IN A NEW TAX SEASON

Screen	Action
Connect to Network	1. Fully charge the Chromebook and power on the Chromebook, Connect to a network. (LC’s and or trainers will have the SSID and password for the approved AARP network)
Sign In (may not appear)	2. Remove any Username that appears on the sign-in screen by doing the following: �a. Click the arrow next to the username you want to remove. b. Select Remove Account from the drop-down menu. Note 1: If you do not see “Remove Account”, your screen is probably locked but you haven’t signed out of the account. Sign out of your Google account (bottom left corner of the screen, or, power off the Chromebook then power it back on. When your username appears, repeat a. and b. above. Note 2: If multiple usernames appear in the Sign-in screen at the beginning of the season, remove each of them separately following the steps above.
Sign into your Chromebook	3. Enter your full Tax-Aide Google account email address . VolIDtyYY@aarpfoundation.org VoID = 9-digit Volunteer ID number YY = 2-digit current calendar year of creation (e.g. 123456789ty24@aarpfoundation.org) 4. Click Next.
Welcome	5. Enter the initial password: This will be provided to you by your LC or Instructor+ If a Welcome to your new account screen appears, select I Understand

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QUICK START FOR FIRST TIME USE IN A NEW TAX SEASON

Screen	Action
Change Password	6. Enter a strong unique password. Minimum 10 characters. 7. Enter the password a second time 8. Press Enter to confirm. Note: For all subsequent sign-ins, you will need your unique password.
Accept all screens	9. On the next couple of setup screens, leave all the default options a they are and click Accept and continue. 10. If you see a screen titled “Connect to your phone”, Click No Thanks 10a. Chrome may launch automatically. If so go to the “Sign in – Google Accounts tab and follow the on screen instructions to sign in to your AARP account
Check Recovery email and phone	11. Launch Chrome from the icon at the bottom of the task bar 12.In a new tab, Go to Tax-Aide-Links -> Google Links -> Update Recovery Info �13. Under “Your account is protected” select “see details” 14. On the next screen select Sign in & recovery. Ensure that there are 2 verification methods. If not add them
Check for Chrome OS Update	15. Click on the right bottom (time) of the screen. 16. Click on the Gear Settings icon . Ignore any Account Blocked popups you see. �17. In the Settings window, click on the “About ChromeOS” tab. 18. Click on Check for Updates (or Restart if an update is pending) 19. If there are any new updates, Restart the Chromebook. 20. After the Chromebook restarts, log in and check again for updates. 21. Repeat this process until it says “Your Chromebook is up to date”. (Note: it may take a couple of restarts).

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Chrome Home Page

Open Chrome and select the VITA/TCE Springboard tab.
If not already full screen, click on the square in the top right corner to expand Chrome to full Screen

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Click on the time in the Menu at bottom right of the screen to expand the toolbox

NOTE: Before using the Chromebook on-site, always verify that it is connected to the AARP Tax-Aide network.

Examine the network name.

If it is not the AARP Tax-Aide network then change it to the AARP Tax-Aide Network (You will be supplied with the SSID and password).

Verify Wi-Fi Network Connection

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Desktop & VITA/TCE Springboard�Overview

Calculator

VITA/TCE Springboard

Shelf

Preinstalled Bookmarks

Menu

Apps

Launcher

Tax-Aide Links

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Desktop Overview�Bookmarks Bar

Similar to the Bookmarks or Favorites Bar you are used to.
The Bookmarks Folder “Tax-Aide Links” is preinstalled and managed by AARP with useful training and tax preparation tools
You can add web pages to the Bookmarks Bar. Click on the star icon at the right end of the address field��
Any bookmarks and changes to Chrome are saved to your user profile and loaded to your browser every time you log in.

Note: To avoid losing your current page, remember to open a new tab before selecting a bookmark or Right-click on a bookmark then select “Open in new tab”

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Desktop Overview�Shelf - Launcher

Click on the Launcher icon, to reveal the App Launcher, a pop-up window containing applications.

Click on the App Launcher icon to close the list

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Desktop Overview�Add Files App to Shelf from Launcher

Open Launcher

Right click on the Files app icon then select Pin to Shelf

The Files App will appear in the Apps area of the Shelf
The Shelf – Apps content is stored with your Google profile and will be there whenever you log-in.

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Desktop Overview�Toolbox

Click on the Menu in the lower right of the screen.

Power off

Wi-Fi strength

Active Network

Display Brightness

Battery Strength

Settings

Turn on/off Notifications

Bluetooth

Cast the screen to a compatible device

Take a screenshot or record all or part of the screen

Sound Volume

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Personalization

Only a few specific applications can be added to the Chromebook (available when you open Google Play Store)�
For security reasons, there is only read access to USB drives. The ability to write to USB drives was turned off by the AARP Administrator.�

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Accessibility Options�Selecting Options

Open the Launcher on the lower left of the screen �or the menu (time) on the lower right of the screen
Select “Settings”
Select “Accessibility”
Turn on “Show accessibility options in Quick Settings”
Close Settings

If you want to make Accessibility Options easily available:�

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Accessibility Options�Making the Chromebook Easier to Use

Select the Menu(time) to bring up �Quick Settings (Toolbox)
Select “Accessibility”
A list of options come up. You may need to scroll through the list to find the one you want.
Toggle on any that you want to use.

Accessibility Options are accessed in the Quick Settings (Toolbox)

Given the size of the screen, two common options are “Large Mouse Cursor” and “Highlight Mouse Cursor”

Large Mouse Cursor

Large Mouse Cursor + Highlight Mouse Cursor �(hovering over a non selection item)

Large Mouse Cursor + Highlight Mouse Cursor �(hovering over a selection item)

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Adapters & Peripherals

There are two traditional USB-A ports, one on either side.

Anything used with Windows laptop USB ports, like a mouse, will work on the Chromebooks

This model Chromebook also contains two USB-C ports, one on either side.
Power is supplied to the Chromebook through either one of these USB-C ports.

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Personal Google Drive

Google Drive is a free service
It allows you to store files online and access them anywhere using the cloud.
It provides access to free web-based applications for creating documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more.
30GB of free storage
Access at http://drive.google.com or selecting Google Drive in the Tax-Aide Links bookmark folder
It is accessible from any computer using your AARP Chromebook login

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Using Microsoft Documents�Overview

Each Chromebook includes access to “G-Suite” which provides access to Google Docs, Sheets, and Slide
In addition it allows you to read, edit, and save Microsoft Office documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.
All changes will be auto-saved to the file in its original Microsoft Office format.

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Using Microsoft Documents�Converting to Google Docs

Double click on Microsoft document on your Google Drive.
He file will open in a new tab
Select File > Save as Google Docs
The new file will be saved on your Google Drive and opened in a new Chrome tab
Close the tabs to exit

The process is the same for PowerPoint and Excel.

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Using Google Docs�Converting To Microsoft Word

Double click on a Google Doc in your Google Drive to open it in a new Chrome tab
Select File > Download > Microsoft Word
The new file will be stored in your Google Drive
Close the tab to exit

The process is the same for Google Sheets and Slides.

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Nevada Tax-Aide Volunteer Site�NVTaxAide.org

The site describes volunteering for Tax-Aide. Click on “Position Opportunities” Under “Volunteer” to get detailed descriptions of the roles available with Tax-Aide. If you have friends interested in volunteering encourage them to explore this site.

Local Team Position

Local Coordinator (LC)

Counselor / Tax Preparer (COU)

Appointment Scheduler

Client Facilitator/Greeter (CF)

Technology Coordinator (TC)

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Nevada Tax-Aide Training Site�Train.NevadaTaxAide.com

This site includes specific training information for each Tax-Aide role. It can provide valuable information to prepare for certification.

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Nevada Tax-Aide Training Site�Train.NevadaTaxAide.com

Website Search Function

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Volunteer Website Volunteer.NevadaTaxAide.com

Open and Bookmark Volunteer.NevadaTaxAide.com

By selecting Detailed Volunteer Page in the menu, you gain access to a central hub with links to:

Tax Preparation Resources
Technology Resources
Training Home Page
Public NV Tax-Aide Page

The Home page provides quick access to solutions for common issues

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Volunteer Website Volunteer.NevadaTaxAide.com

The links at the bottom of the page provide access to:

Training Home Page
Tax Preparation Resources
Technology Resources
Public NV Tax-Aide Page

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Volunteer Website Volunteer.NevadaTaxAide.com

Link to Training Home Page

Website Search Function

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Introduction to Chromebook

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