Chromebooks are getting more and more popular which means they are more ripe for theft. There are some features and tips for protecting your Chromebooks.
1. Laser Etch them - have your vendor laser etch your school/organization name on the cover. This makes them easily identifiable.
2. Set them up to automatically save downloaded files to Google Drive, not local storage. This means that if the Chromebook is stolen, there are no files for the thief to access. You can do this in the Admin Console > Device Management > Chrome > User Settings > Download Location > Set Google Drive as default.
3. Forced Re-enrollment - this means that even if the thief does a factory reset, it will force a re-enrollment into your domain and keeping your settings. Admin Console > Device Management > Chrome > Device Settings > Forced Re-enrollment > Force Device to Re-enroll into this domain after wiping.
4. Sign In Restriction - restrict sign-in's on your Chromebooks to specific accounts only, specifically your domain. Admin Console > Device Management > Chrome > Device Settings > Sign-In Restriction, enter *@domain.com into box. This makes the Chromebook useless to the thief. If word of this gets out, they may not even bother stealing it.
5. Get third party software that lets you do geo-location of the device. GoGuardian is one example. They also offer some other features.
6. Track the last user that logged into the Chromebook. This could help you track it down and figure out who may have it. Admin Console > Device Management > Chrome > Devices. Locate the missing Chromebook ( you will need the serial number which is why it's important to have a good inventory of your Chromeboooks so you can figure out which one is missing.) Click on the Chromebook and then Recent Activity and you will see details of the last login including the user and time and date. You can also see the Chromebooks MAC address which can help you track it through your wireless network.
7. Disable the Stolen Chromebook - this puts a message on the login screen that shows that it is stolen and belongs to your organization and how to return it. Admin Console > Device Management > Chrome > Devices. Locate the Chromebook and click on it. Click on the three dot menu on the upper right side and then click Disable.
A new window opens and you click Disable.
You can create a personalized message with the owner and how to return it in Admin Console > Device Management > Chrome > Device Settings > Disabled Device Return Instructions.
After a certain amount of time, if you feel you won't get it back, you can Deprovision it here to free up the management license.
These tips can help prevent theft, prevent loss of data, and help recover a Chromebook.