Using ChromeOS peripherals in virtualization solutions

Google have tested and validated virtualization solutions, including Citrix Workspace and VMware Horizon, through our Chrome Enterprise Recommended program.

Within virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) environments, the options for peripheral device are USB redirection and VDI-specific integrations.

USB redirection

Using USB device redirection, also called USB passthrough, USB devices that are connected to a device can be virtually connected to the remote host VDI session. For example, a badge reader that is connected to a client device is virtually connected to an application that is within a virtual desktop, or remote host, on the device.

VDI solutions can support multiple peripherals without specific per-peripheral customization to work with ChromeOS. Simply use the Google Admin console to configure USB redirection.

USB redirection in ChromeOS is supported for:

• Citrix
  • Citrix documentation—Enabling and adding USB devices with receiver for Chrome
  • (ChromeOS and ChromeOS Flex) Citrix documentation—Citrix and ChromeOS, Citrix ready validated solutions for contact centers
• VMware
  • VMware documentation—Configuring USB redirection for Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and HTML Access Clients
  • (ChromeOS) VMware documentation—VMware validated veripherals

You can use the Admin console and a VDI application to connect a peripheral using USB redirection. For details, read:

• Citrix documentation—Configure Citrix Workspace app for ChromeOS
• VMware documentation—Configuring USB Redirection for Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and HTML Access Clients
• VMware documentation—Use USB devices in a virtual desktop

Set up USB redirection

1. Sign in to your Google Admin console.

   Sign in using your administrator account (does not end in @gmail.com).

2. In the Admin console, go to Menu  DevicesChromeSettingsDevice settings.
3. To apply the setting to all devices, leave the top organizational unit selected. Otherwise, select a child organizational unit.
4. Go to Other settings.
5. Click USB access.
6. Specify the list of allowed USB devices. Enter colon separated hexadecimal pairs of USB Vendor ID and Product ID, one entry per line. For details, go to Set ChromeOS device policies.
   Note: To get the USB Vendor ID and Product ID in hexadecimal format—On a ChromeOS device with the peripheral inserted, go to chrome://usb-internals and click Devices.
7. Click Save.
8. At the top, click User & browser settings.
9. Go to Hardware.
10. Click WebUSB API allowed devices.
11. Specify a list of URLs that can connect to USB devices with specific vendor and product IDs. For details, go to Set Chrome policies for users or browsers.
12. Click Save.
13. In the VDI app that you're using, update relevant settings.

Related topics

• Learn about virtualization solutions
• Read about Chrome Enterprise Recommended virtualization solutions
• Works With Chromebook | Peripherals by Solution

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