Best practice steps for students signing in to Google Chrome Follow

This article helps teachers, students and administrators make sure students are signed in to Chrome correctly with their school Google account so Hāpara can work as expected.

Who this is for

Teachers | Admins | Students

Summary

Students should sign in to the Chrome browser profile with their school Google account, not just sign in to a Google website. This helps school-managed settings, extensions and Hāpara tools apply correctly. If a student is not signed in to Chrome properly, they may appear offline, show limited browsing activity or have trouble accessing school resources.

Best practice steps for students

1. Open Google Chrome.
2. Look at the top-right corner of Chrome.
3. Select the profile icon.
4. Check which Google account is signed in.
5. If the student is not signed in with their school account, select Add or Sign in to Chrome.
6. Enter the student’s school Google email address.
7. Enter the student’s school Google password.
8. When prompted, select Yes, I’m in or Turn on sync if your school allows Chrome sync.
9. Make sure the Chrome profile now shows the student’s school account.
10. Open a new tab and go to a school-approved website or learning platform to confirm the account is working.

Important: Signing in to Gmail, Google Drive or Google Classroom is not always the same as signing in to Chrome. Students should be signed in to the Chrome browser profile itself with their school Google account.

How to check that the student is signed in correctly

1. Ask the student to open Chrome.
2. Ask them to select the profile icon in the top-right corner.
3. Confirm the school email address is listed.
4. If another account is shown, ask the student to switch to their school Chrome profile.
5. If the student has multiple profiles, ask them to close Chrome and reopen the school profile only.
6. If the student is using a shared device, make sure they sign out at the end of the session if required by your school policy.

What students should avoid

1. Do not use a personal Gmail account for school work.
2. Do not switch between personal and school Chrome profiles during class.
3. Do not use Guest mode unless instructed by a teacher or administrator.
4. Do not use Incognito mode for school learning activities.
5. Do not sign in to Google websites only and assume Chrome is fully signed in.
6. Do not ignore Chrome prompts asking whether to link data or turn on school-managed settings.

Why signing in to Chrome matters for Hāpara

When students are signed in to Chrome with their school Google account, school-managed Chrome policies and extensions can apply correctly. This helps Hāpara tools work more reliably, including visibility in Highlights, access to student files and classroom learning workflows.

If a student is not signed in correctly, teachers may see issues such as:

Students appearing offline in Highlights

Blank or missing student panels

Limited browsing visibility

Hāpara extensions not applying as expected

Students accessing school tools with the wrong Google account

For teachers: quick classroom check

Before using Highlights or other Hāpara tools, ask students to:

1. Open Chrome.
2. Select the profile icon.
3. Confirm they see their school Google account.
4. Close any personal Chrome profiles.
5. Refresh the learning page or restart Chrome if needed.

For administrators: recommended setup

Admins should confirm that Chrome and Google Workspace policies support the expected student sign-in flow.

Recommended checks:

1. Require students to use school-managed Google accounts.
2. Prevent or limit multiple Google account sign-ins where appropriate.
3. Disable Guest mode if it conflicts with school monitoring or filtering expectations.
4. Review Chrome sync settings for student organizational units.
5. Confirm the Hāpara extension is force-installed where required.
6. Confirm students are using a supported Chrome browser version.
7. Share a simple student-facing sign-in routine with teachers for start-of-class troubleshooting.

Troubleshooting

If the student cannot sign in:

1. Check that the email address is typed correctly.
2. Ask the student to try their school password again.
3. Confirm the device is connected to the internet.
4. Try closing and reopening Chrome.
5. Ask the student to restart the device.
6. If the issue continues, contact the school’s IT team or Hāpara administrator.

If the wrong account keeps opening:

1. Select the Chrome profile icon.
2. Switch to the school Chrome profile.
3. Remove or sign out of personal profiles if allowed by school policy.
4. Restart Chrome.
5. Confirm the school account appears in the Chrome profile.

If the student appears offline in Highlights:

1. Confirm the student is signed in to Chrome with their school account.
2. Confirm the student is using Chrome, not another browser.
3. Ask the student to refresh their browser.
4. Ask the student to restart Chrome.
5. Confirm the student is connected to the internet.
6. If the student still appears offline, escalate to your school’s Hāpara administrator.