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Google Safe Browsing protects you from malware and other online threats. Here's how to set it up
Turn on Safe Browsing to protect yourself online
As more of our work is done online, safeguarding our digital presence is imperative. Threats loom everywhere in the form of phishing attacks and malware. Over 353 million people in the US were affected by data compromises in 2023 through data breaches and exposure. Passkeys, authenticator apps, 2FA, and other security tools help secure our accounts and make us less vulnerable to malicious actors.
Chrome Canary 124 now supports live translated captions by default
Live Translate was first spotted in April last year
Google Chrome is one of our favorite web browsers, even though competitors like Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, etc., continue to get better with each iteration. Last year, Google was working on bundling the Pixel's Live Translate feature in Chrome, intended to work in tandem with Live Caption, added almost three years ago. However, this Live Translate functionality was not available by default, even in Canary, requiring a command line flag to activate. It now looks like we're getting closer to the feature's imminent arrival, with the latest Chrome Canary 124 release enabling Live Translate by default.
Google Chrome releases: What's new in every version
A central hub for all the things that have changed in Chrome
Google Chrome is probably the browser everyone is using. When it launched back in 2008, it was lauded as a super-small, resource-saving program that wasn't even feature-complete, but that has long changed. After its long and winding march to market domination, the browser received more features, grew in size, and is now known as an absolute resource hog and data collection engine.
Google Chrome's phishing protection is now both faster and better
The browser now checks for threats in real time with Safe Browsing's Standard protection, promising up to 25% better phishing detection rates
Google Chrome wants to supercharge phishing protection with its latest update. The browser will check for new phishing and security threats in real-time as you visit new websites, rather than work with a downloaded list from Google servers. This makes it possible for sites to load faster all while blocking 25% more phishing attempts, as Google claims.
What’s new in Chrome 123: Android-style media player on desktop
Chrome 123 is working hard on feature parity across desktop and Android
Google’s incredibly fast browser release rhythm continues with Chrome 123, which is already going stable following Chrome 122's release last month. This week, it's poised to reach a small percentage of users while a wider rollout will only start a few days later. Chrome 123 is working on some interesting features and may offer a few new functionalities, so let’s dive in.
Chrome on Android really needs to learn this simple trick from Safari
With these auto-close options, tab management has never been easier
One of the best parts of my job as Phones Editor at Android Police is how easy it makes comparing Android to its sole remaining rival. While I know some readers prefer to pretend iOS doesn't exist, the truth is that, at least in North America, the iPhone is eating Android's lunch right now. Learning more about the pros — and cons — of that walled garden can add a lot of context to the modern state of smartphones, whether you're talking about modern messaging platforms or, well, something much smaller.
Chrome for Android could get a (very limited) bottom bar again
A new flag for a bottom-based custom tab interface was spotted, but it will only be available with links opened from the Google app
A long time ago, Google experimented with moving some Chrome interface elements to the bottom on Android devices. The company has long scrapped these tests, and even though Chrome for iOS offers an optional bottom-based interface these days, we don’t see anything remotely like it on Android. This could finally change soon, but it looks like the bottom bar will only be used for some very specific activities.
Google paid out $10 million in vulnerability awards last year
The company held its first ever live-hacking event targeting LLM in 2023
The more complicated software gets, the more likely it is to have bugs or security loopholes. Google and many other companies recognize that, and they want to give hackers and security researchers an incentive to find and report problems. That’s where Google’s Vulnerability Rewards Program (VRP) comes in. Last year, the company paid out a total of $10 million to researchers reporting problems with Google software all around the world.
Google Chrome's custom tabs get a serious multitasking upgrade
The browser is rolling out support for picture-in-picture mode in custom tabs
Google’s custom tabs are an ingenious way to handle in-app links on Android, giving you access to your cookies and preferences on websites all without kicking you straight to Chrome. The concept of custom tabs has been largely unchanged over the past few years, with nothing but some minor improvements. The latest tweak is more fundamental, though. Using Android’s picture-in-picture mode, custom tabs can now stay active in the background.
Google Chrome for desktop is preparing a serious Lens upgrade
Reverse image search, but simpler and rebranded
Google has been the world’s most popular search engine for many years now, and its accessibility has helped the company’s success immeasurably. Google has even admitted that the Chrome browser only exists as a tool to make Search more accessible. To this effect, Chrome houses all the important utilities, such as a prominent Search bar, reverse image search tools, and Lens. Deeper Lens integration is now on the horizon, hopefully bringing the user experience closer to the mobile app.
Google Chrome's new tab page is minimal and functional but not fun. However, Chrome provides several ways to customize your Google background theme. You can overhaul the browser using Google Chrome themes, spice up the new tab page with fresh new looks, and use a custom image as your background. If you're tired of staring at an empty white homepage in your browser, use these methods to change the Google Chrome background on your favorite Chromebook, MacBook, or Windows PC.
Chrome could simplify exiting full screen mode on desktops
Just press and hold the Esc key rather than a convoluted key combination
Google Chrome has offered a fullscreen mode on desktops for ages, but it’s never been particularly standardized how to access and exit it across platforms. That may be changing, as Google introduced a flag that gives you an easy-to-use keyboard shortcut to exit full screen. It's far more intuitive than the disparate options currently available.
Google Chrome's search suggestions are about to get even stronger
Three new search features are rolling out to the browser starting today
Google Chrome already boasts some of the most robust search features out of all the browsers available, offering an Omnibox that can correct minor spelling mistakes and suggest surprisingly relevant sites well before you finish typing. Of course, you'd expect this from a browser made by the internet's biggest search engine, but Google didn't get to this point by relying on reputation. Now, Chrome is taking another step ahead of the pack with a handful of new search features rolling out today.
Google Chrome is rolling out Help me write
The generative AI writing feature arrives right on schedule
Google announced a whole slew of AI features for Chrome last month, including automatic tab organization and AI wallpaper generation. While those two features are already live, Google also announced Help me write, an AI-assisted writing tool, which was slated to come later. This time has now arrived, with the company officially rolling out Help me write in the US.
How to change the default language on Google Chrome
From Afrikaans to Zulu, Google Chrome has 153 language options to choose from
Language diversity is a big deal for Google, catering to a worldwide user base of cultures and dialects. Your default language setting on Google Chrome may be English, but there are options for folks who don't speak English. Language barriers are removed with a Chrome feature that translates web page text into your chosen dialect. Here's how to change the language settings on devices running Google Chrome, including useful Chromebooks, Android devices, and PCs, all conducted within Google Chrome.
Chrome for Android could soon let you group a single tab
Creating a starting point for a tab group will be easier that way
Tab groups are a relatively recent addition to browsers, making it possible to bundle similar tabs or a related browsing session in a single place. While you could start new tab groups with only a single tab in them on Chrome’s desktop version for ages, this capability has only now shown up in a pre-release version of Chrome for Android, Chrome Canary 124.
What’s new in Chrome 122: Read Aloud and Help Me Write
Chrome is in for some quality of life improvements in its latest version
Google's incredibly fast browser release cadence continues with Chrome 122, which is currently slowly rolling out as a stable release to all supported platforms. After Google announced a few new AI features with Chrome 121, the new Chrome release is concerned with tying some loose ends on that front. There are also further improvements to cross-platform syncing. Read on to learn everything you need to know.
Say goodbye to third-party cookies and hello to microtransactions
Your browser may someday auto-pay the creators you love
Payments and content subscriptions for the best entertainment apps are arguably the bane of the internet age, but for companies, they are a proven business model which generates recurring income. However, imagine an existence online where you just surf the web unhindered and your browser compensates content creators directly without your repetitive involvement. Chromium developers are working on such a system, thus creating an exciting future for our favorite browsers on Android.
Besides outright simplicity and convenience, Google Chrome is loaded to the gills with functional bits as well. For instance, the desktop version of the browser doubles up as a password manager, PDF viewer, and HTML viewer. The android client for Chrome hasn’t achieved feature parity yet, and we sorely miss our favorite browser extensions on mobile, but Google is working on making things better with support for opening PDF files directly in Chrome.
Google Chrome: 13 top tips and tricks for the desktop browser
Become a Chrome expert with these simple but powerful tips
Google Chrome is many people's browser of choice. Chrome is available on most operating systems. It's pre-installed on the best Android tablets and phones, and it's available for Windows as well as in the App Store for iOS and macOS. You only need a Google Account to use Chrome's best features.