What’s new in Chrome 92, available today
Google Chrome releases now take place every four weeks, which is great for getting new features, but that means each release is lighter on those new features. Chrome 92, however, includes some cool flags and updates for web apps.
Check website permissions
Websites can require permissions just like mobile apps, but there’s no convenient way to track which sites you’ve granted permissions to. Chrome 92 for Android adds the ability to view permissions in the security control panel.
You can now tap the lock icon in the address bar to open a panel that lists âPermissionsâ. When you select this entry, you will be able to see which permissions have been granted and you can either deactivate them individually or reset them all.
New Chrome action for security checks
Chrome actions were introduced in version 87 as quick shortcuts from the search bar. They can be used to do things like “delete history” and “start incognito mode”. Chrome 92 adds an action for security checks.
All you have to do is type “security check” or “run security check” in the address bar and you will see a shortcut to go directly to Chrome’s security check tool. The security check will run immediately, saving you a lot of time.
Web applications can handle files
It’s common to be asked which app you want to use to open a file on your Android device. Now you will also see web apps as available options. Once developers add support, you will be able to open files with added web apps through Chrome.
This change starts on Android, but it will eventually come to Chrome on desktops as well. This will go a long way in making web apps look more like native apps.
Better transitions for web applications
Web apps take a step further to feel like native apps with better transitions. Developers will have a choice of a new set of transitions that will add an extra visual touch to web applications. It will also make it easier for developers, as they will no longer have to create their own transitions.
Memories: a new way of seeing history
Do you feel like all social networks have ‘stories’ now? You are not alone and Chrome joins you in a way. The feature is called “Memories,” and it’s basically a new way to find your history.
At the time of writing, Memories is available under a flag (chrome: // flags / # memories) on the desk. Once activated, you can access chrome: // memories, and you’ll see a whole new user interface for your history.
We don’t know exactly what this is for at the moment. At this point it shows a different story than the one you see at chrome: // history. This is clearly a work in progress, but Google seems to have plans for it.
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‘Follow’ websites are more widely available
Early versions of Chrome 92 for Android added a feature called Web Feed. Its concept is quite similar to RSS feeds but integrated into the Chrome browser. This functionality is now more widely available and expanded.
Instead of searching for an RSS feed and adding it to your RSS reader of choice, you can simply “Follow” a website from Chrome, and the new content will appear on the “New Tab” page under the “tab”. Following “.
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Better controls for PiP video calls
Most of the popular video conferencing apps have web versions that work in Chrome. Google has worked to improve this experience, and Chrome 92 is adding new controls when you make video appear in a picture-in-picture (PiP) window.
The PiP window now displays icons to activate your microphone and webcam. In addition, there is a quick shortcut to end the call. These changes are still rolling out in Chrome 92, so you might not see them right away.
What’s up?
Chrome 92 is another release that’s light on user changes, but there’s always more going on behind the scenes. You can read more about many of these changes on Google’s developer site as well as on the Chromium blog. We will highlight some changes here:
- Application shortcuts: Chrome for Android gets the settings from the shortcut menu of the launcher app.
- Mandatory slot distribution behavior: Imperative slotting enables dynamic slotting behavior based on conditions and input types.
- CSS grid editor: You can now preview and create a CSS grid with the new CSS grid editor.
- JavaScript V8: Chrome 92 integrates version 9.2 of the V8 JavaScript engine.
- Isolation of the expanding site: Site isolation now covers a wider range of websites and extensions, and all of that comes with changes that improve Chrome’s speed.
Chrome will automatically install the update on your device when it’s available. To check for and immediately install available updates, click the three-dot menu icon, then click Help> About Google Chrome.
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