Google Chrome is celebrating its 15th birthday with a fresh makeover and robust security enhancements. The world's most popular web browser now boasts a Material You-themed redesign, offering customizable color schemes, an overhauled Chrome Web Store featuring AI-powered extensions, and an upgraded Safe Browsing feature that proactively identifies risky websites and files. Furthermore, users can now conveniently pin the Google Search side panel to the toolbar, streamlining their web surfing experience.
In a recent blog post, Google unveiled its plans for a desktop redesign of Chrome. This update includes refreshed icons for improved readability and synchronized custom color schemes with open tabs and the toolbar. These new visual themes and palettes aim to simplify user profile differentiation at a glance. Additionally, Google is introducing an enhanced menu for easy access to Chrome extensions.
The latest Chrome Web Store revamp introduces a dedicated section for AI-powered extensions, offering users cutting-edge tools. Google has also introduced an Editors' spotlight picks section, showcasing the best of the store's offerings.
Moreover, Google is rolling out new search features to enhance user navigation. Users will find it easier to discover related searches, access a page's source, or initiate another search through the Google Search side panel, accessible via the three-dot menu. Users can even pin the Google Search side panel directly to the toolbar for quick access.
Chrome's security has also received a significant upgrade, with automatic detection and flagging of unsafe pages and files in real time. Previously, Chrome checked websites every 30-60 minutes, but this update ensures continuous protection against rapidly emerging threats. Google asserts that this change will increase protection against malware and phishing threats by 25% compared to the previous Safe Browsing version.