Google Chrome is a fast, simple, and secure web browser, built for the modern web. Chrome combines a minimal design with sophisticated technology to make the web faster, safer, and easier. Google builds powerful tools that help you connect, play, work and get things done. And all of it works on Chrome.
Is Google Chrome safe and private?
The Chrome browser utilizes site isolation, sandboxing, and predictive phishing protections to keep your browsing secure, among others. However, Google’s browser always raises privacy concerns due to the fact that everything you do in Chrome, including every character you type into the address bar, is recorded by Google and linked to you. While using other Google services, all that data may be cross-referenced.
More privacy-conscious users may prefer to use Firefox or other Chromium-based alternatives (that may or may not record as much data) or try Ungoogled Chromium.
Is Chrome the fastest browser?
Chrome, Firefox, Safari and other major browsers are updated every few weeks, so it’s hard to compare them over time which is the fastest. Chrome is known to be a RAM hog, but when used heavily, other browsers are known to be just as resource-consuming.
Google is good at creating the illusion of speed with prediction algorithms that preload parts of web pages that you are likely to visit. With a minimalistic design, you’ll feel at home with Chrome, plus built-in integration with other Google services and mobile browsing can also be very convenient.
What are the best Chrome alternatives?
There are tons of good and free alternatives for browsing the web. If you want a more private browsing, you can opt for Firefox or Brave. If you don’t want to use Google services, you can use Ungoogled Chromium.
Opera, Microsoft Edge and Vivaldi are other great options, these last two are Chromium-based just like Google Chrome.
What are the best features of Chrome?
Chrome is the most popular web browser out there, so website compatibility with it and other Chromium-based browsers is top notch. Performance is usually perceived as good (see question above).
Chrome is also feature-filled but not bloated. It does integrate nicely with other Google services and also lets you sync browsing history and bookmarks with your phone and other devices. Finally, Chrome has a vast library of extensions to add capabilities to your browser experience.
Features
Speed
Chrome is designed to be fast in every possible way: It’s quick to start up from your desktop, loads web pages in a snap, and runs complex web applications fast. Learn more about Chrome and speed.
Stay organized with tabs
Tabs help you stay organized, keep track of multiple pages, and multi-task. You can group tabs together for better organization or pin tabs to automatically open websites you use the most.
More control over your media
Easily control audio and video playing in any Chrome tab. Open the media hub to access controls to manage what’s playing or pop out a video to view it in picture-in-picture mode.
Simplicity
Chrome’s browser window is streamlined, clean and simple. Chrome also includes features that are designed for efficiency and ease of use. For example, you can search and navigate from the same box, and arrange tabs however you wish — quickly and easily.
Security
Chrome is designed to keep you safer and more secure on the web with built-in malware and phishing protection, auto updates to make sure the browser is up-to-date with the latest security updates, and more. Learn more about Chrome’s security features.
Sync Chrome across devices
From your laptop, to your tablet, to your phone, your stuff in Chrome goes where you go. When you turn sync on, you can access your bookmarks, saved passwords, and secure payment info.
And more features
Chrome has many useful features built in, including extensions, translation in the browser, themes, and more. Learn more about Chrome’s newest and most-loved features.
What’s New
The Stable channel has been updated to 121.0.6167.85 for Mac and Linux and 121.0.6167.85/.86 to Windows which will roll out over the coming days/weeks. A full list of changes in this build is available in the log.
Chrome is getting 3 new generative AI features
Starting with today’s release of Chrome (M121), we’re introducing experimental generative AI features to make it even easier and more efficient to browse – all while keeping your experience personalized to you.
You’ll be able to try out these new features in Chrome on Macs and Windows PCs over the next few days, starting in the U.S. Just sign into Chrome, select “Settings” from the three-dot menu and navigate to the “Experimental AI” page. Because these features are early public experiments, they’ll be disabled for enterprise and educational accounts for now.
Smartly organize your tabs
Tab groups are a helpful way to manage lots of tabs, but curating them can be a pretty manual process. With Tab Organizer, Chrome will automatically suggest and create tab groups based on your open tabs. This can be particularly helpful if you’re working on several tasks in Chrome at the same time, like planning a trip, researching a topic and shopping. To use this feature, right-click on a tab and select “Organize Similar Tabs” or click the drop-down arrow to the left of your tabs. Chrome will even suggest names and emoji for these new groups so you can easily find them again when you need them next.
Create your own themes with AI
Last year, we introduced generative AI wallpapers with Android 14 and Pixel 8 devices. Now we’re bringing that same text-to-image diffusion model to Chrome so you can personalize your browser even more. You’ll be able to quickly generate custom themes based on a subject, mood, visual style and color that you choose – no need to become an AI prompt expert! To get started, visit the “Customize Chrome” side panel, click “Change theme” and then “Create with AI.” For example, maybe you’re enamored with the “aurora borealis” and want to see it in an “animated” style with a “serene” mood. Just select those options to see what Chrome comes up with. For more inspiration, check out this collection of the Chrome team’s favorite theme creations.
Get help drafting things on the web
Writing on the web can be daunting, especially if you want to articulate your thoughts on public spaces or forums. So in next month’s Chrome release, we’ll launch another experimental AI-powered feature to help you write with more confidence on the web – whether you want to leave a well-written review for a restaurant, craft a friendly RSVP for a party or make a formal inquiry about an apartment rental. To get started, right-click a text box or field on any site you visit in Chrome and select “Help me write.” Type in a few words and our AI will kickstart the writing process for you.
Security Fixes and Rewards
Note: Access to bug details and links may be kept restricted until a majority of users are updated with a fix. We will also retain restrictions if the bug exists in a third party library that other projects similarly depend on, but haven’t yet fixed.
This update includes 17 security fixes. Below, we highlight fixes that were contributed by external researchers. Please see the Chrome Security Page for more information.
- [$11000][1505080] High CVE-2024-0807: Use after free in WebAudio. Reported by Huang Xilin of Ant Group Light-Year Security Lab on 2023-11-25
- [$9000][1484394] High CVE-2024-0812: Inappropriate implementation in Accessibility. Reported by Anonymous on 2023-09-19
- [$6000][1504936] High CVE-2024-0808: Integer underflow in WebUI. Reported by Lyra Rebane (rebane2001) on 2023-11-24
- [$2000][1496250] Medium CVE-2024-0810: Insufficient policy enforcement in DevTools. Reported by Shaheen Fazim on 2023-10-26
- [$1000][1463935] Medium CVE-2024-0814: Incorrect security UI in Payments. Reported by Muneaki Nishimura (nishimunea) on 2023-07-11
- [$1000][1477151] Medium CVE-2024-0813: Use after free in Reading Mode. Reported by @retsew0x01 on 2023-08-30
- [$1000][1505176] Medium CVE-2024-0806: Use after free in Passwords. Reported by 18楼梦æ³ï¿½”�é 家 on 2023-11-25
- [TBD][1514925] Medium CVE-2024-0805: Inappropriate implementation in Downloads. Reported by Om Apip on 2024-01-01
- [TBD][1515137] Medium CVE-2024-0804: Insufficient policy enforcement in iOS Security UI. Reported by Narendra Bhati of Suma Soft Pvt. Ltd. Pune (India) on 2024-01-03
- [N/A][1494490] Low CVE-2024-0811: Inappropriate implementation in Extensions API. Reported by Jann Horn of Google Project Zero on 2023-10-21
- [TBD][1497985] Low CVE-2024-0809: Inappropriate implementation in Autofill. Reported by Ahmed ElMasry on 2023-10-31
We would also like to thank all security researchers that worked with us during the development cycle to prevent security bugs from ever reaching the stable channel.
As usual, our ongoing internal security work was responsible for a wide range of fixes:
- [1520680] Various fixes from internal audits, fuzzing and other initiatives
Many of our security bugs are detected using AddressSanitizer, MemorySanitizer, UndefinedBehaviorSanitizer, Control Flow Integrity, libFuzzer, or AFL.