Google Chrome turns 15! Gets visual overhaul, and new features with update

Commemorating Google Chrome’s 15th anniversary, Google has announced that its popular browser is getting a visual makeover, in addition to new features.

Google Chrome’s new Material You-based changes will refresh icons and offer new colour palette options that can be used to customize the toolbar and tools. (Google)

Google Chrome is one of the world's most popular web browsers with over 2 billion users across the globe. This is perhaps due to its fast, and reliable nature, while also being extremely easy to use. To keep users from switching to alternative browsers, Google keeps updating its Chromium-based browser with new features, and add-ons that not only aim to add to its functionality but also its aesthetic appeal. Commemorating Google Chrome's 15th anniversary, Google has announced that its popular browser is getting a visual makeover, in addition to new features.

Google Chrome gets new features

In a blog post, Google announced that, “In the coming weeks, Chrome will get a new look on desktop. Based on our Material You design language, we've refreshed Chrome's icons with a focus on legibility and created new color palettes that better complement your tabs and toolbar.”

For the unaware, Google introduced the Material You design language with its Android 12. It allows users to tweak the browser's dynamic colour, motion, as well as widgets. Users can pick a single-coloured theme and Google will use its color extraction logic and output it through 65 colour APIs. With the new update, Google will refresh the icon and offer new colour palette options that can be used to customize the toolbar and tools.

Apart from the design tweaks, the new Chrome browser will also feature a more comprehensive menu that promises to provide faster access to options like Chrome extensions, history, downloads, settings, Google Password Manager, and more. Not just the browser, but the Chrome Web Store will also be redesigned with new sections for AI-powered extensions, and Editors' spotlight.

Google will also be upgrading its Safe Browsing feature and it will now check sites against Google's known bad sites in real time. According to Google, it will shorten the time between identifying and preventing access to malicious websites and will offer 25 percent improved protection from malware and phishing threats.

Google further said, “Thanks to all of our users for the last 15 years! There's so much to explore on the web, and we'll keep making improvements like these so you can easily and safely find what you need.”

These changes will be rolled out in a phased manner over the next few weeks, so keep your Chrome browser updated to the latest version if you wish to take advantage of its new features, and design changes.