Chrome Blog
The latest news from the Google Chrome team
Flash and Chrome
Tuesday, August 9, 2016
Adobe Flash Player played a pivotal role in the adoption of video, gaming and animation on the Web. Today, sites typically use technologies like HTML5, giving you improved security, reduced power consumption and faster
page load times
. Going forward, Chrome will de-emphasize Flash in favor of HTML5. Here’s what that means for you.
Today, more than 90% of Flash on the web loads behind the scenes to support things like page analytics. This kind of Flash slows you down, and starting this September,
Chrome 53 will begin to block it
. HTML5 is much lighter and faster, and publishers are switching over to speed up page loading and save you more battery life. You’ll see an improvement in responsiveness and efficiency for many sites.
This is similar to a change we made last September, when some Flash content
became click-to-play
with Chrome 42. This had an immediate, positive impact for our users by improving page load times and saving battery power.
In December, Chrome 55 will make HTML5 the default experience, except for sites which only support Flash. For those, you’ll be prompted to enable Flash when you first visit the site. Aside from that, the only change you’ll notice is a safer and more power-efficient browsing experience.
Flash helped make the Web a rich, dynamic experience, and shaped the modern set of web standards. We continue to work closely with Adobe to ensure that your web experience is as fast and secure as possible and to help the Web transition to HTML5.
Posted by Anthony LaForge, curator of Flash in Chrome.
Problems with Microsoft Security Essentials
Friday, September 30, 2011
Earlier today, we learned that the Microsoft Security Essentials tool began falsely identifying Google Chrome as a piece of malware ("PWS:Win32/Zbot") and removing it from people's computers.
If Chrome is working correctly for you, then there’s no need to take any action.
We are releasing an update that will automatically repair Chrome for affected users over the course of the next 24 hours. In the meantime, if you want to fix the problem with Microsoft Security Essentials and restore Chrome manually, please follow the instructions below.
How do I know if I am affected?
To repeat, if Chrome is working correctly for you, you don’t need to do anything. If you’re unable to launch Chrome or load new web pages, then you may be affected.
What actions can I take to fix this?
1. First, you need to update the signature files used by Microsoft Security Essentials on your computer.
You need to do this before re-installing Chrome!
Run Security Essentials by opening your Start Menu, finding the “Security Essentials” program, and clicking the icon to launch it:
(You may also be able to open Security Essentials using its icon in the Windows system tray, near the clock.)
When Security Essentials loads, click the Update tab in Security Essentials, and press the large Update button:
Once complete, you can verify the update by clicking the triangle next to Help, selecting “About Security Essentials” and verifying that the “Antispyware definition” is
1.113.672.0
or higher.
Note (for advanced users): You can also update the signature files via the command line by running:
cmd.exe /c "%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Security Client\Antimalware\MpCmdRun.exe" -SignatureUpdate
2. Next, you will need to un-install and re-install Chrome using the platform-specific instructions below.
Windows XP:
1. Click
Start
, click
Control Panel
, and then double-click
Add or Remove Programs
.
2. In the
Currently installed programs
box, select Google Chrome and click the
Remove
button.
3. If you are prompted to confirm the removal of the program, click
Yes
. By default, your local browsing data will
not
be deleted. Make sure you do
not
accidentally check the box labeled “Also delete your browsing data?”.
4. Visit
www.google.com/chrome
in another browser to download and install a fresh copy of Google Chrome.
Windows 7:
1. Click on the Start button
, and select
Control Panel
2. Click
Programs
(or
Programs
->
Programs and Features
)
3. Select
Google Chrome
from the list of programs
4. Click the
Uninstall
button at the top of the list. By default, your local browsing data will
not
be deleted. Make sure you do
not
accidentally check the box labeled “Also delete your browsing data?”.
5. Visit
www.google.com/chrome
in another browser to download and install a fresh copy of Google Chrome.
Windows Vista:
1. Click the
Start
button
, and select
Control Panel
2. Click
Programs
(or
Programs
->
Programs and Features
)
3. Select
Google Chrome
from the list of programs.
4. Click the
Uninstall
button located above the list. By default, your local browsing data will
not
be deleted. Make sure you do
not
accidentally check the box labeled “Also delete your browsing data?”.
5. Visit
www.google.com/chrome
in another browser to download and install a fresh copy of Google Chrome.
To repeat, we are releasing an update that will automatically repair Chrome for affected users over the course of the next 24 hours.
Posted by Mark Larson, Engineering Manager
Google Cloud Print Ready printers now available
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Imagine printing an important email from your Chrome notebook on your train ride to work, then finding the completed printout in the printer tray when you reach the office. Or printing your airline boarding pass from your smartphone to your home printer, so you can grab the printout on your way out the door. Today, we are one big step closer to this vision.
Last year
, we launched
Google Cloud Print
, a service that enables users to print from any device, operating system, or browser to any printer without the need for drivers or a PC connection. The service can be used with any printer, but the most seamless experience is offered by Google Cloud Print Ready devices, a new generation of web-connected printers that don’t need to be attached to a computer. Today, HP
has announced
that all of its ePrint-enabled printers are Google Cloud Print Ready, in most cases right out of the box. With a Google Cloud Print Ready printer, you can print emails, documents and web pages from supported apps without having to hunt for drivers or printer cables.
You can already use Google Cloud Print on
Chrome notebooks
and in the
mobile versions of Gmail and Google Docs
. Many more supported apps are on the way. There are also a third-party
Android app
,
Chrome extension
and
Firefox add-on
to help you use Google Cloud Print in more places.
We’re also continuing to release enhancements to the Google Cloud Print service. We’ve released a Mac version of the
Google Cloud Print connector
for non-cloud printers in the
Chrome beta channel
. And over the next few days we’ll be enabling printer sharing for current Google Cloud Print users, so your family, friends and colleagues can print their documents from anywhere to anywhere.
Happy printing!
Posted by Abhijit Kalamkar, Software Engineer
Talking to your computer (with HTML!)
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Today, we’re updating the
Chrome beta channel
with a couple of new capabilities, especially for web developers. Fresh from the work that we’ve been doing with the
HTML Speech Incubator Group
, we’ve added support for the
HTML speech input API
. With this API, developers can give web apps the ability to transcribe your voice to text. When a web page uses this feature, you simply click on an icon and then speak into your computer’s microphone. The recorded audio is sent to speech servers for transcription, after which the text is typed out for you. Try it out yourself in
this little demo
. Today’s beta release also offers a sneak peek of GPU-accelerated
3D CSS
, which allows developers to apply slick 3D effects to web page content using
CSS
.
Lastly, as mentioned in yesterday's
blogpost
, those of you on the beta channel will start seeing the brand new shiny Chrome icon on your desktops.
Stay tuned as we make all these updates widely available in the stable channel soon!
Correction (March 23, 2011): This beta release's Speech API implementation is a prototype of Google’s proposal to the
HTML Speech Incubator Group
. The title of the blogpost has been changed to reflect this.
Posted by Satish Sampath, Software Engineer
A fresh take on an icon
Monday, March 21, 2011
Some of you on Chrome’s
early release channels
may have noticed our latest tweak to Chrome’s icon:
Since Chrome is all about making your web experience as easy and clutter-free as possible, we refreshed the Chrome icon to better represent these sentiments. A simpler icon embodies the Chrome spirit — to make the web quicker, lighter, and easier for all.
Even before this effort, the new version of the Chrome logo was already being conjured up by Googlers and Chrome fans. Numerous creative reinterpretations have organically moved the icon towards simplicity and abstraction, so it felt right to make the icon structure cleaner and easier to recreate.
The Modern Browser
poster by Mike Lemanski, celebrating Chrome’s 2nd birthday
Chrome Magnets
by Tyson Kartchner
Chrome Starts Fast
video
Chrome Speed Tests
video
Redesigning the icon was very much a group effort. Collectively, we explored many variations, tried the icon in several different contexts, and refined the details as we moved along. It was important to maintain consistency across all media, so we kept print, web, and other possible formats in mind. Once we arrived at a good place, we finished up the icon by resizing, pixel-pushing, and getting everything out the door.
For Chrome users, you’ll see this latest icon reflected in your browsers soon, as we bring the latest features and improvements to the
beta
and
stable channels
in the coming weeks!
Posted by Steve Rura, Designer
A dash of speed, 3D and apps
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Today, we’re excited to bring several new features from Chrome’s beta channel to the stable build, including WebGL, Chrome Instant, and the Chrome Web Store.
WebGL
is a new technology which brings
hardware-accelerated 3D graphics
to the browser. With WebGL in Chrome, you can experience rich 3D experiences right inside the browser with no need for additional software. Curious about the three-dimensional possibilities? Try out
these demos
to experience the power of WebGL in the
latest stable version of Chrome
.
With Chrome Instant (à la
Google Instant
), web pages that you frequently visit will begin loading as soon as you start typing the URL. (“Look, Mom - no enter key!”). If supported by your default search engine, search results appear instantly as you type queries in the
omnibox
. To try out Instant, you’ll need to
enable it
in the Basics tab of Chrome’s options.
Lastly, the
Chrome Web Store
is now open to all Chrome users in the United States. As part of this, we’ve now added a link to the Chrome Web Store on the New Tab page, along with two sample apps. (If you don’t use these sample apps, they will automatically disappear after some time).
Some of the newest additions in the Chrome Web Store include
BBC GoodFood
,
Autodesk
,
Sesame Street
, nine
King.com Games
and
Marvel Comics
. There are also many apps that take advantage of the latest web technologies to deliver an immersive experience, such as
Tweetdeck
and
The New York Times
. While the store is currently only available for Chrome users in the U.S., we’re working hard to expand availability to users around the world soon, so stay tuned!
Posted by Erik Kay and Aaron Boodman, Software Engineers
Living on the web with the Chrome Web Store (and the Cr-48!)
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Since we opened the
Chrome Web Store
last month, I’ve made it a daily habit to check out the store for new applications. Each time, I’ve discovered new things I can do on the web that work just as well as and often better than software I had to install and maintain on my computer -- such as
playing games
,
listening to music
, or
getting work done
. Living on the web is much easier than you might think!
If you already live on the web and are itching to get your hands on a Chrome notebook, we’ve teamed up with a few Web Store apps for a chance to
test-pilot
the Cr-48. Check out blogposts from
MOG
,
Box
,
LucidChart
, and
Zoho
for more details. Then go ahead and
rock out
with 10 million songs,
manage your files
in the cloud,
perfect your diagram drawing skills
, or
move your office
onto the web. While you’re at it, you might also discover a new favorite app among the more than 2,000 apps in the
Chrome Web Store
.
Have fun!
Posted by Heaven Kim, Product Marketing Manager
Safer plug-ins, faster search, and richer graphics
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Last week, we
previewed
several upcoming features that will be available to users on Chrome and Chrome OS. Today we’re excited to introduce a few of these new security, speed, and open web platform features into Chrome’s
beta channel
.
As one of the engineers working on Chrome’s
sandbox
, I’m happy to announce that we’re bringing Chrome’s existing sandboxing technology for web pages to the
Flash Player
plug-in
in Chrome for Windows. The sandbox adds an
additional layer of protection
to further guard against
malicious pages
that try to hijack your computer or steal private information from your hard drive. Based on this groundwork in the beta, we’ll be bringing the sandboxed Flash Player to Chrome for Mac and Linux in future releases as well. For an explanation of how sandboxing technology makes Chrome safer, check out this animated video:
With the latest beta, you can turn on Chrome Instant (à la
Google Instant
), which lets you view web pages and search results faster than ever. With
Instant enabled
, web pages that you frequently visit will begin loading as soon as you start typing a URL in the
omnibox
, faster than you can say ‘Jack Robinson!’ (or in this case, faster than you can hit Enter). In addition, if supported by your default search engine, search results appear instantly as you type queries in the omnibox, and in-line predictions will also appear to help guide your search. Give it a whirl by enabling it on the Basics tab of Chrome’s options and see how you like it!
Finally, this beta will include WebGL, a new web technology for bringing hardware-accelerated 3D graphics to the browser. For more on WebGL in Chrome, check out the
Chromium blog
. If you’d like to learn more about 3D in the browser and what hardware-accelerated graphics, read on in our
online guidebook to browsers and the web
.
We hope you’ll enjoy this safer, faster, and more powerful version of the Chrome beta!
Posted by Carlos Pizano, Software Engineer
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