You can set Chrome as your default browser on Windows or Mac operating systems as well as your iPhone, iPad or Android device. Chrome is compatible with devices that run Windows and Mac operating systems, provided they meet the minimum system requirements. Once Chrome is installed, you can delete the install file.
- Since the early 2000s, browsers have greatly expanded their HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and multimedia capabilities.
- While other browsers force their use by coming pre-installed on devices, Opera is chosen by hundreds of millions of users because of its superior performance.
- Reader mode clears distractions from articles, picture-in-picture keeps video out of your way, and pinned tabs keep what matters close without clutter.
- One reason has been to enable more sophisticated websites, such as web apps.
- Read aloud is best for content like news stories, articles, or even PDFs.
- However, since then, mobile devices (smartphones) have represented the majority of web traffic.
- AI features are optional by design and will remain that way.
Browsers are used on a range of devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, smartwatches, smart televisions and consoles. You can group tabs together for better organization or pin tabs to automatically open websites you use the most. Reader mode clears distractions from articles, picture-in-picture keeps video out of your way, and pinned tabs keep what matters close without clutter. Sign in to Chrome on any device to access your bookmarks, saved passwords and more. Sign in to Chrome on any device to access your bookmarks, saved passwords, and more.
Download Chrome on your mobile device or tablet and sign into your account for the same browser experience, everywhere. Use Safety Check to instantly audit for compromised passwords, safe browsing status and any available Chrome updates. When you set Chrome as your default browser, any link you click will automatically open in Chrome.
Why is Chrome using so much CPU and memory, even with only a few tabs open?
This release includes stability and performance improvements. It remembered a handful of my oldest tab groups… But, I had maintained an extensive collection of tab groups for different purposes. In my opinion, at that time, there was nothing that could hold a candle to Google.
Browsing boosted with built-in
- Sick of juggling multiple windows or switching between tabs?
- Safari, based on Apple’s WebKit code, is the second most popular web browser and is dominant on Apple devices, resulting in a 16% global share.
- Chrome has long had a reputation as a RAM hog, but competing browsers can be just as resource-hungry under heavy use.
- Its innovative graphical user interface made the World Wide Web easy to navigate and thus more accessible to the average person.
- This includes both new entrants to the browser market, such as Perplexity Comet and ChatGPT Atlas, and established browsers that added AI features, such as Chrome with the Gemini chatbot and Edge with the Copilot chatbot.
- Most browsers use an internal cache of web page resources to improve loading times for subsequent visits to the same page.
As of 2020, the CDMs used by dominant web browsers require browser providers to pay costly license fees, making it unfeasible for most independent open-source browsers to offer access to DRM-restricted content. The most popular desktop browsers also have sophisticated web development tools. While mobile browsers have similar UI features as desktop versions, the limitations of the often-smaller touch screens require mobile UIs to be simpler. They also allow users to set bookmarks, customize the browser with extensions, and manage their downloads and passwords. This includes both new entrants to the browser market, such as Perplexity Comet and ChatGPT Atlas, and established browsers that added AI features, such as Chrome with the Gemini chatbot and Edge with the Copilot chatbot.
External links
Firefox works across platforms, so your data isn’t tied to one platform and stays encrypted by default. When switching to Firefox, your bookmarks, passwords, and history come with you automatically, so you can get back to browsing right away. Stay focused with tab groups, reader mode, and videos that stay in view. Personalise your web browser with themes, dark mode and other options built just for you.
What information does Chrome Sync save?
Split view lets you view two tabs at the same time for a more streamlined, flexible way to work. Gemini in Chrome helps you easily understand content on the web and get things done using the context of your open tabs and browsing history. Opera is shaping the web in unexpected ways, providing free access to AI, Web3, and advanced innovative features. Keep your tabs arranged in separate groups for contextual browsing Safari, based on Apple’s WebKit code, is the second most popular web browser and is dominant on Apple devices, resulting in a 16% global share. A web browser is able to access DRM-restricted content through the use of a Content Decryption Module (CDM) such as Widevine.
Responsive web design is used to create websites that offer a consistent experience across the desktop and mobile versions of the website and across varying screen sizes. They automatically log users’ browsing history, unless the users turn off their browsing history or use the non-logging private mode. Since the early 2000s, browsers have greatly expanded their HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and multimedia capabilities. Apple released its Safari browser in 2003; it remains the dominant browser on Apple devices, though it did not become popular elsewhere. A search engine is a website that provides links to other websites and allows users to search for specific resources using a textual query.
However, websites, internet providers, employers, schools, and network administrators may still be able to see browsing activity. Keep in mind that syncing your data ties it to your Google account, which factors into the privacy trade-offs discussed before. Overall, Chrome remains among the fastest browsers for complex web apps and JavaScript-heavy sites. In recent years Google has added built-in tools to address this. Chrome has long had a reputation as a RAM hog, but competing browsers can be just as resource-hungry under heavy use. Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and other major browsers are updated every few weeks, making direct speed comparisons a moving target.
Prior to late 2016, the majority of web traffic came from desktop computers. Both of these codebases are open-source, so a number of small niche browsers are also made from them. Google Chrome has been the dominant browser worldwide since spinlynx the mid-2010s and currently has a 69% global market share on all devices. Access to some web content — particularly streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, and Spotify — is restricted by Digital Rights Management (DRM) software. Starting in the mid-2020s, browsers with integrated artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, known as AI browsers, have become increasingly common.
While other browsers force their use by coming pre-installed on devices, Opera is chosen by hundreds of millions of users because of its superior performance. Telemetry data is collected by most popular web browsers, which can usually be opted out of by the user. Web browsers are popular targets for hackers, who exploit security holes to steal information, destroy files, and partake in other malicious activities. As of February 2025, mobile devices represent a 62% share of Internet traffic, followed by desktop at 36% and tablet at 2%.
