New privacy features in Chrome 83
Because of the scheduling problems resulting from the engineering team working from home, Chrome V82 was completely skipped but releases are starting to return to normal. Chrome 83 entered beta last month, and has now graduated from stable channel with a number of tow improvements.
Cookie blocking in Incognito Mode
One of the new changes relating to privacy that Google announced a few days ago was a new feature for Incognito Mode. When you open a new Incognito tab a setting to block third-party cookies appears at the bottom. In default it is switched on.
This specific feature is part of a server-side rollout, so if you’re already on Chrome 83 and you don’t have it, paste chrome://flags/#improved-cookie-controls into your address bar and click ‘Enabled’ on the highlighted dropdown menu.
Improved form controls
Microsoft has already merged a few improvements back to mainline Chrome from its Chromium-based Edge browser, and Chrome 83 includes a further change: updated form controls. Don’t just get all excited at once!
Design-wise, Chrome’s form controls (buttons, text fields, etc.) are everywhere. Some of them came from Safari / WebKit, some of them had gradients, some didn’t have gradients, etc. Microsoft and Google have collaborated to standardize the presence of form elements across all operating systems and the result is Chrome 83 shipping.
Besides the appearance, some form elements have also been reworked for better usability on touch screens. For example, the time picker now has large dropdown menus for selecting the hour and minute, instead of relying solely on keyboard input.
However, it doesn’t appear that the updated controls have made their way to Chrome for Android. While the Android browser already has better controls in some areas (e.g. the time picker opens the same time picker you get in the Clock app), the general design improvements would be nice to see on mobile.
More features
- The Security settings page has been redesigned, but only on desktop platforms.
- Tab Groups should now be enabled for everyone. If you still don’t have them, switch the flag chrome://flags/#tab-groups to Enabled.
- Extension buttons in the toolbar are now located in the new extensions drop-down menu. If you don’t see this change, enable the flag chrome://flags/#extensions-toolbar-menu.
- The new @supports selector() feature makes it easier to check if a CSS feature is supported before it is used.
- The Barcode Detection API is now enabled by default.
- Downloads from sandboxed iframes are now blocked, preventing malicious ads and other embedded content from downloading files.
- WebXR content (e.g. AR and VR content) can now display HTML on top of 3D rendered environments.
- The new Performance.measureMemory() function estimates the memory usage of the current web page.
Google Pixel Watch 4
Google Pixel 9
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8
Comments & Discussions
Join the conversation! We use Disqus to handle comments. Click the button below to load the comment section.
Keep Reading
One of Android’s longest-standing strengths is how much it lets you personalize your device. From launchers to icon packs, there’s no shortage of ways to make a phone feel like your own — and changing the wallpaper is usually the first place people start. It’s quick, it’s visual, and it immediately changes the character of […]
Nearly 18 months after the FBI warned Americans about the security risks of texting between iPhones and Android devices, Apple has introduced end-to-end encrypted cross-platform messaging through iOS 26.5, according to Forbes. The update enables encrypted RCS messaging between iPhone and Android users for the first time – though Apple has noted that the feature […]
Samsung has officially confirmed what many Galaxy users feared: Samsung Messages is going away. The app will be fully discontinued in July 2026. It’s already been pulled from pre-installation on newer Galaxy devices, including the Galaxy S26 series. Once July hits, you won’t be able to download it from the Galaxy Store either. And shortly […]
Google Wallet has grown into one of the most versatile digital wallet solutions available. Beyond storing credit and debit cards, it handles state IDs, passports, event tickets, transit passes, digital car keys, and plenty more – effectively everything you’d normally carry in a physical wallet. Over time, Google has steadily expanded its capabilities, adding features […]
Google Photos has been on a steady update streak lately, picking up long-requested features alongside smaller quality-of-life improvements. The app isn’t slowing down either – Google is now rolling out another update that brings a set of touch-up tools directly into the built-in image editor. The company is framing the addition around the idea that […]
