GOOGLE has handed its Chrome web browser a major speed boost.
The US firm announced in a blog post on Tuesday that it was releasing a hefty update for the browser that allows tabs to load 10 per cent faster.
“When you’re checking off one task after another from your to-do list, waiting even a few seconds while your tabs load can slow you down,” Google’s Alex Ainslie wrote.
Called Chrome 85, the download also adds the ability to group tabs and collapse those groups with a single click. Group tabs were announced in May and allow users to label collections of tabs for easier organisation.
“Tab groups help you visually distinguish your tabs by topic or task – like work or shopping – or even priority,” Alex said.
“Now you can collapse and expand your tab groups, so it’s easier to see the ones you need to access.”
Chrome 85 began rolling out to users on Tuesday and will likely take a few weeks to reach everybody’s browsers. To download the update, open Chrome and click on “More” (three vertical dots in the top the right), then click “Update Google Chrome”.
If this option does not appear for you, it means your browser is running on the latest version of the software and doesn’t need an update.
As well as tab improvements, Google has also upgraded the way that Chrome reads and handles PDF files. You’l have the option to fill out and save PDFs within the browser over the next few weeks, saving you from doing that using a separate app.
General browser improvements mean websites will apparently run up to 11.4 per cent faster than in previous versions of Chrome. Google is also testing tab previews that show you a snapshot of a Chrome tab when you hover over it.
