Chrome is a free Internet browser officially released by Google on December 11, 2008. Its features include synchronization with Google services and accounts, tabbed browsing, and automatic translation and spell check of web pages. It also features an integrated address bar/search bar, called the omnibox.
How to open Chrome
The Chrome browser only comes pre-installed and ready to use on Chromebooks. If you’re using Microsoft Windows or an Apple computer, see: How to install or uninstall the Google Chrome browser. Once Chrome is installed, you can open it like any other program on your computer.
Google Chrome can be downloaded for on the Chrome page.
- How to open Chrome.
- Overview and benefits.
- Incognito mode.
- How to display the file, edit, view, etc. menus in Chrome.
- Configuring privacy settings.
- Chrome Developer Tools.
- Chromium projects and browser.
- Ungoogled Chromium project and browser.
- Related information.
Overview and benefits
Chrome works quite well with Google sites and services such as YouTube and Gmail. It also manages its system resources differently than other browsers. Its V8 JavaScript engine was developed from scratch at Google, and may improve your experience on heavily scripted websites and applications. Essentially, it should make the things you do on the Internet faster.
After being installed, the Chrome browser is automatically configured to download and install updates when they’re available. To verify updates are being installed automatically, see: How to update an Internet browser.
Some Google services, such as Google Cast, require Chrome to use a Chromecast.
Incognito mode
Chrome offers a private browsing option called Incognito Mode. This mode lets you browse in an isolated sandbox web session. It gives you temporary control over your browsing history and session identity, because when you close the browser, your logins and history are deleted. However, it does not guarantee anonymity.
To launch a new incognito browser, press Ctrl+Shift+N (Windows, Linux) or Command+Shift+N (macOS X). Essentially, when you’re in Incognito Mode, the browser doesn’t log what you’ve been doing during your last Internet session.
Use Incognito mode as a tool to increase your privacy, but understand that the privacy of your Internet activity is never absolute. Your ISP, employer, or other people using your computer can analyze your network or hard drive to ascertain your web activity while using Incognito mode.
- How to set a browser to Incognito or private mode.
How to display the file, edit, view, etc. menus in Chrome
Unfortunately, there is no way to display this menu bar in Chrome as it was removed. However, all these features may be accessed by clicking the button in the upper-right corner of the screen.
Configuring privacy settings
To fine-tune your privacy settings in Chrome, click the icon in the upper-right corner of the browser, and select Settings.
The settings interface opens in a new browser tab. Scroll to the bottom and click Show Advanced Settings.
The first advanced settings listed are your privacy settings, which make be changed to you’re liking.
Chrome Developer Tools
If you’re developing a website, Chrome Developer Tools are second to none. They allow you to closely analyze all the visual, interactive, and technical components of website locations.
To launch Chrome Developer Tools, go the View menu and select Developer → Developer Tools, or press F12 or Ctrl+Alt+I (Windows, Linux) or Option+Command+I (macOS X).
The developer view lets you navigate the web on one side of the window, and inspect the resource’s components and attributes on the other.
Chromium projects and browser
The Chromium projects are open-source, community-driven projects to develop technologies for Chrome and ChromeOS. The Chromium browser is similar to Chrome, but is developed exclusively with Chrome’s open-source components.
Ungoogled Chromium project and browser
Ungoogled Chromium is a development fork of the Chromium browser which strips out selected browser components. The project’s stated goals are to:
- Disable or remove offending services and features that communicate with Google or weaken privacy.
- Strip binaries from the source tree, and use those provided by the system or build them from source.
- Add, modify, or disable features that inhibit control and transparency.
The Ungoogled Chromium browser source code can be downloaded from its repository on GitHub.
Browser, Chromebook, Dinosaur game, Google, Internet, Internet terms
Related information
- How to install or uninstall the Google Chrome browser.
- Why does Google Chrome use so much RAM?
- How to update an Internet browser.
- How to change my browser’s homepage.
- How to add Google Chrome apps to a PC or Chromebook.
- How to remove Google Chrome apps from a PC or Chromebook.
- Official Google Chrome browser website.
- Chrome tips.
- Google Chrome questions and answers.
