Google announced that the latest update to its web browser is already rolling out with a few neat things in store, including a new Dark Mode for Mac users.
The tech company said Google Chrome 73 is already available to download for Windows, Mac, and Linux OS users. Not only does it have security fixes, system-level changes, and new tools for developers, but it also has several new features for casual users.
However, these additions will be different depending on the platform the new update is installed on.
Dark Mode For Mac And Windows
Google has finally decided to give Chrome users a Dark Mode for their web browsers, packaged with Chrome 73. While the new feature is currently for macOS only, it should soon become available for Windows as well.
To activate Chrome's Dark Mode, users first have to enable the macOS' own dark UI mode. This can be found in Apple's system settings.
- Access the Apple settings and click on "System Preferences."
- Click on "General."
- Look for the "Appearance" setting, and then choose the option for "Dark."
After these steps, Chrome will transition to Dark Mode automatically.
When in Dark Mode, users may notice that Chrome's regular and incognito browsing modes look almost alike. To help differentiate between the two, developers have added a prominent incognito icon on the right side of the URL bar when Incognito mode is active.
Once the feature becomes available for Windows, users will also have to enable Windows 10's dark theme first, which can be found at the OS' settings itself.
This is not the first time Google has dabbled with a dark mode for its user interface.
Last month, the company released a beta update for Chrome on Android devices. This experimental "dark mode" was not activated using a hidden toggle, but instead, it worked in conjunction with the "night mode" within Android Pie.
Google tried out the dark mode treatment on its Help Center available on the web. It turned the white background for tutorial and troubleshooting pages on the services into a darker shade of gray.
Google Play Games users also had its own dark mode for a time. Its version did not function along with "night mode" but could be activated by accessing Settings and then turning on Dark Theme.
Other Chrome 73 Features
Chrome 73 also comes with expanded support for native picture-in-picture (PIP) video. When supported videos are played, they transition to PIP mode automatically whenever users switch to other tabs. It also gives users the ability to skip ads even a video is in PIP and to have the clip return to the tab or app once it is finished playing.
The feature is readily available to users without having to access any special settings. However, developers still need to build support into web apps and pages if they want to have the PIP mode enabled. This means functionality may be different between apps and web pages.
The new Chrome update also consolidates all Google's sync options. They can now be found under the "Sync and Google services" section located in the Settings menu.
