Google Chrome presently is the most popular browser on the planet. It took Chrome less than 4 years to rise from barely 1% market share to where it is now. Globally, more than one out of three Internet users browse with Chrome. In some countries you will find as much as half the population with access to the Internet using Chrome. Apparently, Chrome has managed to deliver on its selling points and users everywhere have switched. So should you consider switching?
Google Chrome prides itself to run websites and applications with lightning speed. And much like all Google products, the browser provides a clean interface, smart features, and simple solutions that no one had thought of before. If you haven’t tried Chrome recently, you should give it a spin and see how it goes.
What Makes Chrome Better?
Chrome basically works like any other browser. You enter a URL, open websites in multiple windows or tabs, and make bookmarks. But even if you are only using Chrome for these basic features only, a lot is happening in the background.
Every tab is its own process. When you open the Windows Task Manager, you’ll notice that there is one entry for every Chrome tab. This makes each individual tab faster and if one tab crashes, it doesn’t affect the whole browser, making it much more stable and reliable.
Google’s New Tab Page shows your most visited websites and installed apps. As you are browsing the web, Google pays attention and lists the websites you visit most often in the New Tab page. You can remove single pages, however, you cannot add your favorites.
Chrome also updates automatically and in the background, so you don’t even notice it. For most users, this is very convenient. But if you ever do run into issues with Chrome, keep in mind that it could be due to a recent browser upgrade. You can check which version you are running and report an issue by typing chome://chrome into the URL bar or by clicking the Settings icon in the top right and selecting About Google Chrome.
What Makes Chrome Great?
Frankly, there is too much to be covered in one article. So I’ll highlight two key features for you: managing tabs and user login.
Chrome has some nifty default features and several have to do with managing tabs. Generally speaking, tabs are super flexible. You can drag tabs around and re-order them within one window or you can drag a tab out of its window to create a new window. Right-click on a tab to open a menu that lets you reload, duplicate, or pin a tab, to just mention a few options. Admitted, those are old tricks. But try to right-click a tab and see what happens when you hover over close other tabs or close tabs to the right. Simplicity with style. Now here comes the killer feature: you can [CTRL] or [SHIFT] select multiple tabs and move them around or drag them to a new window as a group. So simple and yet so cool.
Chrome offers advanced user profiles. If you have a Google account, you can sign in and enjoy many advanced profile features. Chrome can automatically save your bookmarks, apps, extensions, theme, and other browser preferences to your Google account. When you sign into Chrome with that account on another computer, your personal data will already be there.
To sign in, go to Settings . Before Chrome can back up your data, you need to confirm the sync settings. And you can customize them by clicking on Advanced in the bottom left of the respective confirmation window. Later, you can see what Chrome has been been syncing in the background and reset it via your Google Dashboard.
By the way, you can change the user icon in the top left, by clicking the icon and selecting edit.
And The Rest?
Well, as I mentioned above, there is so much more about Chrome that doesn’t fit into a single article. I recommend you to look into our Chrome Guide, download our Google Chrome Shortcuts cheat sheet, or pick what interests you from the following articles:
- The Idiot’s Guide To Adding Website Bookmarks On Your Google Chrome New Tab Page
- Using Google Chrome? Here’s How to Reach Under The Hood & Customize Special Settings
- How To Browse Privately In Chrome Without Going Fully Incognito
- 8 Cool Tips & Tricks to Make Most Of Google Chrome
- 5 Little Known Google Chrome Hacks
Conclusion
Chrome is a fantastic browser with almost no drawbacks on the functional side. One huge concern on the ideological side, however, is that Chrome effectively lures its users into the world of Google. Is it too good to be free? Do you wonder how you will end up paying?
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