Google has historically been very cautious about changing Chrome’s interface and layout given its huge user base. That said, one such change is underway in Chrome for Android with a customizable toolbar shortcut.
On Android, the Chrome UI remains – Duplex/Duet being abandoned – a toolbar with a home button, address bar, tab switcher, and overflow menu, containing a long list of actions.
It appears that Google is now rolling out “Toolbar Shortcuts” between the omnibox and the tab button/counter more broadly. One of three actions may appear here: New Tab (plus sign), Share, or Voice Search (microphone).
By default, the button you see is “Based on your usage,” with Google providing a “Current Recommendation.” New Tab and Share are already placed in the overflow menu, while tapping on the address bar shows voice search. The first two functions can be considered critical to browser usage and it is understandable why they would be elevated. In fact, the abandoned chrome Duet bottom bar redesign put those functions front and center.
That said, users can manually choose which shortcut they want and even turn off the toolbar entirely from Chrome settings (under Advanced just below the homepage button, which is also disabled). can be done). You can also get it manually with this flag:
chrome://flags/#adaptive-button-in-top-toolbar-customization
Toolbar Shortcuts is out in July 2021 for Chrome 92 for Android. At the time, it was rolled out to some people as part of general A/B testing. It’s been seeing very wide availability in recent weeks, including after version 101 became stable on Tuesday, but Google hasn’t officially announced the feature yet and it may be rolled out.
This addition is a small change in the grand scheme (and easily overlooked/disabled), but it doesn’t represent an insignificant UI addition to Android’s layout for Chrome. (The last one was stuff you improve upon where functionality was unchanged.) Google should think this is a big enough improvement to roll it out to button users.
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