Google Chrome just got two killer upgrades — what you need to know

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It's about to get a lot easier to manage passwords and shop in Google Chrome

Google Chrome
(Image credit: Big Tuna Online/Shutterstock)

If you're the type of person who has difficulty remembering their passwords online or finds it frustrating to enter payment info, Google Chrome is adding a set of new features that may very well help you get your internet life back on track. 

The pair of updates — one coming to the Android version of Chrome, the other to the desktop version of the browser — should make it easier to keep both passwords and payment details straight. Both features all coming to all users "over the coming weeks and months," Google says. 

Google took to the official Chromium Blog to announce that soon, the desktop version of Chrome will be able to offer access to saved passwords if someone with a Google Account logs in. 

Log in and save a new password, and Chrome will offer the option to save it on your device or to a Google Account so you can have access throughout all of your Google-connected devices. 

Of course, you can already do this with Chrome, thanks to its sync feature. Syncing brings all your saved bookmarks, history, settings, and passwords together across devices, but you must have your sync options turned on with each device. 

With this new update, only one sign-in to a browser with a Google Account is required. That should make syncing more intuitive, since your account will already have all of these bits of information saved. 

Google Chrome

(Image credit: Google)

Mobile Chrome users are also getting a key update. Chrome on Android will be able to access any saved payment information after you log into the browser with your own Google Account, if that account already stores your card number and address. You'll have to enter a card CVC (the three numbers on the back of the card) to confirm your identity, or you can use your fingerprint to verify a purchase. 

Because of this, Google Account log-ins on Android have been simplified as well. If you're logged into Gmail already, you can simply use a "single tap" to get into your Google Account from there. 

Google has rolled out several new features to Chrome throughout the year. Earlier, it added a special option to help block pop-up notifications, and recently the browser added a new Tab Search function to help make it much simpler to find tabs you're looking for when you have a bunch open. 

While in the past Chrome has been something of a frustrating browser given its memory issues, Google has slowly but surely improving it in a number of ways. There are likely more changes to come into 2021.

Brittany Vincent
Brittany Vincent

Brittany Vincent has been covering video games and tech for over 13 years for publications including Tom's Guide, MTV, Rolling Stone, CNN, Popular Science, Playboy, IGN, GamesRadar, Polygon, Kotaku, Maxim, and more. She's also appeared as a panelist at video game conventions like PAX East and PAX West and has coordinated social media for companies like CNET. When she's not writing or gaming, she's looking for the next great visual novel in the vein of Saya no Uta. You can follow her on Twitter @MolotovCupcake.