We all know very well that among the vast catalog of applications that the tech giant Google offers on its most used mobile operating system, of course, Android, it is likely that the Chrome browser is one of the most that frequently receives news and improvements.
The one that interests us, in this case, is the flags menu since it is where all the experimental characteristics of the browser are assembled. Like the rest, this menu is accessible from any different versions of Google Chrom and whatever platform it runs.
11 Best Chrome Flags For Android That You Should Enable Now
Among the huge catalog of applications that the tech giant Google offers on its most used mobile operating system, of course, Android, the Chrome browser likely is one of the most that frequently receive news and improvements aThere are very few applications that can boast of having more than 1000 million installations through Google Play.
But in addition to the news the browser receives regularly, the tech giant Google also introduces some other hidden functions, named by the company itself as flags. Hence, in this post, we will explain how to access this secret function menu and what can be done with them, as well as recommend some of the most exciting options you can enable right now. So, now, let’s explore the list we have mentioned below without wasting much.
Also Read: How To See Saved Passwords On Google Chrome For Android
This feature is acquired from Chromium, the open-source browser of the tech giant Google on which Chrome and many other browsers for Android and other platforms are based.
The development team of Chromium decided at the time to reserve a series of addresses that, when entered in the URL bar of the browser, would lead to different internal menus, which, being directly integrated into the application code, and not only that even they are accessible even without an active internet connection as well.
- Versions: this allows you to see the performance of the browser that is being used and install updates if available.
- Flags: gathers the hidden or experimental functions of the browser.
- Apps: menu, where the applications installed in the browser are located.
- GPU shows all the necessary information about the graphics resources used by the browser.
- URLs: collects the addresses of all internal menus available in the browser.
The one that interests us, in this case, is the flags menu since it is where all the experimental characteristics of the browser are assembled. Like the rest, this menu is accessible from different versions of Google Chrome and whatever platform it runs. To do this, enter any of the following two URLs in the address bar:
chrome://flags or about:flags
Once inside, you will see a massive list of functions divided into two tabs, “available” and “unavailable”, in addition to a warning in which the tech giant Google warns us that the features that appear in this menu are experimental and therefore could lead to data loss, or compromise the privacy or security of Chrome users.
Each of the functions is accompanied by a drop-down menu that allows you to enable or disable it, as well as a brief explanation detailing its operation, that sometimes mentioned in a somewhat technical language, something obvious, as all the functions intended to be used by developers and advanced users only.
Moreover, We will also find the name of each function written in a format similar to the following: #function-name, where the text next to the “#” symbol works as an identifier so that it is faster to access a specific function.
However, we must remember that if these types of functions are hidden, there are reasons to do so. Either because its operation is not yet optimal to get to the stable version of Google Chrome or simply because the tech giant Google is conducting tests and experiments and has not yet decided whether to include the feature in question in future browser versions.
But, the fact is that we have tested all the flags we have selected to show you all in this post, and not only that even we have verified them as well, and they work perfectly.
Here are the best flags that you can activate in Chrome for Android
Dark mode
Since the beginning of the year, the tech giant Google’s well-known and most used web browser, course, Chrome hides a dark theme that can only be enabled by activating the corresponding flag option.
chrome://flags/#enable-android-night-mode
Tabs open in the form of a list.
Suppose you do not like the horizontal format of tabs or the original with the vertical thumbnails. In that case, enabling this option with less visual design is possible but is more practical when many tabs open.
chrome://flags/#enable-accessibility-tab-switcher
Another flag introduced not long ago was responsible for enabling gesture navigation. It is available in Chrome Canary, Dev, and Beta, and once activated, it allows you to go to the previous page or the next page by sliding from left to right or from right to left on the screen.
chrome://flags/#overscroll-history-navigation
With the arrival of Android 9 Pie, a significant change was introduced in the menu of recent applications. The app thumbnails were arranged in a carousel with a horizontal scroll instead of vertically.
chrome://flags#enable-horizontal-tab-switcher
Faster downloads
With this option, Chrome opens several simultaneous download channels when downloading a file to accelerate the process. However, it is a simple option but beneficial and efficient.
chrome://flags#enable-parallel-downloading
Preview pages
Since it appeared in one of the recent versions of Chrome, the preview of pages in “temporary” tabs has become one of the most popular browser functions. It allows you to see the content of a linked web page from another without leaving the original invoice.
chrome://flags#enable-ephemeral-tab
Chrome Duet interface
Another exciting option is the Chrome Duet option, which allows you to divide the browser interface into two parts: the upper one, oriented to host the search bar, and the lower one, formed by a shortcut bar with which you can quickly access function such as Share menu, open tabs, options to go home. Again, this feature is available in all Chrome variants for Android.
chrome://flags#enable-chrome-duet
Scroll Anchoring
You have probably accessed a website that does not stop jumping from one place to another due to the loading of multimedia elements or advertising. To avoid this, you can use this flag that sets the point where you have finished scrolling and keeps it fixed to reduce this type of jump.
chrome://flags/#enable-scroll-anchor-serialization
Renewed image upload screen
When uploading an image to a web page, Google Chrome uses the system’s native file browser to allow users to choose the files they want to upload. However, the browser hides a renewed menu that can be activated by one of its flags.
chrome://flags/#enable-new-photo-picker
Softer Scroll
Some people complain that the scroll in web pages in Chrome for Android is not as smooth as in other browsers. To solve this issue, the tech giant Google offers the hidden option “Smooth Scrolling”, which shows a smooth glide animation.
chrome://flags/#enable-smooth-scrolling
Avoid automatic redirections
The automatic redirections that integrate some websites, sometimes to dangerous or unreliable pages, are even more annoying than the jumps. Luckily, they can also be blocked:
chrome://flags/#enable-framebusting-needs-sameorigin-or-usergesture
Also Read: How To Disable Chrome’s Auto Sign-in For Apps & Websites On Android
So, what do you think about this? These are just some of the best flags available in Chrome for Android, but they can change the whole experience while you are browsing. Share all your views and thoughts in the comment section below. And if you liked this top list, then do not forget to share this post with your friends and family.