Here is what is new in Google Chrome 91, out now
Google released a new version of its Chrome browser on May 25, 2021. Chrome 91 Stable is a security and feature update that is being rolled out automatically to all devices the browser is installed on.
Desktop users, those running Chrome on Windows, Linux or Mac systems, can run a manual check for updates to install the new browser version right away; mobile users need to wait for Google to push the update to their devices.
Open Chrome on the desktop and select Menu > Help > About Google Chrome to display the currently installed version and initiate an update check. Chrome will detect the new version, download it, and install it on the device. A restart is required to complete the upgrade.
The security update fixes 32 security issues in the Chrome web browser as revealed on the Chrome Releases blog. The highest severity rating is high, the second-highest after critical.
Tip: users who don't want to participate in Google's Privacy Sandbox can turn the trials off on this page: chrome://settings/privacySandbox
Support for Clipboard-based file uploads (via Ctrl-V or Right-click > Paste)
One of the main new features of Chrome 91 is support for pasting files that are in the Clipboard of the operating system. Chrome users who want to upload files to a web service could use a file browser or drag & drop, if supported by the web service, up until now. The ability to paste files that are referenced in the Clipboard adds a new option to this. Just use Ctrl-V to paste the file information and the site will accept it just like any other method that it supports.
Files that are placed in the clipboard may be exposed to sites and applications by the user. Sites cannot read the contents unless the user uses Ctrl-V or right-click > Paste to initiate the process. Sites have read-only access, writing is not supported. The feature is supported by WebKit already.
Other changes in Chrome 91
Here is a short overview of other important changes in Chrome 91:
- Tab Groups that are collapsed will be frozen by Chrome automatically to free up system resources. Exceptions include tabs that play audio and some other types of activity.
- Installed PWAs may now be started with the operating system on the desktop. Use the flag chrome://flags/#enable-desktop-pwas-run-on-os-login to configure the behavior.
- HTTP port 10080 is blocked to mitigate the NAT Slipstream 2.0 attack.
- GravitySensor API enabled by default.
- Refresh of menu items in Chrome for Android (following the desktop release in Chrome 83).
- WebOTP API support on Android for cross-origin iframes if enabled by a permission policy.
- Support for JSON modules.
- WebAssembly SIMD support.
- WebTransport protocol framework support that "enables clients constrained by the Web security model to communicate with a remote server using a secure multiplexed transport".
- JavaScript will support modules in service workers.
- DNS over HTTPS is now available on Linux
Now You: do you use Chrome? What is your take on the new release?
Martin, one thing you forgot to mention is the new Search Tabs button near the top-right corner.
Anyone know how to remove the tabs under the Recently Closed Tabs list without going to the Clear Browsing Data page?
I won’t keep coming to this site if I get invading videos that I have to click on to remove!
The flag to get rid of tab hover garbage doesn’t work anymore. I hate you Google.
Seriously. I hate these damn hover cards (let’s call them what they are: title pop ups). Pop up behavior in UI design is usually a terrible idea. I’m considering switching to Firefox out of sheer spite.
Yeah, man , can’t agree more.
“DNS over HTTPS is now available on Linux”
I can’t see it in my chrome now.
It’s under:
chrome://settings/security
I have been using Quad9 for a long time and Chrome 91.0.4472.77 (Official Build) beta (64-bit) was automatically set for DNS over HTTPS for me. Windows 10 is at 21H1 Build 19043.10233 .
Hoi Martin, thanks for the update info.
In release 90 main Ublock stopped working and blocked the browser so I could not work with it anymore. I had to install AdBlock.
Do you already know or in this release or any further version Ublock is going to work again?
uBlock Origin works fine here.
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ublock-origin/cjpalhdlnbpafiamejdnhcphjbkeiagm
Hope you don’t mean uBlock, which is not the real good one…
https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/wiki/uBlock-Origin-is-completely-unrelated-to-the-web-site-ublock.org
I did not notice any issues running uBlock, but I don’t use Chrome as my main browser. What kind of issues did you experience?
Martin, After reading your comment I have uninstalled Ublock completely from Chrome.
After that I reinstalled (But I have lost all the special settings) Ublock again and it worked again.
Thanks for your comment.
“DNS over HTTPS is now available on Linux”
Finally!
I immediately switched it on (Quad9):
https://dns.quad9.net/dns-query
On Ubuntu the settings pane is not showing or is very well hidden in a virtual African territory…
Chrome was better on Linux than on Windows but now it’s also becoming bloated. What a shame…
“Gravity Sensor API enabled by default” Fasten your seatbelts folks coz more than likely, disabling Gravity Sensor API is gonna be removed in future versions like with many other toggles.