Android 12 is the major OS update we have been eagerly awaiting, promising to bring many exciting features to the Android Experience. Now, XDA-Developers reports that the Google Chrome mobile browser will also be getting some update love from Google, in the form of a multiple-windows experience similar to the desktop one.
Google Chrome will let you open multiple windows with Android 12
On desktop, you can rearrange tabs in several windows so it is more comfortable for you to group and manage your Chrome tabs. However, opening multiple windows on Android is not possible, you can currently open only multiple tabs. With Android 12 though, this is going to change, as Google is working on multi-instance support and a window manager for Chrome for Android.
XDA-Developers has discovered multiple code changes tagged with a "multi-instance" tag, referring to the mentioned Google Chrome feature. Among the new code changes, there's a "new window" button to the context menu of Google Chrome, to be used when the device enters split-screen mode.
When you tap on the "new window" button, understandably a new instance of Chrome will be opened in the other half of your phone's screen. Once a second Chrome instance is open, a new window will appear in the context menu dubbed "manage windows". The new window will list all the active instances, which window is in focus, the title of the active tab in each window, and a number to showcase how many tabs each window has open.
Up to 5 windows can be open in total, but there aren't, luckily, any limits to how many tabs you can open in each window. Additionally, the state of each instance is stored in "SharedPreferences" of Google Chrome, making it possible the windows stay as they are even after a reboot.
As every new window is a new instance of launching Chrome, each window will appear as a separate listing in the recent apps overview of your phone. This is actually reminiscent of Android 5.0 Lollipop, which mixed Chome tabs with other apps in the recent apps overview, but this feature was removed with Android 6.0 Marshmallow. However, a similar feature to manage your multi-windows of Chrome will be coming on Android 12.
If you want to test it out right now, you have to have a device running Android 12 beta, and Chrome Beta, Dev, or Canary installed on it.
Currently, there's a workaround if you want to open two Chrome windows side by side, but you need to be in split-screen mode. If you want to do that, you can open Chrome, then navigate to a website, then launch Chrome in split-screen mode. After that, you need to open the context menu and select "move to other window". This way you can have a new instance of Chrome open.
Recommended Stories
However, keep in mind that the two windows will stay only as long as you are in split-screen mode with this workaround, and once you exit split-screen mode, all tabs will be merged in one instance of Chrome.
This will be changing with Android 12 when it comes this fall.
Other Android 12 features to be excited for
Android 12 is shaping to be a promising major update to all supporting Android smartphones. Firstly, we have the "Material You" redesign with new playful and vibrant interface visuals, bringing a much-needed revamp to the looks of the operating system.
Android 12 brings Privacy dashboard
Alongside this nice new look, Android 12 will be bringing more security and privacy settings, such as the Privacy dashboard, the option to give apps an "approximate" location instead of your "precise" location. On top of that, Android 12 is expected to bring even more efficient and fast performance overall.
Izzy, a tech enthusiast and a key part of the PhoneArena team, specializes in delivering the latest mobile tech news and finding the best tech deals. Her interests extend to cybersecurity, phone design innovations, and camera capabilities. Outside her professional life, Izzy, a literature master's degree holder, enjoys reading, painting, and learning languages. She's also a personal growth advocate, believing in the power of experience and gratitude. Whether it's walking her Chihuahua or singing her heart out, Izzy embraces life with passion and curiosity.
Recommended Stories
Loading Comments...
COMMENT
All comments need to comply with our
Community Guidelines
Phonearena comments rules
A discussion is a place, where people can voice their opinion, no matter if it
is positive, neutral or negative. However, when posting, one must stay true to the topic, and not just share some
random thoughts, which are not directly related to the matter.
Things that are NOT allowed:
Off-topic talk - you must stick to the subject of discussion
Offensive, hate speech - if you want to say something, say it politely
Spam/Advertisements - these posts are deleted
Multiple accounts - one person can have only one account
Impersonations and offensive nicknames - these accounts get banned
Moderation is done by humans. We try to be as objective as possible and moderate with zero bias. If you think a
post should be moderated - please, report it.
Have a question about the rules or why you have been moderated/limited/banned? Please,
contact us.
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
Things that are NOT allowed: