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.
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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.
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.
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