Google Chrome is a constantly evolving browser that changes and updates continuously, often without news. We notice some changes when we happen to be able to do new things or when we notice on the PC of a more informed friend that the behavior of the browser on his PC is not exactly the same as ours.
While in another article I had already listed the most important options to modify on Chrome, in this we see some of the most useful hidden and advanced settings that are worth checking and modifying to get the benefits of some recent updates.
Note that some of these hidden settings can be changed in the experimental functions tab found by writing chrome: // flags on the address bar.
The settings on this page always require a browser restart and may even disappear (or be promoted in the Chrome settings menu) in subsequent updates.
Since the list is very long, to search for such a setting on Chrome: // flags, press the CTRL-F keys together and search on the page.
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1) The behavior of the Flash plugin
The Flash plugin is still used by some sites for streaming videos, but it is destined to disappear soon (as Java has long since disappeared) because it brings trouble.
As already said Flash is dangerous and would have to be deactivated completely if it were not that it can still be used for certain contents.
In Chrome it is therefore advisable to modify the automatic execution of the Flash plugin and activate the Click to Play.
Go to Settings -> Show advanced settings -> Privacy -> Content settings -> Plugins and select "let me choose when to run content".
In addition to the content managed by the Flash plugin, those of other plugins such as the Chrome PDF Viewer that will require a click for activation and display are also blocked.
2) Hide Extensions
A recent update (which I have not identified) has changed the mode in Chrome to show or hide the extension buttons in the upper right corner.
They can be discovered or hidden by dragging the right edge of the address bar left and right and moving the various icons to make them disappear to one side.
Consequence of this update is also the fact that extensions active only for some sites no longer appear on the address bar, but between the buttons on the right.
3) Continuous scrolling
The recent update to version 49 of Chrome has activated continuous scrolling by default, making vertical scrolling of web pages more fluid with the mouse wheel.
Until today this option could be activated on the experimental settings page Chrome: // flags so with the new version of Chrome there is nothing to change.
4) Profile management system, guest access and supervised users
Chrome as a browser takes many features of Chrome OS into user management.
In practice, every person who uses the computer can have his or her own Chrome browser customized in the saved settings and favorites, independent of the others and with its own launch icon.
This type of management can be done from the user menu at the top right or, better, in the settings> People.
From the button at the top right of Chrome you can manage access and start browsing as a Guest, ideal for making a friend use the internet on our computer without them spying on our business.
Supervised, i.e. controlled users can be added in the People menu from the settings.
This is the option that activates a parental control on children's accounts to monitor what they do on the internet.
5) Spell check
As seen in another guide, you can activate the spelling checker in Chrome of what you write on open sites.
The nice thing is that you can have an automatic spell checker in all the languages you want to use.
6) Chrome as a password manager
Google Chrome stores and manages passwords for stored website accounts.
The important thing to know is that the passwords saved in Chrome are visible on every PC or other browser if you log in with the same Google account.
In practice, all automatic logins to websites are available from any PC or smartphone where the same Google account is used with the possibility of being able to easily recover any forgotten password.
7) Cast from Chrome to Chromecast without extensions
This is possible, as explained in the specific guide, by changing a hidden option that makes the Google Cast extension unnecessary.
8) Mute the sound of a card
If you open many tabs and one of these makes noise with an advertisement or with a music, this is immediately recognizable by the icon with the speaker and, as seen in the guide written on the subject, it can be silenced without having to close it and without having to turn down the overall volume of the computer.
9) Memory management
In Chrome, the management of memory used by cards has changed.
I talked about this by explaining how Chrome cancels tabs in the background to reduce memory consumption and how this can also be done manually.
If you notice that Chrome automatically reloads the cards and you don't like it, you have to disable the option " Automatic card deletion " in the page chrome: // flags
10) Automatic filling forecast
Chrome's auto-fill feature is really convenient for filling out forms on websites without having to write your name, address number etc. every time.
This automatic compilation can be stored in the Chrome settings, under the advanced settings in the Passwords and forms section.
Click on the autofill settings to add one or more profiles.
If desired, you can make this function even more intelligent by activating, in the Chrome: // flags page, Show predictions of Auto-fill
11) Automatic saving for web pages to view them offline
If you use a laptop that is not always kept connected to the internet, you can activate the offline copy of the websites so that you can open them even without a connection and read them (even if not updated of course).
The offline sites feature is based on cached copies automatically saved by Chrome while browsing and can only be activated for now from the Chrome: // flags menu.
In Chrome: // flags you can then activate the Show Saved Copy Button option to see a button that loads the offline version of a site when it is not reachable or when there is no internet connection.
In the setting menu of this Saved Copy Button you can choose whether to put it in a prominent or primary position or to leave it in a secondary position with respect to the "reload page" button.
12) Resume the downloads where they left off
In chrome: // flags you can activate a really convenient and useful function that allows you to resume interrupted downloads without having to start over from scratch.
The option is called Download Restoration .
Regarding the downloads it can be noted that with Chrome 49 the graphics of the download management page has changed.
If not, activate the Enable Material Design download option in Chrome: // Flags
13) Turn every site into a desktop app with Chrome on Windows (as explained in another article).
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