All the New Features Worth Trying in Chrome 98
Reading Time: 2 minutesUpdate Google Chrome today to check out these brand new features.
Another month, another Chrome update. This time around, we get Chrome 98, which will be rolling out today, Feb. 1 to Chrome users everywhere. Once updated, you can take advantage of fun new features and changes, like a built-in screenshot tool and upgraded emojis. Some changes, however, won’t be obvious out of the gate, and will require a bit of tinkering to activate.
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Thanks to How-To Geek, we know exactly what to expect when the update hits our browsers later today. Take a look at the five new user-facing features Google added to Chrome 98:
There’s a new built-in screenshot tool
This is a fun one. Instead of using your Mac or PC’s built-in screenshot tool to grab an image of your browser, you can use Chrome 98’s instead. If you click the share icon in your address bar, there will be a Screenshot button underneath Copy link. Click that, and you can take a screenshot of whatever’s in your browser, without worrying about cropping or selecting specific windows.
You can add emojis to screenshots (Android)
With Chrome 98, Google is testing the ability to add emojis to screenshots on Android. To activate the feature, go to chrome://flags/#lightweight-reactions-android.
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Alexa-enabled
The planter includes a 50W adjustable LED to simulate the full spectrum of sunlight for your planties. It can be set to automatic timers and the digital screen can display your garden’s vital statistics.
Google is testing a Privacy Guide
Chrome 98 launches a test of Privacy Guide, which helps you gauge your privacy and web and app activity while using Chrome. To check out the feature, enable the flag from chrome://flags/#privacy-review.
Web app upgrades are stable
The last Chrome update, Chrome 97, tested upgrades to web apps that improved the look of the web bar at the top of the window. Those changes appear to be stable with 98.
There are now updated emojis
Emojis you encounter while using Chrome should now look nicer, at least when blown up, thanks to new COLRv1 Color Gradient Vector Fonts. If you want an example of these improvements, this COLRv1 Emoji demo site shows the improvements off well.
You can check out a full list of Chrome 98’s developer changes and features from Google’s developer site and the Chromium blog.
How to update Google Chrome to version 98
To check for a new update in Chrome, click the three vertical dots in the top-right of the window, then choose Help > About Google Chrome. From here, Chrome will let you know if there is a new update available—just follow the on-screen instructions, restart your browser, and you’ll be all set.