Using Google’s Chrome browser? This new feature will help you fix your security settings

April 8, 2022 TH Author

Google is releasing a new tool to help users configure their privacy settings in the Google Chrome browser in the form of a guided tour.

The new Google Chrome Privacy Guide walks users through their privacy settings and was developed by engineers in the Google Safety Engineering Center (GSEC), the company’s global hub for privacy and security engineering.

“Soon, you’ll see a new card for Privacy Guide in the “Privacy and security” tab in your Chrome settings, which you can find by clicking the three dots on the top-right corner of your browser,” Google said.

The guide includes explanations for cookies, history sync, Safe Browsing, and Make Searches and Browsing Better. Google says it may add more settings to the guide based on user feedback.

Chrome now has over 2.5 billion users and is by far the most widely used desktop browser. The privacy guide has been designed to keep this substantial user base safe online by offering more information on each of Chrome’s security settings and how they affect the browser.

“When you navigate through Privacy Guide, you’ll learn about the ‘Why’ behind each setting, and how it impacts your browsing experience, so you can easily understand what happens,” explains Audrey An, a product manager for GSEC Munich.

The Privacy Guide will be available in the coming weeks for users of Chrome version 100 on the desktop. Users should see a card for it in the “Privacy and security” tab of Chrome settings. Changes to settings made through the guide process will be saved.

Until that time arrives, users can perform a security check by typing in the URL chrome://settings/safetyCheck in the address bar, which displays what security updates are available, weak and breached passwords, protection against malicious extensions, and whether Google’s Safe Browsing service is on.