Google Chrome is getting a security boost with a key desktop safety feature making its way to mobile

Key Takeaways

• Chrome’s Safety Check tool runs in the background on desktop. As part of an update today, the tool will now run automatically in the background on Chrome for mobile too.
• Google is also making it easier for users to manage Chrome website notifications directly from the notification drawer.
• You’ll now be able to grant one-time website permissions on Chrome for desktop and Android, with Chrome automatically revoking permissions once you leave the website.

Google Chrome is the go-to browser choice for many, thanks to its advanced features like tab groups that sync between devices, support for a dedicated password manager, Gemini AI and Google Lens integration for Circle to Search capabilities, and more.

However, it isn’t the safest or the most privacy-focused option out there, with open-source browsers like Brave taking that crown any day, followed by Firefox. To address that, Google is introducing a range of new features that aim to enhance user control over personal data, paired with features to better protect users from online threats.

Chrome’s Safety Check tool essentially runs a scan to spot compromised passwords, reused, or weak passwords, paired with safe browsing features with settings to protect against dangerous websites, downloads, and extensions. Further, the feature also regularly scans for software updates and security patches, with reminders to update if one is available.

As part of the update today, Safety Check will now run automatically in the background on Chrome on mobile, proactively scanning for potential security risks and taking steps to mitigate issues. This could include revoking permissions from sites that you no longer visit and flagging unwanted notifications. “Additionally, Safety Check will remind you if anything needs your attention, like a security issue that needs to be addressed,” wrote Google on its blog post about the new enhanced tool.

It’s worth noting that Safety Check running in the background is only a new feature for Chrome on mobile. On desktop, the tool has been automatically protecting users since late last year.

Easier notification management and one-time permissions

Elsewhere, available on Pixel devices, and coming soon to other Android devices, Google is making it easier for users to manage website notifications — directly from the notification drawer.

According to the tech giant, users on Android devices will soon start seeing an Unsubscribe button next to a Chrome website notification in the drawer, making the unsubscribing process much faster than long pressing the notification and disabling it that way, or by going into settings. Google suggests that the feature has already resulted in a “30 percent reduction in notification volume on supported Pixel devices.”

Another key addition is support for one-time permissions. This, as the name suggests, allows you to grant a website permissions, like camera or mic access, only for a single session. Once the webpage is closed, Chrome will automatically revoke the permissions, and you’ll have to manually grant them again when you visit the website the next time.