Chrome Custom Tabs on Android Updated With Improved Multitasking Features and Password Autofill Support

Google will let developers display a "partial" Custom Tab with more control over tab height.

Written by Himani Jha, Edited by David Delima | Updated: 16 February 2023 13:27 IST

Highlights

Chrome Custom Tabs can now display a smaller browsing tab in apps
Users can also fill in passwords without leaving the app
Google’s partial custom tabs are supported by a few browsers

Chrome Custom Tabs on Android Updated With Improved Multitasking Features and Password Autofill Support

Other browser makers can also add support for partial custom tabs

Google has announced that Google Chrome and other apps that provide in-app browsers on Android, are set to gain new features aimed at improving users' browsing experience. The search giant has added features like "partial" custom tabs that are said to make multitasking between the app and website links easier. Google has also made auto-filling passwords and addresses easier with custom tabs. The company first rolled out the custom tab feature to Chrome on Android in 2015 with the release of Chrome 45.

According to a blog post by Google on its Android Developers page, in-app browsers on Android (provided by Chrome, Firefox, Brave, and other browsers) will support new features aimed at offering a better browsing experience to users.

The first feature to be rolled out is Partial Custom Tabs, and Google says this will give users more control over the tab's size. Developers will now be able to customise the tab in pixels for a partial overlay just like a split screen.

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This will also make navigation between the app and the web easier, according to the company. It is currently available on a few browsers, including Chrome.

Another feature coming to custom tabs is the ability to autofill passwords, addresses, and other saved details without having to leave the app. When users open links inside apps, they will run in Chrome custom tabs, enabling them to access saved passwords and autofill them seamlessly.

Google introduced the Custom Tab feature on Android phones in 2015 with the Chrome 45 release. Custom Tabs are WebView tabs that can be opened internally via apps and load pages without opening the Chrome browser. These Custom Tabs are said to be designed to offer fast and efficient Web browsing. That's not all, these Custom tabs also offer smoother transitions between the web and the browser. For example, if a user opens a web page on the Chrome browser, they can access the same via Chrome Custom Tabs in a specific app, without leaving the app.

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