Google Chrome is one of themost versatile browsers on Android, and even other operating systems, partly because it offers platform-agnostic sync. You just need to be signed in using the same Gmail ID on all the devices, and sync allows you to resume browsing right where you left off, even if it is halfway around the world. Now, Google is giving you even more options for syncing, with new toggles for syncing saved tab groups right from the tab strip on Chrome Canary 117 for desktop.
The latest stable build of the browser,Chrome 115, already includes multiple toggles allowing you to personalize what data stays on a device, and what other data is synced. These toggles come in handy if you want your saved addresses from one computer available on another, but wish their browsing histories remain separate and unsynced. Back in January, popular Chrome feature researcher@Leopeva64 on Twitterspotted a new toggle switch labeledSave groupwith a sync icon beside it added to the tab group headers in the tab strip.
Turning on this toggle allows that particular tab group to sync across devices where you are logged into Chrome. Now,Leopeva64 has spotteda new toggle calledSaved tab groupsunderSettings→You and Google→Sync→Manage what you sync. This now allows you to choose if saved tab groups are synced across devices. Notably, the toggle is independent of theActive tabsoption. The researcher says Chromium developersseriously considered combining syncfor tab groups with the existingActive tabstoggle before relevant Google product managers stepped in to suggest otherwise.
Since the two toggles are separate now, Chrome will allow you to sync tab groups independent of active tabs. This means that even if active tabs are not set to sync across devices, a chosen tab group for deal hunting on Amazon, ongoing academic research, or pending work assignments can be set to sync separately. This tool is greatly beneficial, and is a part of the 2023 design refresh for Chrome.
However, it is limited to Chrome 117 Canary users at present, and the implementation could change by the time version 117 hits stable channel. It’s a good thing westay on top of the latest Chrome updates, so you will get closure.
