Google Chrome 104 beta has just launched, here's what’s new

The release lets you test the new Privacy Sandbox and brings multi-screen improvements to web apps

Chrome 103 was just released to the stable channel this week, and that means that its spot in the beta slot is now free. The place has quickly been filled with Chrome 104, which offers a few new features for those adventurous enough to be using the beta to try. Among them is the revamped Privacy Sandbox screen in settings, further multi-screen enhancements for desktop, and video-conferencing improvements.

Privacy Sandbox

Google is working on a replacement for third-party cookies that will still allow it and other advertisers to display personalized ads. It’s currently experimenting with the so-called Privacy Sandbox, which analyzes which websites you visit and incurs potential interests, all locally in the browser. Websites and ad networks can then ask Chrome to give them only access to the topics, not any of your actual browsing history.

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Chrome 103 makes it possible to join a test run, with the revamped Privacy Sandbox explaining how exactly the system works and giving you a list of your interests as you browse. This list is only based on your browsing behavior once you activate the trial, and it will automatically be deleted on a 4-week rolling basis.

When you first start the browser after the update, you might be invited to join the test. Otherwise, you can access it by opening Chrome Beta, tapping the three-dot menu in the top right corner, then Settings, Privacy and security, and Privacy Sandbox.

Fullscreen multi-window screen placement

Web apps are getting ever more powerful, and Google is a driving force behind innovations in this area. The latest developer-focused feature allows sites and web apps to place fullscreen content or pop-up windows on secondary screens, all with a single click or tap from a user. This is something that native applications have been able to do for ages. It will be particularly useful if you use a web app to present content, as this would allow you to keep your notes on your laptop’s screen and the fullscreen presentation on the beamer.

Something similar was first introduced in Chrome 100, allowing websites to utilize multi-screen environments and automatically move windows across different displays. The new fullscreen capability is actually a small extension of this broader feature.

Region Capture

Another web-app focused enhancement comes with the nondescript “Region Capture” moniker. Essentially, this allows web apps to crop and omit certain parts of video streams before they’re shared. In a real-world scenario, this could be useful when you’re sharing your screen in a video conference, avoiding that hall-of-mirrors effect that you usually get when you accidentally show a screen share of your screen share of your screen share of your… you get the point.

You can download Chrome 103 beta on the Play Store for your Android phone. If the latest version hasn’t rolled out to you yet, you can grab it over at APK Mirror. It’s also available for desktop computers.