What you should know
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- Chrome Custom Tabs introduced in 2020 enhance the in-app browsing experience on Android by allowing web pages to open within apps without switching to a separate browser.
- A new experimental flag, “Allow Custom Tabs to be minimized,” enables users to minimize the webpage into a small overlay at the bottom of the screen, facilitating easier navigation between the app and web content.
- This minimization feature is set to be enabled by default starting with Chrome 122 Beta, significantly improving multitasking within apps.
- While the feature can be manually enabled in the stable version of Chrome for Android via chrome://flags, it’s cautioned only for experienced users due to potential instability.
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Full Story
Back in the day, 2020 to be exact, Android got a bit of an upgrade. Chrome Custom Tabs popped onto the scene, offering a shiny new way for app developers and their users to enjoy a tailored browsing experience right inside their favorite apps. Think of it as your cozy browser nook within apps like X or Slack. No need to hop over to a separate browser or mess with the clunky old WebView method.
But, here’s the kicker. Even with the snazzy convenience of having a full-fledged browser at your fingertips, there was a bit of a snag. Once you dove into a web link within an app, you were kinda stuck there. Want to peek at the original post again? Your only escape was to backpedal out of the webpage. Frustrating, right? Well, hold onto your hats, because change is on the horizon.
Enter Mishaal Rahman and Artem Russakovskii, who’ve stumbled upon something intriguing. A new experimental flag in Chrome for Android has made its debut, dubbed “Allow Custom Tabs to be minimized.” What’s this wizardry, you ask? It’s a game-changer, allowing you to shrink the webpage you’re viewing into a cute little overlay at the screen’s bottom. Picture-in-picture style, folks. This means you can flit back and forth between the web content and the original post without missing a beat.
Now, for the juicy part. You’re about to get the power to minimize Chrome Custom Tabs, letting you juggle your app and browser tab without breaking a sweat. Google’s rolling out the red carpet for this feature with Chrome 122 Beta. And guess what? It’s on by default. Mishaal Rahman even took to Twitter on March 7, 2024, to spread the good news. There’s a tweet floating around with all the deets.
For the brave souls out there, you can dip your toes into the stable version of Chrome for Android and enable this feature right now. Just cruise over to chrome://flags and hunt down the #cct-minimized flag. But, a word to the wise (or the not-so-tech-savvy), tread lightly. Fiddling with experimental flags can sometimes lead to a bit of chaos, like features going haywire, unexpected crashes, or other browser tantrums.
That said, for those rocking the Chrome for Android Beta, you’re already in the VIP club. This nifty feature came alive with version 122 and has been strutting its stuff in version 123. As for the rest of us using the stable version of Chrome for Android, we’re not far behind. The wait won’t be long until this becomes a standard perk for everyone. So, let’s buckle up and get ready for a smoother, more flexible browsing experience within our apps. Who knew web browsing could get even cooler?
