New Google Chrome update for iPhone and iPad includes widgets – here's how to use them

Chrome 90 Browser for iOS
(Image credit: Shutterstock / XanderSt)

Google has released a new version of its Chrome browser for iPhone and iPad, which brings widgets to your home screen, alongside bug fixes and the ability to edit your username and passwords from the app.

If you use Chrome on another device such as a PC, using it on your iPhone or iPad feels familiar in many respects. However, Google has been slow to update its apps on Apple’s devices since iOS 14 was released late last year, with Google Docs only gaining support for split-view multitasking on iPad in the last few months.

Widgets are another example, with Google, along with other companies still introducing them to their apps eight months on since the debut of iOS 14, but now Google has brought in a useful selection for your home screen, enabling you to quickly search the web and more.

How to use the new widgets

On either an iPhone or iPad running iOS 14, hold down on the home screen for three seconds and once the icons are wiggling, select the ‘add’ icon towards the top of the screen.

There should be a Google Chrome section  in the ‘add widget’ window to add one of three widgets:

  • Dino Game - Immediately launches the game inside the browser. 
  • Search - Perform a Google Search.
  • Quick Actions - Query a new topic with your voice or a QR code, or open a new tab in Incognito mode. 

You can drag and drop a widget to anywhere on your home screen on your iPhone, or to a section in the column of widgets on your iPad.

How can I access Chrome 90?

Open up the App Store, and check if there’s an update notification for Chrome superimposed on your profile picture towards the top-right. If there is, select ‘Update’ and you’ll soon be able to access the three widgets and customize your username and password information from the app.

Via 9to5Google

Daryl Baxter
Software & Downloads Writer

Daryl had been freelancing for 3 years before joining TechRadar, now reporting on everything software-related. In his spare time, he's written a book, 'The Making of Tomb Raider'. His second book, '50 Years of Boss Fights', came out in June 2024, and has a newsletter, 'Springboard'. He's usually found playing games old and new on his Steam Deck and MacBook Pro. If you have a story about an updated app, one that's about to launch, or just anything Software-related, drop him a line.