JodyBruchonFan (talk | contribs)
m Formatted citations; moved ref to inside quote.
 
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Let's get the "elephant in the room" out of the way first. The constant threat of accidentally refreshing a page has turned browsing with Chrome into a headache since 2019.
Let's get the "elephant in the room" out of the way first. The constant threat of accidentally refreshing a page has turned browsing with Chrome into a headache since 2019.


In spite of the abnormally high number of complaints by users suffering from accidental refreshes, Google has refused to reinstate the option to turn off this anti-feature. It seems to be part of Google's brand identity.<ref>[https://archive.today/2024.09.04-094015/https://issues.chromium.org/issues/41471115 Please bring back ability to disable Android pull-down-to-refresh. I lost my work because the feature. &#91;41471115&#93; - Chromium]</ref><ref>[https://archive.today/2025.10.07-180843/https://issues.chromium.org/issues/391378124 No way to disable pull-to-refresh &#91;391378124&#93; - Chromium]</ref><ref>[https://megalodon.jp/2025-0111-2220-13/https://support.google.com:443/chrome/thread/8391096/wanting-to-know-how-to-disable-pull-to-refresh-as-it-s-no-longer-showing-up-in-flags?hl=en Wanting to know how to disable pull to refresh as it's no longer showing up in flags - Google Chrome Community]</ref><ref>[https://megalodon.jp/2025-0701-0647-33/https://support.google.com:443/chrome/thread/8152831 Missing Android Chrome 75 flags disable-pull-to-refresh-effect How to disable it now? - Google Chrome Community]</ref>
In spite of the abnormally high number of complaints by users suffering from accidental refreshes, Google has refused to reinstate the option to turn off this anti-feature. It seems to be part of Google's brand identity.<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=Please bring back ability to disable Android pull-down-to-refresh. I lost my work because the feature. &#91;41471115&#93; |url=https://issues.chromium.org/issues/41471115 |website=[[Chromium]] |date=16 Jul 2019 |access-date=8 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/2024.09.04-094015/https://issues.chromium.org/issues/41471115 |archive-date=4 Sep 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=No way to disable pull-to-refresh &#91;391378124&#93; |url=https://issues.chromium.org/issues/391378124 |website=[[Chromium]] |date=22 Jan 2025 |access-date=8 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/2025.10.07-180843/https://issues.chromium.org/issues/391378124 |archive-date=7 Oct 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=Stotty |title=Wanting to know how to disable pull to refresh as it's no longer showing up in flags |url=https://support.google.com/chrome/thread/8391096/wanting-to-know-how-to-disable-pull-to-refresh-as-it-s-no-longer-showing-up-in-flags?hl=en |website=[[Google]] |date=20 Jun 2019 |access-date=8 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://megalodon.jp/2025-0111-2220-13/https://support.google.com:443/chrome/thread/8391096/wanting-to-know-how-to-disable-pull-to-refresh-as-it-s-no-longer-showing-up-in-flags?hl=en |archive-date=11 Jan 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Vosloo |first=Jake |title=Missing Android Chrome 75 flags disable-pull-to-refresh-effect How to disable it now? |url=https://support.google.com/chrome/thread/8152831 |website=[[Google]] |date=16 Jun 2019 |access-date=8 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://megalodon.jp/2025-0701-0647-33/https://support.google.com:443/chrome/thread/8152831 |archive-date=1 Jul 2025}}</ref>
<!-- I know, Archive.Today links are unwanted since the February 2026 drama, but the Google issue tracker is impossible to archive using any other archival service due to another evil invention by Google: shadow DOMs. Ghost Archive sometimes manages to archive them, but still struggles with them. -->
<!-- I know, Archive.Today links are unwanted since the February 2026 drama, but the Google issue tracker is impossible to archive using any other archival service due to another evil invention by Google: shadow DOMs. Ghost Archive sometimes manages to archive them, but still struggles with them. -->


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Chrome (Chromium) developer David Trainor stated:
Chrome (Chromium) developer David Trainor stated:
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
Leaving the swich in place as it is highly used as a command line value, but removing it to trim down chrome://flags size.
Leaving the swich in place as it is highly used as a command line value, but removing it to trim down chrome://flags size.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Trainor |first=David |title=8cf3626120e3949f9718b626217bf93b8b6d2545 - chromium/src - Git at Google |url=https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/src/+/8cf3626120e3949f9718b626217bf93b8b6d2545 |website=Google Source |date=22 May 2019 |access-date=8 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/2020.04.26-183014/https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/src/+/8cf3626120e3949f9718b626217bf93b8b6d2545 |archive-date=26 Apr 2020}}</ref></blockquote>
</blockquote>
<ref>[https://archive.today/2020.04.26-183014/https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/src/+/8cf3626120e3949f9718b626217bf93b8b6d2545 8cf3626120e3949f9718b626217bf93b8b6d2545 - chromium/src - Git at Google]</ref>


It is unclear how this benefits the end user.
It is unclear how this benefits the end user.
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=== No page title bar ===
=== No page title bar ===
If you look at Steve Jobs' iPhone 4 presentation, what do you notice that current mobile web browsers don't have?<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znxQOPFg2mo Steve Jobs' demo fail (CNET News)]</ref>
If you look at Steve Jobs' iPhone 4 presentation, what do you notice that current mobile web browsers don't have?<ref>{{Cite web |author=CNet |title=Steve Jobs' demo fail (CNET News) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znxQOPFg2mo |website=[[YouTube]] |date=7 Jun 2010 |access-date=8 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=znxQOPFg2mo |archive-date=8 Jun 2026}}</ref>


A title bar!
A title bar!
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=== Annoying download confirmation in incognito mode ===
=== Annoying download confirmation in incognito mode ===
In 2023, Google added an annoying prompt in incognito mode that reads ''"Download file? Anyone using this device can see downloaded files."'', which, of course, can not be turned off.<ref>[https://support.google.com/chrome/thread/239227138/how-to-disable-incognito-mode-download-file-anyone-using-this-device-can-see-downloaded-files?hl=en How to disable incognito mode, "Download file? Anyone using this device can see downloaded files." - Google Chrome Community]</ref>
In 2023, Google added an annoying prompt in incognito mode that reads ''"Download file? Anyone using this device can see downloaded files."'', which, of course, can not be turned off.<ref>{{Cite web |author=User 6073876982652430557 |title=How to disable incognito mode, "Download file? Anyone using this device can see downloaded files." |url=https://support.google.com/chrome/thread/239227138/how-to-disable-incognito-mode-download-file-anyone-using-this-device-can-see-downloaded-files?hl=en |website=[[Google]] |date=14 Oct 2023 |access-date=8 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260531112824/https://support.google.com/chrome/thread/239227138/how-to-disable-incognito-mode-download-file-anyone-using-this-device-can-see-downloaded-files?hl=en |archive-date=31 May 2026}}</ref>


Given that most smartphones are only used by one person most of the time, this message is pointless.
Given that most smartphones are only used by one person most of the time, this message is pointless.
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=== No background video playback ===
=== No background video playback ===
Chrome does not allow background video playback on ''any'' website. This is a deliberate choice by Google. In 2019, they even forced the developers of the Chromium derivative "Kiwi Browser" to remove this ability, at least for YouTube.com.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://mobilesyrup.com/2019/05/07/kiwi-browser-removed-from-play-store/ |title=Kiwi Browser app vanishes from Google Play Store  |website=Mobile Syrup |date=2019-05-07 |access-date=2026-06-08 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/05/07/kiwi-browser-removed-from-play-store-due-to-youtube-background-playback/ |title=Kiwi Browser removed from Play Store due to YouTube background playback |author=Corbin Davenport |website=Android Police |date=2019-05-07 |access-date=2026-06-08 }}</ref>
Chrome does not allow background video playback on ''any'' website. This is a deliberate choice by Google. In 2019, they even forced the developers of the Chromium derivative "Kiwi Browser" to remove this ability, at least for YouTube.com.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Malik |first=Aisha |title=Kiwi Browser app vanishes from Google Play Store |url=https://mobilesyrup.com/2019/05/07/kiwi-browser-removed-from-play-store/ |website=Mobile Syrup |date=7 May 2019 |access-date=8 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190507232416/https://mobilesyrup.com/2019/05/07/kiwi-browser-removed-from-play-store/ |archive-date=7 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Davenport |first=Corbin |title=Kiwi Browser removed from Play Store due to YouTube background playback |url=https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/05/07/kiwi-browser-removed-from-play-store-due-to-youtube-background-playback/ |website=Android Police |date=7 May 2019 |access-date= |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190507180735/https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/05/07/kiwi-browser-removed-from-play-store-due-to-youtube-background-playback/ |archive-date=7 May 2019}}</ref>


Google apparently wants users to not get used to background video playback on a mobile device, to match the behaviour that the YouTube app had since the beginning, even before YouTube Premium (YouTube Red) had existed.
Google apparently wants users to not get used to background video playback on a mobile device, to match the behaviour that the YouTube app had since the beginning, even before YouTube Premium (YouTube Red) had existed.