Google has released a newer version of its browser Google Chrome and has now upgraded it to build 104.0.5112.81. This update primarily focuses on security patches to ensure that your device is not vulnerable to any known threats, but it also introduces an experimental feature that will perhaps speed up your online browsing experience. Moreover, it includes several updates for Chromebooks.
A total of 27 security vulnerabilities have been addressed with this update, out of which 7 are deemed of high importance, whilst none are of critical importance.
Moreover, this release will also be a part of the Extended Stable Channel, which is an 8-week release cycle for Windows and Mac devices. That said, even though Google had shifted to a 4-week release cycle for their stable releases, this update comes after 6 weeks from their last release (Chrome 103).
Let us now discuss the major changes included in this update, and then see how you can install this latest build for the Chrome browser.
Table of contents
Release Summary
- Complete Release Build: 104.0.5112.81
- Release Date: Tuesday, August 2nd, 2022
- Compatibility: Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7 (32-bit and 64-bit), Linux, Mac, iOS, and Android.
- Previous Build: Chrome 103.0.5060.53
- Bug Fixes: 14. More information about security fixes can be found here.
Improvements in Chrome 104
Faster Page Loading with Automatic Lazy-Loading
Google is currently experimenting with only 1% of the users that upgrade to Chrome version 104 with faster page loading through automatic lazy-loads.
Previously, Chrome would try and load entire pages at once including any third-party embedded content (like embedded video/Flash players), regardless if it was visible to the user or not. Although this kind of embedded content enhances the user experience, it slows down the page loading process significantly.
However, some websites started “lazy-loading” this content, which essentially means that it isn’t loaded unless the user scrolls down and makes the content visible, after which it was loaded.
With Chrome 104, such content will be automatically loaded in the background even if it has not still become visible to the user through an experimental feature called “LazyEmbeds.” This saves time since the content will already be loaded when needed and subsequently improves Chrome’s performance.
Note that this is still an experimental feature and can be redacted by Google at any point.
Chrome will now allow you to share or record selected regions of the screen, instead of the whole browser window. This is achieved through a new feature called Region Capture.
This feature is especially useful when you wish to share a screen during online meetings and only want to display a certain part on your browser.
Updates for Chromebooks
Chrome 104 includes several new features for Chromebooks. To begin with, Chromebooks will now get a new app launcher UI which the company has been working on for quite some time.
Moreover, Chromebooks will now have the ability to automatically switch between light and dark themes (light theme for the day, and dark theme for night). Previously, this was an experimental feature where the user initially needed to enable a flag to turn on the dark theme.
The system tray is also being revamped with this update to give a better, more subtle layout. The date is now displayed on the left side of the split clock. Upon clicking the date, a nice yet sizable calendar widget appears.
Update to Chrome 104
If you already have Google Chrome installed on your computer, then updating it would be easy. Follow the guide below to update your existing Chrome browser to version 104.
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Launch Google Chrome and click on the ellipses (3 dots) in the top-right corner of the browser. Then, expand Help, and click About Google Chrome.
About Google Chrome -
As soon as the About page opens, the browser will start searching for an update and then automatically download it. Once it is ready to install, you will be presented with a Relaunch button. Click Relaunch.
Note: The browser closes when you click Relaunch and then reopens, restoring all closed tabs.
Relaunch Chrome
The browser will now close and reopen. Once it does, you can navigate to the About Google Chrome page again and confirm that it has indeed been updated to version 104.
There are a few different methods that can also be used to update your Chrome browser to the latest version, including:
- Update using Google update
- Use the downloaded Chrome installer
- Using Ninite
- Download Chrome without using a browser
You can learn more about these methods in this guidepost.
You may also download the Chrome browser from the links given below if you do not already have it.
Download Google Chrome 104
Click on the links below to download Chrome 104:
Download: Google Chrome web installer
Download: Google Chrome offline installer
Download: Google Chrome MSI Installer [Enterprise Edition]
Download: Google Chrome for macOS
Download: Google Chrome Offline Installer for Linux
Download: Google Chrome for Android
Download: Google Chrome for iOS
Download: Google Chrome Portable
Install Google Chrome 104
Installing the Chrome browser on a Windows PC is as easy as downloading them. The process may vary for different platforms.
Download the file from the links above and then double-click it to execute. The rest of the process is pretty much automatic. The setup will download the required files (if the web installer was downloaded), install them for you and the browser will launch itself as soon as it is installed successfully.
The process is the same for all Windows versions.
