Chrome OS 97: 5 new feature flags you should try right now

Now that Chrome OS updates every 4 weeks, it feels like we’re finding new flags more frequently than ever. Though the features we’ll cover today aren’t new to those who spend a lot of time around Chrome Unboxed, they are generally new to the Stable Channel of Chrome OS 97 and are usable in their current form right now.

As always, to turn these experimental flags on, you need to head to chrome://flags find the ones we highlight, turn them on, and select the option to restart Chrome afterwards. From what we can tell, all these features work right out of the box after the flags are on, so let’s dive in to see them in action so you can try them out for yourself if you are so inclined.

Share button in URL bar

First up, we’ll start with one that’s not actually hidden behind a flag (for now, anyway).There’s a new share button in the URL bar that does, well, exactly what you’d expect. Though I’ve always argued that a share button in a desktop browser isn’t exactly necessary since the content on the screen has the URL right there in view, I have to admit that this little button simply makes things easier. Click it and the share sheet shows up, allowing you to share the site you are on with any available service on your Chromebook via an Android or web app.

Calendar view in system tray

This one is a helpful little feature, though the fullness of it isn’t yet realized. We know that this calendar widget will eventually tie in with your Google Calendar and allow you to see events for the selected day, but that isn’t what we have right now. With this flag (chrome://flags/#calendar-view), you simply get the monthly calendar view in your system tray alongside the date next to your standard clock. It’s helpful for reference and is much quicker to leverage when you simply need to see what date a particular day of the week falls on at a glance.

Persistent overview button

This one is a freebie, but it’s still pretty useful. Overview mode is so important in desktop and tablet modes, so having a dedicated button for it is handy. Sure, there’s an overview button on the keyboard of every Chromebook, but sometimes having a button right there on the desktop is handy. But more importantly, in tablet mode, this button is frankly a quicker way to multitask than the swipe up gesture that is now in Chrome OS. You can enable the flag here: chrome://flags/#ash-overview-button

New launcher animation

The productivity launcher is the same one we talked about in our Chrome OS 96 video, but this latest flag is simply an addition to that. Whereas the new launcher basically would appear with no animation, this flag (chrome://flags/#productivity-launcher-animation) adds a bit of flare to things. The upward fade-in, slide-in motion feels a bit Pixel-esque and looks fantastic. Overall, I’d love to see Chrome OS get more and more of these sorts of touches throughout. It may not make you any more productive, but it sure makes the OS feel more cohesive.

Return of the trash

Trash in the Files App has been an on-again, off-again thing over the past few months. Since it showed up in October of 2020, the Files App trash can hasn’t always been in a usable state. The good news is it is finally here and ready to use, but it’s really so good at this point I’m not entirely certain why Google hasn’t just turned it on out of the box. Either way, flip the flag (chrome://flags/#files-trash) and after you delete a local file, you’ll be able to have one last chance at restoring it.

Screen capture recording options

Finally, we have a few additions to the already-excellent screen capture feature. While we don’t yet have the recently unearthed webcam support available, we do get a few more options for screen recording in the form of an audio input selector and a saved file location option. So, if you have an external microphone attached to your Chromebook, you’ll be able to use it to record your voice during a screen recording session. You can try it out here (chrome://flags/#ash-advanced-screen-capture-settings).

For now, that’s it for Chrome OS 97. If a feature you were waiting for isn’t here yet, just wait until next week when Chrome OS 98 rolls out. These 4-week updates feel like they are coming at a blistering rate and it feels like there’s always something new to talk about around here. As always, we’ll be on the lookout for the latest, greatest stuff in the next update, but until then, enjoy the flags.