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For years, Android users have looked on with a bit of envy as other mobile browsers, including Safari and even Chrome on iOS, adopted a more ergonomic, bottom-placed address bar. With phones getting taller every year, reaching the top of the screen for navigation has become a literal stretch.
Well, the wait is finally over. Google has officially announced that it is rolling out the feature that lets you move the Chrome address bar to the bottom of your screen on Android. It’s a small change that makes a huge difference in day-to-day usability, and we’re thrilled to see it arrive.
Why this is the right move
The reasoning behind this feature is all about comfort and accessibility. As phone screens have grown, placing the primary navigation and text input area at the bottom of the screen simply makes it easier to reach, especially when using your phone one-handed.
In Google’s own words, the goal is to give users more flexibility. “Depending on the size of your hand and your device, one address bar position may feel more comfortable than the other,” Google says in its blog post. “We designed this update to give you the flexibility to choose your preferred location — so you can browse with more ease”.
How to make the switch
Google has made changing the position of the address bar incredibly simple. There are two easy ways to do it:
- The quickest way is to simply press and hold on the address bar itself. A menu will pop up with the option to “Move address bar to bottom”.
- Alternatively, you can go into Chrome’s main Settings menu, select “address bar,” and choose your preferred location there.
You can use the same methods to move it back to the top if you decide you prefer the classic layout. This is a fantastic quality-of-life improvement that gives users a choice that has been available on other platforms for a while now. According to Google, the feature will begin to appear on devices today and should be available to everyone in the coming weeks.
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