Google just published a security update for Chrome 89 on April 13th and now quickly followed with the Chrome 90 update.

Chrome is the most popular browser on both desktop and mobile devices. Each new version fixes security vulnerabilities and brings new functionality from time to time. With Chrome 90, the browser now prioritizes HTTPS pages and compresses videos to save bandwidth. In the desktop versions, video conferences should now require less bandwidth.

The new version 90 is mandatory for all Chrome users, as it fixes a 37 security issues with six issues classified as high and no critical gaps. The new Chrome version should automatically update itself via the integrated update functionality within the next few days.

Read below what is new in Chrome 90:

HTTPS pages are prioritized

The HTTPS Everywhere browser extension has been a must-have for many years. If there is a version of a website that is delivered via HTTP and one with an HTTPS connection, the extension ensures that users prefer to use the encrypted variant. Chrome 89 started with exactly this feature as an on-board tool and Chrome 90 now enables it for all users.

In the future, if you type in a web address without explicitly entering the protocol, Chrome will first check whether there is an HTTPS variant and, if so, the browser will prefer to use it. If the website does not offer an HTTPS version, there is a fallback to HTTP.

Important: If the user types in a prefixed http: //, Chrome respects the request for the unencrypted variant, even if there is an HTTPS version. So far it has usually been that websites actively advertise their encrypted version and users are then redirected in the browser.

More Chrome 90 innovations

Permissions: Evaluate the location or request other permissions, this is only possible in Chrome if users allow it. Accordingly, websites must first be granted this right, which has so far been done via small pop-ups. But Google has found that users usually click away immediately. That is why many requests are now automatically blocked. For example, if you want to receive notifications from certain websites, you can allow this retrospectively.

Improved video conferencing: Chrome 90 for desktop includes an integrated AV1 encoder. Its purpose is to ensure that video chats that are based on WebRTC, as is the case with Duo, Meet or Webex, require less bandwidth and still look better. In times of many video conferences, it is definitely a cool bonus.

PDF XFA Forms: PDF is not just PDF and although Chrome has long handled PDF files, there are still difficulties with certain forms. They cannot then be opened directly in the browser, but require an external helper such as Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. Chrome 90 starts now with at least partial support for PDF XFA forms (XML Forms Architecture).

Lite mode for videos: The lite mode has been around for a long time in Chrome for Android. It is particularly interesting for users who want to save mobile data volume. But you have to know that all traffic is routed through Google servers, which then compress them in advance. Chrome 90 extends the compression for Android users to videos as well.

Image Compression: A second piece of news is the Lite mode with images. If these are delivered via HTTPS, Google also compresses them. This new Lite mode is only available for Android users.

Port 554 blocked: Chrome blocks port 554 for security reasons. This should not make any difference to most users. But if you run scripts via this port, for example, you need an alternative. Google suggests using standard ports like 443 and delivering the scripts over HTTPS.

Less fingerprinting: Chrome's goal is to be more economical with information that can be used for browser fingerprinting. In Chrome 90, this affects various status information that can no longer be evaluated for all websites.

Security patches: 37 security vulnerabilities have been fixed in the desktop version of Chrome 90 alone.

Chrome updates are available through the built-in update functionality. They are usually downloaded and installed automatically. If you do not want to wait, you can also initiate the update manually under Help » About Google Chrome.