Google has introduced a new version of its Chrome web browser, Chrome 123.0, which includes a combination of new features and security improvements.
Regarding security, Google has fixed 12 security vulnerabilities in this update, with the most significant one being rated as high severity. As of now, there have been no reports of these issues being exploited in the wild.
The update is already accessible for most non-managed systems and should automatically install for users. In case you want to prompt the update manually, you can do so by visiting chrome://settings/help or going to Menu > Help > About Google Chrome.
For Android users, the update will be rolled out when Google releases it for their devices. Unfortunately, there is no way to speed up the installation process on Android devices.
Chrome 123.0: New Features and Changes
One significant change in Chrome 123 impacts Windows users specifically. Google has adjusted the name and file path of the Google Update executable to updater.exe, located under a dynamic path in C:Program Files (x86)GoogleGoogleUpdaterVERSIONupdater.exe. This modification might present challenges for users trying to prevent the updater from auto-running by changing its permissions.
This transition is being implemented gradually, so if you haven’t seen the new directory structure yet, you may need to wait until it is deployed to your system.
Generative AI Features
Chrome 123 introduces generative AI features such as Tab Organizer and Create Themes, which were initially accessible to adult users in the US only. While still mainly aimed at US adult users, Chrome 123 may activate these features by default for certain users.
Tab Organizer, for example, simplifies tab organization by suggesting groupings based on your open tabs. As this feature is AI-driven, it involves remote processing, meaning Chrome sends tab information to Google servers. If you prefer to maintain privacy, you can choose to manually group tabs instead.
Minor Changes in Chrome 123
Here are a few small modifications debuting in this release, with some updates possibly rolling out gradually:
- Resume Tabs — Allows for tab restoration from other synced devices on the new tab page. This feature requires Chrome Sync to be activated. Additionally, Chrome on iOS now provides a quick shortcut to the last open tab’s URL from any device within the past 24 hours.
- Chrome Sync — No longer supports Chrome versions 81 or older, requiring an update to a newer version.
- Enhanced Password Re-use Detection — Expands previous detection of password re-use with corporate credentials to non-corporate profiles in Chrome 123.
- Safe Browsing Telemetry — With Enhanced Protection enabled, Chrome may gather additional telemetry when users grant notification permissions on certain pages.
- Private Network Access Warnings — Chrome’s private network access monitoring, currently in warning mode, will shift to protected mode in Chrome 130 at the earliest, displaying alerts in the browser’s Developer Tools.
Developers interested in Chrome’s updates can visit the Chrome Status website for more information.
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