Better notification controls, wallpaper settings, and more
Google recently changed its Chrome release timeline from one update every six weeks to one every four weeks, and as a result of this, version 95 was completely skipped. This summer we learned Google was planning the same for Chrome OS. Following the rollout of version 94, Chrome OS 96 has now begun landing on stable devices, and while it looks pretty minor compared to some previous updates, it does come with a few quality-of-life enhancements to the way the camera and Android apps work.
The update, which is the first release that’s part of the more aggressively paced four-week schedule, was announced on the Chrome Releases blog, and our friends at 9to5Google also spotted a few things notable changes worth sharing.
New Camera settings
The native Chrome OS camera is getting a few new tricks to help improve productivity and video calling from your Chromebook. The first one of those is document scanning, and while we saw this feature in testing a few months ago, Google is finally going official with it as Chrome OS 96 deploys. You can now use your camera to scan any printed document and easily convert it to a PDF file or a JPEG image. Just open the Camera app, select Scan mode, and hold the document you want to scan up to the camera — it will automatically detect the edges and store it as a digital document, similar to what apps like Adobe Scan do.
We also get some extra options for panning, zooming, tilting, or cropping your camera view for calls. It’s not quite as automated as the iPad Pro’s front camera, which follows you around as you move, but it does allow you to make quick changes like zooming in on yourself or showing something in the background. Just go into your Camera app, make a few adjustments, and save them. These settings are persistent, so you can hop into a Zoom or Google Meet call and have them still applied.
Finally, while this isn’t landing today with Chrome OS 96, Google has also teased a GIF maker for the Camera app, where you’ll be able to record a 5-second video and automatically turn it into a shareable GIF. We spotted this in the past, and it’s being hyped for “early next year,” so we might see it once version 97 or 98 come around.
Nearby Share on all Android apps
Android phones have had Nearby Share since last year, and in Chrome OS, it’s been supported in a limited capacity for a while — on the Files app, system apps, and some PWAs (progressive web apps). Nearby Share is now supported across all Android apps starting on Chrome OS 96, so you can easily share stuff with your phone or other nearby devices.
Easier notification settings
Previously, the only way to enable/disable notifications per app was to go to Quick Settings, but that’s changing with Chrome OS 96, as there’s now a dedicated Notifications section in Settings > Apps. This allows users to disable notifications on certain Android apps easily and in one place, or shut them all at once by turning on Do-not-disturb mode.
Other minor changes
As usual, there are also a few minor improvements and tweaks:
- There’s a new section called “Opening supported links” in the “Manage your apps” list, which determines whether links inside an Android app are opened in the Chrome browser or within an app’s own sandbox.
- The Wallpaper app is now accessible through a launcher icon instead of just right-clicking on your desktop. We also get a few UI improvements, like a larger grid.
The update has begun rolling out to supported Chromebooks today. If you don’t see it on yours yet, expect it to land within the next few weeks.
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