- A Google Chrome Canary beta build has revealed a new split-screen feature
- It’s been updated twice and renamed since it was first discovered
- It’s not available to the public yet, but is expected to release soon
The latest beta build of Google Chrome features brand-new split-screen functionality. This feature lets you use two windows in a single tab and even dynamically change the size of the windows for enhanced productivity.
Uncovered by X user Leopeva64, the new Google Chrome split-screen feature appears to be now known as “Show side-by-side”. However, it was first available in the drop-down menu as “Split tab with active tab”.
Naming conventions aside, the functionality is identical between the two beta updates; you can merge two windows in the browser under one larger tab, and then you’re able to resize the two sides, which means you won’t have to manually drag two windows snapped together or swap tabs out.
While confirmed to not be fully functional yet, plans are in place for the handle (space between the tabs) to be resizable as well. With a larger dividing gap, you can better separate the two tabs or minimize the gap completely for a seamless encompassing window.
The functionality is not live yet for regular users in Google Chrome, as it’s currently only available in a Chrome Canary test build. Considering it’s already been updated twice since it was discovered earlier in the month, there’s no telling how it will perform when it’s eventually rolled out in an update for everyone.
Despite how demanding Google Chrome can be on your RAM and CPU, there’s no debating that it’s one of the best web browsers you can use in 2025. This new split-screen tool is a smaller update than what we’ve traditionally seen rolled out, but it is something that could be a productivity powerhouse for those studying and working and needing web access.
It sounds particularly good for laptop users or people working with a smaller computer monitor, as there will be no need to awkwardly try to snap multiple windows together in a cramped space. Similarly, with adjustable scaling to each tab, all under one umbrella. If you’re someone doing research and you need the source larger than where you’re writing, that can be easily done, and vice versa. It’s another step in improving the speed and customization of Chrome as a web browser at a time when more users are demanding more functionality or going elsewhere.
Google Chrome Canary is a beta build of the web browser aimed at developers that is updated every single night. While it can be unstable, it provides insights into new features and improvements long before they arrive to the rest of the users (if they show up at all). Things are tested automatically, and usually not too extensively, so it’s a chance to play around with things that may or may not always work.
Recent Chrome updates have included long-term security features for ChromeOS, and stability updates for desktops, iOS, and Android. Previously, in October 2024, Google released performance controls for the web browser so you could make it run faster or more efficiently. In the same month, the company made its plans known to crack down on ad blockers and other unauthorized extensions on its web store.
