Although Google has a 4-week release cycle, this release comes 5 weeks after version 107. Chrome 108 has some interesting new features, such as an energy saving mode for desktop and Android devices. Chrome 108 also introduces new COLRv1 Color Gradient Vector Fonts for better fonts and emoji. Additionally, it also has some dedicated goodies for Android users and developers.

Release Summary

Complete Release Build:Windows: 108.0.5359.71/72Mac/Linux: 108.0.5359.71Release Date: Tuesday, November 29th, 2022Compatibility: Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7 (32-bit and 64-bit), Linux, Mac, iOS, and Android.Previous Build: 107.0.5304.63Security Fixes: 28. More information about security fixes can be found here.Bug Fixes: 122. More information about bug fixes can be found here.

What’s new in Google Chrome 108

Energy Saver Mode

Google has introduced a new energy saving mode for Chrome so that it consumes less power when on battery. Currently, this feature is available on desktops and Chromebooks. Moreover, it is still an experimental feature. Thus, it needs to be enabled manually through a Chrome flag. When the energy saving mode is enabled, it also acts as a processor and memory saver. To enable this feature, follow these steps: This feature will now be enabled. By default, energy saving will be turned on when your battery is at 20% or lower. However, you can change these settings to “Turn on when unplugged” or disable it completely by navigating to the following:

COLRv1 Font Improvement

Google has now introduced the COLRv1 font, which is a new font format. It allows Google to add improved and more vivid fonts to Chrome, like colorful emojis. This format also does not take up a lot of storage space. Variable fonts are now supported in COLRv1 format. Variable fonts are vector fonts that can be manipulated to vary their weight, width and other features with CSS, without any distortions in font display. It is now possible for websites to ask the Chrome browser which features or font formats are supported, while offering fallback options when a font is not supported. Moreover, Google is also improving the COLRv1 spec with new variable functionality, allowing for even better-looking emojis.

New viewport size units

Viewports are a powerful and useful tool when it comes to web design. These units are used to determine the size of an interface within a browser. It helps the user automatically resize the user interface (UI) based on the value given. This is useful for websites that maintain responsive design for different screen sizes. The new viewport units give developers more control over the creation of adaptive UIs.Viewport size units

Android virtual keyboard resizing

On Android devices, the website rearranges the content to ensure that the focus area remains in focus when the on-screen keyboard pops up. Now, with Chrome 108, developers can choose how the web page’s content will adapt when the keyboard is opened.

Improvements for Developers

Several improvements have been introduced in Chrome 108 for the developers:

New viewport size unitsThe new viewport units give you more control to create adaptive UIs. These units measure the viewport area differently, as they take into account UI elements in the browser that can be expanded or collapsed. For example, the address bar.COLRv1 now supports variable fontsCOLRv1 specifications now also include OpenType Variations, which allows changes to font properties by changing variable axis values. Such variations are supported now.FileSystemSyncAccessHandle methods are now synchronousThe new FileSystemSyncAccessHandle method is now synchronous, which results in improved performance, especially when dealing with large or multiple files simultaneously. All file handling operations are performed in one go instead of sequentially.The origin private file system provides access to a special type of file that is highly optimized for performance. Developers can access such files by calling createSyncAccessHandle(), which is a method exposed on FileSystemFileHandle objects.This call results in a FileSystemSyncAccessHandle.The methods truncate(newSize), getSize(), flush(), and close() in that access handle, were asynchronous, but they are synchronous as of Chrome 108.

DevTools can now identify CSS styles with no visible effect. This can help reduce the amount of unused CSS on a page. The new viewport units give you more control to create adaptive UIs. These units measure the viewport area differently, as they take into account UI elements in the browser that can be expanded or collapsed. For example, the address bar. COLRv1 specifications now also include OpenType Variations, which allows changes to font properties by changing variable axis values. Such variations are supported now. The new FileSystemSyncAccessHandle method is now synchronous, which results in improved performance, especially when dealing with large or multiple files simultaneously. All file handling operations are performed in one go instead of sequentially. The origin private file system provides access to a special type of file that is highly optimized for performance. Developers can access such files by calling createSyncAccessHandle(), which is a method exposed on FileSystemFileHandle objects. This call results in a FileSystemSyncAccessHandle. The methods truncate(newSize), getSize(), flush(), and close() in that access handle, were asynchronous, but they are synchronous as of Chrome 108. Other improvements are also included in this Chrome release. To read more about them, refer to this post for Chrome developers. You can also check out this video from the Chrome Developers YouTube channel:

Update to Chrome 108

Google Chrome is configured to be updated automatically by default. You can keep browsing the Internet while Chrome downloads the newest version for you. It gets installed when you restart the browser. If you already have Google Chrome installed on your computer, then updating it would be easy. Follow the guide below to update your existing Chrome browser to version 108. The browser will now close and reopen. Once it does, you can navigate to the About Google Chrome page again and confirm that it has indeed been updated to version 108.Chrome updated to version 108 Note: The browser closes when you click Relaunch and then reopens, restoring all closed tabs. There are a few different methods that can also be used to update your Chrome browser to the latest version, including:

Update using Google updateUse the downloaded Chrome installerUsing NiniteDownload Chrome without using a browser

You can learn more about these methods in this guidepost. You may also download the Chrome browser from the links given below if you do not already have it.

Download Google Chrome 108

Click on the links below to download Chrome 108: Download Google Chrome offline installers [Stable, Beta, Dev, Canary]. Download: Google Chrome web installer Download: Google Chrome offline installer Download: Google Chrome MSI Installer [Enterprise Edition] Download: Google Chrome for macOS Download: Google Chrome Offline Installer for Linux Download: Google Chrome for Android Download: Google Chrome for iOS Download: Google Chrome Portable

Install Google Chrome 108

Installing the Chrome browser on a Windows PC is as easy as downloading them. The process may vary for different platforms. Download the file from the links above and then double-click it to execute. The rest of the process is pretty much automatic. The setup will download the required files (if the web installer was downloaded), install them for you and the browser will launch itself as soon as it is installed successfully. The process is the same for all Windows versions.

How to Uninstall Google Chrome

On a Windows PC, you can uninstall Google Chrome from the settings app, and the Programs & Features applet.

From Settings App

From Programs and Features

Google Chrome will now be removed from your PC.

In Windows 11:Settings app » Apps » Installed AppsIn Windows 10:Settings app » Apps

On Windows 11, click on the ellipses (3 dots) in front of Chrome. On Windows 10, click on Google Chrome to expand it. Type in appwiz.cpl in the Run Command box. Alternatively, right-click Chrome and then click Uninstall from the context menu.

Google Chrome Releases Version History

Also see:

Google Chrome 98 Released With New FeaturesDownload Google Chrome 101: Improved Downloads UI And Password ManagerDownload Google Chrome 94: HTTPS-Only Mode + Sharing HubDownload Google Chrome 102 With Extensions Starter Kit, New Keyboard Shortcuts, And Continued SearchesDownload Google Chrome 104 With Region Capture And Security Fixes