At the moment, Google is developing a new capability for Chrome that allows individuals to glimpse at links without the need to launch them in a separate tab. This functionality is currently in the experimental phase, with Google continuously enhancing and updating it. Initially, the link preview feature only displayed previews upon hovering over links. However, recent enhancements have introduced new methods to activate these previews, though the specific triggers for the official release are still uncertain.
Link Glimpses in Chrome
In the initial iteration of the preview functionality, users were able to preview links by either pressing down the Alt key before selecting a link or by right-clicking on a link and selecting “preview link” from the menu. This action would unveil the content of the linked page in a small window within the browser, allowing users to navigate and scroll through it; however, interactions with the primary page were restricted. For instance, playing videos or games within the preview window was not feasible.
The most recent iteration of Chrome’s link preview function now enables users to preview links by holding down the Alt key and hovering over the links within the Chrome interface. Nonetheless, only one link can be previewed at a time, and the scrollbar functionality is presently unavailable.
Activating or Deactivating Link Glimpses in Google Chrome
The link preview feature comes activated by default in Canary versions of Chrome. To deactivate it, undertake the following steps:
- Insert chrome://flags/#link-preview in the address bar of the browser.
- Adjust the status of the feature to Disabled.
- Restart Google Chrome.
Link glimpses are not entirely novel, as they have existed in browsers like Firefox through the deployment of add-ons. While these functionalities do offer convenience, they do not furnish notable privacy or security benefits. It is probable that other browsers based on Chromium will also incorporate this feature in the times ahead.
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