Google has quietly rolled out a trio of Chrome features designed to make everyday browsing feel less like juggling tabs and more like getting work done. The update focuses on productivity, adding tools to help you multitask, manage documents, and move files in Google Drive without leaving the browser.
According to Google’s announcement, the update introduces split view, built-in PDF annotations, and a new Save to Google Drive option. The company says these features are intended to help users “focus, collaborate, and get things done faster.”
Your browser turns into a workspace
The split view is probably the headline feature. Chrome can now display two tabs side by side in the same window, making the browser more like a compact workspace. This makes it easier to compare documents, research while writing, or keep a reference page open without having to constantly switch tabs.
The second upgrade targets one of the web’s most persistent productivity problems: PDFs. Chrome already lets you open them, but now you can annotate them right in the browser. This includes highlighting text, adding comments, and tagging files before sharing them with others. Instead of downloading a PDF file, opening another app, and then uploading the file again, the entire workflow can now be done in Chrome.
The third feature connects Chrome more closely to Google Drive. A new built-in option lets you save files and screenshots directly to Drive without any additional steps or extensions. It sounds small, but it eliminates one of those repetitive tasks that silently eats up your day.
Taken together, these updates show how Chrome is evolving beyond a simple web browser. As rivals experiment with AI-powered browsing and new browser concepts emerge, Google appears to be focused on making Chrome more of a central productivity hub. Considering that for many people, most of their work is done while switching between Chrome tabs, this makes sense. By adding multitasking and document editing features directly to Chrome, Google is trying to reduce the need to switch between apps and downloads. If Chrome is already where you do most of your work, these updates may make it even more difficult to leave.
