Google is rolling out three new features in Chrome, Split View, PDF annotations, and Save to Google Drive, as the company works to keep the world’s most widely used browser competitive while AI companies and startups push into the browser market with new products and approaches.
New Features Focus On Workflow And File Handling
The company announced on Thursday that the features are now officially launching and are designed to more closely connect Chrome with Google’s other online services. While the additions do not center on AI, Google has already integrated its Gemini assistant into Chrome, a move the company made as competition grows from AI providers such as OpenAI and Perplexity, which are experimenting with agentic browsers. The pressure from these rivals has pushed Google to ship more consumer-facing updates at a faster pace.
Split View changes how multitasking works in Chrome by placing two pages side by side within the same tab. The layout allows users to work across two sites at once or watch a video while taking notes. To activate the feature, a user can drag a tab to the left or right edge of the browser window or right-click a link and choose “Open Link in Split View.” The tabs then snap into place. When the layout is no longer needed, users can exit Split View through an option available from a right-click menu.
Editing PDFs Without Leaving The Browser
Another addition is PDF annotations, which lets users add notes to a PDF or highlight text directly in Chrome. The feature removes the need to download a file and open it in a separate application to make simple changes. Google said the tool supports basic tasks such as signing documents, filling out forms, and adding notes to personal or work files. The company described the feature as a long-awaited update that simplifies routine PDF work inside the browser.
Saving Files Directly To Google Drive
Chrome is also adding a Save to Google Drive option for PDFs. Instead of saving a file to a local computer, users can store it directly in their Drive account. Files saved this way will appear in a “Saved from Chrome” folder, which is meant to make them easier to find later.
Broader Changes To Chrome’s Interface
The update follows the recent expansion of Gemini and other agentic features to Chromebook users last month. Google is also preparing to add support for vertical tabs, a layout change that some competitors already offer. The option is currently available in an experimental form for users who enable it through browser flags.
Vertical tabs were a central feature in The Browser Company’s Arc browser and are also present in its AI-focused browser, Dia. By introducing this layout alongside the new tools, Google is aiming to reduce the reasons users might look to switch away from Chrome as browser competition increases.
Featured image credits: pxhere
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