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 that help you multitask, manage documents, and move files into 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 meant to help users “focus, collaborate and get things done more quickly.”
Your browser is turning into a workspace
Split view is arguably the headline feature. Chrome can now display two tabs side by side in the same window, turning the browser into something closer to a lightweight workspace. This makes it easier to compare documents, research while writing, or keep a reference page open without constantly switching tabs.
The second upgrade targets one of the web’s most stubborn productivity pain points: PDFs. Chrome already lets you open them, but now you can annotate them directly in the browser. That includes highlighting text, adding comments, and marking up files before sharing them with others. Instead of downloading a PDF, opening another app, and then re-uploading the file, the entire workflow can now happen in Chrome.
The third feature connects Chrome more deeply with Google Drive. A new built-in option lets you save files and screenshots directly to Drive without extra steps or extensions. It sounds small, but it removes one of those repetitive tasks that quietly eat away at your day.
Taken together, these updates show how Chrome is evolving beyond a simple web browser. With competitors experimenting with AI-powered browsing and new browser concepts emerging, Google appears focused on making Chrome feel more like a central productivity hub. Considering that for many people, most of the work is done when switching between Chrome tabs, this makes sense. By adding multitasking and document editing features directly into Chrome, Google is trying to reduce the need to bounce between apps and downloads. If Chrome is already where most of your work happens, these updates might make it even harder to leave.
