Chrome on iOS Enhances User Experience with Customizable Menu Bar
Google’s Chrome browser for iPhone and iPad just received a significant update that significantly enhances user customization. The latest version allows users to personalize the menu bar and carousel for a more streamlined browsing experience.
When using Chrome on an iPhone or iPad, tapping the three-dot overflow menu on the right side of the screen reveals a menu with a carousel of options and a list of various actions. A common complaint has been the “Smart Sort Menu Bar” feature, which automatically adjusts the order of items based on frequency of use. This has frustrated many users, as it disrupts muscle memory by constantly shuffling icons.
With the new update, Chrome has introduced a “Customize Menu” option at the menu’s bottom. This feature allows users to disable the Smart Sort function, keeping the carousel items static and in a user-defined order. Additionally, almost all items in the carousel can now be removed except for Settings and Site Information, which remain fixed for security reasons.
Users can now personalize their carousel by adding or removing features such as Bookmarks, Downloads, History, Password Manager, Reading List, recent tabs, Track Price, and What’s New. The Password Manager option has been enhanced with a home screen widget that activates the keyboard for quick credential searches.
The list of actions below the carousel is also customizable. Users can reorder or remove actions such as Follow, Add to Bookmarks, Add to Reading List, Clear Browsing Data, Translate, Request Desktop Site, Find in Page, and Zoom Text.
This level of customization, currently available in Chrome version 125 for iOS, has been well-received by users who prefer a more tailored browsing interface. This feature would also be a welcome addition to Chrome on Android, where the overflow menu can sometimes require scrolling due to its length. Additionally, the option to relocate the address bar to the bottom of the screen has been suggested to improve accessibility and usability on larger devices.
