Google Chrome 76 comes out with safer incognito mode, website dark themes and PWA improvements

Google is rolling out Chrome 76 to users of the Chrome browser with some changes. The first significant change is a slight tweak to dark mode. From Chrome 76 onwards, websites will be able to detect if a computer is in dark mode and change their CSS dynamically to reflect that such that the web content becomes light text on a dark background just like the browser.

Google will also be changing the way incognito mode works such that sites would no longer be able to detect users who are in private mode. It would cause issues to publications like the Washington Post which require users to sign in while browsing invention and make enforcing paywalls and tracing customers harder for publications.

“Sites that wish to deter meter circumvention have options such as reducing the number of free articles someone can view before logging in, requiring free registration to view any content, or hardening their paywalls. Other sites offer more generous meters as a way to develop affinity among potential subscribers, recognizing some people will always look for workarounds,” Google said,  “We suggest publishers monitor the effect of the FileSystem API change before taking reactive measures since any impact on user behaviour may be different than expected and any change in meter strategy will impact all users, not just those using Incognito Mode.”

Finally, Google will also be making it easier for users to install PWA as it adds a new install button to the omnibox.

Chrome 76 is now out of beta and should be rolling out shortly.