Google plans to remove FTP support from Chrome

Google Chrome always had a bit of a love-hate relationship when it comes to managing FTP links. The web browser usually downloads the FTP instead of rendering it like other web browsers. However, if you’re using FTP then you might have to look elsewhere soon as Google is planning to remove FTP support altogether.

In a post (via Techdows), Google, today announced its intention to deprecate FTP support starting Chrome v80. The main issue with FTP right now is security and the protocol doesn’t support encryption which makes it vulnerable and Google has decided it’s no longer feasible to support it. Justin Tervay who works on Chrome announced the change today and he cited the lack of encrypted connections and low usage as the reason to deprecate FTP support. He also noted that most of the platforms have third party FTP tools so users won’t be affected.

According to the timeline published by Google, the company plans to remove FTP support starting Chrome v80 which is scheduled to roll out in Q1 of 2020. The company will start to remove the code and the resources associated with FTP soon after and will be done by the time Chrome v82 is released to the public.