Google wants to remove Chrome's compact mode for good
The experiment arrived some months ago
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Key notes
- Google is deprecating Chrome’s experimental compact mode.
- The feature reduces the browser UI’s height for more web content space.
- A Chromium commit message reveals the removal of compact mode after testing.
Google is planning to deprecate the compact mode on Chrome, its popular browser, not too long after testing it in Canary, its experimental channel.
Eagle-eyed browser enthusiast @Leopeva64 on X spots a commit message on Chromium Gerrit that details the change.
This commit message indicates that the “compact mode” feature in Chromium is being removed because it was an experimental prototype that the development team is no longer pursuing. The associated preference (pref) will also be deleted in one year.
“Deprecating compact mode since it was an experimental prototype we are no longer pursuing,” the commit message reads, which is titled “[CompactMode] Remove compact mode.”
Chrome’s compact mode reduces the height of its browser UI to make some room for web content, just like the feature’s name suggests. It would decrease the height of browser controls such as the tab scrip, toolbar, and bookmarks bar, thus making the browser’s UI a lot more spacier.
It was once a feature on Firefox too, but the developers removed it due to low engagement although you may still activate it via the Configuration Editor.
“Compact mode is not currently supported. For the recommended and supported experience, we encourage you to keep the normal density setting,” Mozilla says on its support page.
On the other hand, while Edge doesn’t have a specific compact mode, it does offer a “Focus mode” that removes the toolbar to give some space for web content.
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