Google Now for Desktop Available in Chrome Canary Builds - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Google Now for Desktop Available in Chrome Canary Builds

by

Google Now is a personal assistant service that is considered to be Google's counterpart to Siri. Available on iOS and Android devices, the service is now making its way onto the desktop via Chrome Canary, the experimental build of Google's Chrome web browser.

google-now-chrome-mac-menu-bar
As reported by the Google Operating System blog, the latest build of Chrome Canary allows users to receive Google Now cards directly in the browser's notification system. Canary users on the Mac can enable the personal assistant by turning on the correct flag in the browser. Users should go to "chrome://flags/#enable-google-now" and then switch the settings from "Default" to "Enabled." A final click on the "Relaunch Now" button will turn on the feature.

Users who are signed into Chrome will receive a Google Now notification and a list of available cards. According to a Google support page, Google Now on the desktop will support weather, sports scores, commuter traffic and event reminders. Some of these desktop cards will sync with Google Now if it is enabled on a mobile phone. These mobile-synced cards will display relevant information using location data pulled from the mobile device.

Google Now for the desktop is still in the experimental stage, but it will likely land in the consumer version of Chrome for the Mac.

Top Rated Comments

Goftrey Avatar
166 months ago
Bit by bit, piecing these Chromebooks together. Making a 'glorified web browser' a lot more than that with each update.

They're the future guys!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Goftrey Avatar
166 months ago
Is that why Chromebooks are being used by practically nobody?



Speak for yourself, mate.

----------

For the average consumer who only wants to use the web or web-like apps, sure. But most people I know want and expect more than that from a device.

Oh yeah absolutely. I could never own one personally, and probably 90% of the people here who browse this forum couldn't either. It's not designed for us. It's designed for the families, the Mom's and Dad's, the grandparents, net-cafes etc.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Goftrey Avatar
166 months ago
The future?

Only over my dead body.

Regular Windows/OS X laptops are a dying breed. Even these 'ultrabooks' can't save it.

People are buying tablets & smartphones. But most people still want fully-fledged browsers & a keyboard for home/office work.

Answer? Chromebooks. For the average consumer a Chromebook is perfect. And with the steps Google are making to making Chrome OS feel more like a proper operating system, there's no way around it. See for yourself. (https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1689854)
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
166 months ago
Bit by bit, piecing these Chromebooks together. Making a 'glorified web browser' a lot more than that with each update.

They're the future guys!

The future?

Only over my dead body.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Michael Goff Avatar
166 months ago
Regular Windows/OS X laptops are a dying breed. Even these 'ultrabooks' can't save it.

People are buying tablets & smartphones. But most people still want fully-fledged browsers & a keyboard for home/office work.

Answer? Chromebooks. For the average consumer a Chromebook is perfect. And with the steps Google are making to making Chrome OS feel more like a proper operating system, there's no way around it. See for yourself. (https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1689854)

Is that why Chromebooks are being used by practically nobody?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
oneMadRssn Avatar
166 months ago
I love Chrome, but as a browser. I don't want things running in the background, trying to by autonomous. I hope this feature has an off switch.

Overall, it seems Chrome is getting more bloated. Dare I say it's suffering from the Firefox-itis?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Black Apple Event Logo

Apple Now Inviting Media to October 28 'Launch Experience'

Thursday October 15, 2026 4:13 am PDT by
Apple has begun inviting selected members of the media to a product launch experience in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 28, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a post on X, Gurman described the gathering as an "all-day product launch experience" for touchscreen MacBooks, a new iPad mini, and Macs equipped with M6 chips. Gurman previously reported that Apple would introduce the...
iPad mini 7 Review Thumb 1 sans text

Oops, Apple's Website Just Hinted at iPad Mini 8

Thursday October 15, 2026 5:27 pm PDT by
Apple has an unreleased iPad mini Smart Folio listed on its French regulatory website, hinting that a new iPad mini is coming. The case's A3632 model number doesn't match current or past iPad mini cases. Apple appears to have added the case to its website recently, and it's listed alongside iPhone 18 Pro accessories added in September. The listing doesn't include any iPad mini specs, but...
iPhone Duo Compromises Compared to iPhone 18 Pro Feature

iPhone Duo Compromises: Everything You Have to Give Up

Wednesday October 14, 2026 9:08 am PDT by
Apple's $1,999 iPhone Duo asks buyers to pay more for a folding screen while accepting almost 40 compromises compared with the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, spanning camera capabilities, everyday usability, and ownership costs. At equivalent storage capacities, the iPhone Duo costs $800 more than the iPhone 18 Pro and $700 more than the Pro Max. Its main attraction is a radically...
Latest Stories
Verizon Will Charge $10 a Month for iPhone Handoff
Verizon Will Charge $10 a Month for iPhone Handoff
2 hours ago
Apple Calls iPhone Duo Demand 'Extraordinary' After Orders Slip to 2027
Apple Calls iPhone Duo Demand 'Extraordinary' After Orders Slip to 2027
3 hours ago
New App Store Rules Target AI Deepfakes and Nudify Apps
New App Store Rules Target AI Deepfakes and Nudify Apps
4 hours ago
Didn't Pre-Order Apple's HomeView? Here's How Long the Wait is Now
Didn't Pre-Order Apple's HomeView? Here's How Long the Wait is Now
6 hours ago
Apple's $79 iPhone Duo Case Sticks On With Adhesive
Apple's $79 iPhone Duo Case Sticks On With Adhesive
6 hours ago
Apple TV 4K and HomePod Mini Price Increases 'Much More Striking' Than New Features
Apple TV 4K and HomePod Mini Price Increases 'Much More Striking' Than New Features
9 hours ago
The MacRumors Show: Was HomeView Worth the Wait?
The MacRumors Show: Was HomeView Worth the Wait?
10 hours ago
Apple Refers to HomeView as 'HomePodDevice' in Legal Document
Apple Refers to HomeView as 'HomePodDevice' in Legal Document
10 hours ago
Apple Pre-Orders Kick Off With First Discounts on HomeView and Apple TV 4K
Apple Pre-Orders Kick Off With First Discounts on HomeView and Apple TV 4K
12 hours ago
Developers Question Scope of Potential Apple Antitrust Settlement
Developers Question Scope of Potential Apple Antitrust Settlement
12 hours ago
iPhone Duo Resold for $5,000 on eBay After Selling Out
iPhone Duo Resold for $5,000 on eBay After Selling Out
12 hours ago
Massive Discounts Hit 2026 MacBook Pro With Up to $800 Off
Massive Discounts Hit 2026 MacBook Pro With Up to $800 Off
13 hours ago
iPhone Duo is Sold Out for Christmas as Shipping Estimates Slip to 2027
iPhone Duo is Sold Out for Christmas as Shipping Estimates Slip to 2027
13 hours ago
Didn't Pre-Order an iPhone Duo Yet? Wait Times Are Significant Now
Didn't Pre-Order an iPhone Duo Yet? Wait Times Are Significant Now
14 hours ago
First Apple TV 4K Pre-Order Discount Arrives at Amazon
First Apple TV 4K Pre-Order Discount Arrives at Amazon
14 hours ago
iPhone Duo Pre-Order Deals: The Best Carrier Offers From AT&T and T-Mobile
iPhone Duo Pre-Order Deals: The Best Carrier Offers From AT&T and T-Mobile
14 hours ago
iPhone Duo Now Available to Pre-Order From Apple
iPhone Duo Now Available to Pre-Order From Apple
14 hours ago
iPhone 18 Pro vs. iPhone Duo Buyer's Guide: Which Should You Choose?
iPhone 18 Pro vs. iPhone Duo Buyer's Guide: Which Should You Choose?
16 hours ago
Apple Store Down Ahead of iPhone Duo Pre-Orders
Apple Store Down Ahead of iPhone Duo Pre-Orders
17 hours ago
Oops, Apple's Website Just Hinted at iPad Mini 8
Oops, Apple's Website Just Hinted at iPad Mini 8
1 day ago
OLED MacBook Pro Won't Get M7 Chips Until Late 2027
OLED MacBook Pro Won't Get M7 Chips Until Late 2027
1 day ago
Apple Pledged $25 Million to Trump's White House Ballroom
Apple Pledged $25 Million to Trump's White House Ballroom
1 day ago
Touchscreen MacBook Pro Could Launch on November 6
Touchscreen MacBook Pro Could Launch on November 6
1 day ago
New Withings Users Must Pay $99/Year for Apple Health Syncing
New Withings Users Must Pay $99/Year for Apple Health Syncing
1 day ago
Meta and Apple Bring Muse Spark Open AI Model to Mac Studio
Meta and Apple Bring Muse Spark Open AI Model to Mac Studio
1 day ago
iPad Mini 8: Apple Has Tested Both 60Hz and 120Hz ProMotion Displays
iPad Mini 8: Apple Has Tested Both 60Hz and 120Hz ProMotion Displays
1 day ago
Apple TV 4K 2022 vs. 2026 Buyer's Guide: All Differences Compared
Apple TV 4K 2022 vs. 2026 Buyer's Guide: All Differences Compared
1 day ago
Apple CEO John Ternus on Early Foldables: 'Kind of Cheap and Crappy'
Apple CEO John Ternus on Early Foldables: 'Kind of Cheap and Crappy'
1 day ago
Greg Joswiak Says Apple Isn't Focused on Making AI for 'Lunatic Fringe'
Greg Joswiak Says Apple Isn't Focused on Making AI for 'Lunatic Fringe'
1 day ago
Amazon Offers $120 Discount on AirPods Max 2, $50 Off AirPods Pro 3
Amazon Offers $120 Discount on AirPods Max 2, $50 Off AirPods Pro 3
2 days ago