Google's Chrome Browser Testing Bottom-Placed Address Bar on iOS

Google's Chrome browser for iOS is testing an option for users to shift the address bar to the bottom of the screen, two years after Apple’s Safari made the same change.

chrome bottom url bar
The move, spotted by MacRumors contributor Steve Moser, is currently in beta testing in the Testflight version of the app. Currently the change is optional, enabling users to set the URL bar to the top or bottom by pressing and holding the bar to bring up a switch, or by changing the location via Settings -> Address Bar.

Apple in its iOS 15 beta testing phase introduced a redesigned Safari experience that moved the URL bar and tab interface to the bottom of the iPhone, a decision that initially proved controversial with ‌iPhone‌ users.

Locating the bar at the bottom of the interface made it easier to browse with one hand, but not everyone was happy. After listening to feedback, Apple added a toggle to show the address bar at the top of the ‌iPhone‌ rather than the bottom, for users who preferred the more iOS 14-like experience.

It's not clear whether Chrome will roll out the change to all users – Google tried a similar change in Chrome for Android in 2017, then subsequently removed the feature. However, with iPhone screens historically getting iteratively bigger, many will likely welcome the change, should it stick.

Popular Stories

apple music chatgpt

ChatGPT's Apple Music Integration Is Now Live

Wednesday December 17, 2025 3:50 pm PST by
There's now a dedicated Apple Music app for ChatGPT, which allows ChatGPT to make music recommendations and build playlists. Apple Music can be added to ChatGPT through the Settings section in the Mac app, website, or iOS app. Apple Music is listed under the apps option, and connecting to it requires signing in with your Apple Account for authorization purposes. ChatGPT can be used to...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Features Leaked in New Report, Including Under-Screen Face ID

Tuesday December 16, 2025 8:44 am PST by
Next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be equipped with under-screen Face ID, and the front camera will be moved to the top-left corner of the screen, according to a new report from The Information's Wayne Ma and Qianer Liu. As a result of these changes, the report said the iPhone 18 Pro models will not have a pill-shaped Dynamic Island cutout at the top of the screen....
airpods pro 3 new blue

AirPods Pro 3's Static and Noise Issues Haven't Been Resolved

Thursday December 18, 2025 3:44 pm PST by
Since the AirPods Pro 3 launched, there have been complaints from users who have noticed a static-like sound or a crackling issue when using the earbuds, particularly when Active Noise Cancellation is on but no media is playing. Users have also run into strange high-pitched whistling sounds that happen intermittently. We shared the issues back in late October, and despite two subsequent...
iOS 26 Maps Glass

Apple Quietly Discontinued Flyover City Tours in Apple Maps

Thursday December 18, 2025 1:31 pm PST by
Apple Maps no longer offers a Flyover feature that provides users with automated tours of notable landmarks in major cities. The Flyover option appears to have been nixed around when iOS 26 launched, but its removal went largely unnoticed. Flyover city tours were introduced in 2014 with iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, using Flyover imagery to generate an aerial tour. Most cities with Flyover...
apple beta 26 lineup

Apple's 2026 and 2027 Product Roadmap: Foldable iPhone, iPhone 18 Pro, M5 Macs, and More

Tuesday December 16, 2025 4:42 pm PST by
There has been a whirlwind of rumors over the last few days, sourced from leaked internal software designed for the iPhone and the Mac, and news sites like The Information. Below, we have a quick recap of everything we've heard this week, which serves as a guide to Apple's product plans in 2026 and beyond. We've organized the info by likely release date, though there are some products that...
top stories 2025 12 20

Top Stories: iOS 26.3 Beta, Major Apple Leaks, and More

Saturday December 20, 2025 6:00 am PST by
You'd think things would be slowing down heading into the holidays, but this week saw a whirlwind of Apple leaks and rumors while Apple started its next cycle of betas following last week's release of iOS 26.2 and related updates. This week also saw the release of a new Apple Music integration with ChatGPT, so read on below for all the details on this week's biggest stories! Top Stories i...
iOS 26

Apple Releases First iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3 Public Betas

Wednesday December 17, 2025 10:06 am PST by
Apple today provided beta testers with the first releases of upcoming iOS 26.3, iPadOS 26.3, tvOS 26.3, and watchOS 26.3 updates for testing purposes. The public betas come a couple of days after Apple provided the betas to developers. Anyone can download and install public betas, and all that's required is to sign up on Apple's beta site. Once you've opted in, the software can be...

Top Rated Comments

Steve121178 Avatar
30 months ago
For me, the address bar at the bottom on a phone makes complete sense. Glad to see most mainstream browsers are now offering this UI toggle.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
coffeemilktea Avatar
30 months ago
You know, I've wondered: what exactly is the appeal of using Chrome on iOS?

Apple won't allow the developers to use Blink or V8 or any of the regular Chrome technologies in the app, so instead iOS Chrome is basically just Safari with some extra Google tracking on top, and none of the "real" Chrome features. ?
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sniffies Avatar
30 months ago

You know, I've wondered: what exactly is the appeal of using Chrome?
There, fixed it for ya.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
senttoschool Avatar
30 months ago

No, thank you. I'll continue to use Brave browser instead. I don't like ads.
Don't support Brave. It's just Chromium with uBlock Origin installed by default. It's nothing special.

However, Brave is a crypto company selling an unregistered security. They also replaced website ads with their own ads, stealing revenue from website owners in a very shady way.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jonnysods Avatar
30 months ago
It’s crazy how long it took me to get used to it in safari, and now I love it.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LambdaTheImpossible Avatar
30 months ago
If it takes this long for browser vendors to work out that things are easier when they are closer to your fingers then we are, to use a technical term, ****ed.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)