Tag Archives: Chrome

Timeline update: third-party autofill services support on Chrome on Android

Posted by Eiji Kitamura – Developer Advocate (@agektmr)

In October 2024, we announced that Chrome 131 will allow third-party autofill services on Android (like password managers) to natively autofill forms on websites. Reflecting on feedback from autofill service developers, we've decided to shift the schedule and allow the third-party autofill services from Chrome 135.

Native Chrome support for third-party autofill services on Android means that users will be able to use their preferred password manager or autofill service directly in Chrome, without having to rely on workarounds or extensions. This change is expected to improve the user experience and security for Android users who use third-party autofill services.

Based on developer feedback, we've fixed bugs, and have been working to make the new setting easier to discover. To support those goals, we've added the following capabilities:

    • An ability to query Chrome settings and learn whether the user wishes to use a third party autofill service
    • An ability to deep link to the Chrome settings page where users can enable third-party autofill services.

Read Chrome settings

Any app can read whether Chrome uses the 3P autofill mode that allows it to use Android Autofill. Chrome uses Android's ContentProvider to communicate that information. Declare in your Android manifest which channels you want to read settings from, e.g.:

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_USER_DICTIONARY"/>
<queries>
 <!-- To Query Chrome Beta: -->
 <package android:name="com.chrome.beta" />

 <!-- To Query Chrome Stable: -->
 <package android:name="com.android.chrome" />
</queries>

Then, use Android's ContentResolver to request that information by building the content URI as in this example code:

final String CHROME_CHANNEL_PACKAGE = "com.android.chrome";  // Chrome Stable.
final String CONTENT_PROVIDER_NAME = ".AutofillThirdPartyModeContentProvider";
final String THIRD_PARTY_MODE_COLUMN = "autofill_third_party_state";
final String THIRD_PARTY_MODE_ACTIONS_URI_PATH = "autofill_third_party_mode";

final Uri uri = new Uri.Builder()
                  .scheme(ContentResolver.SCHEME_CONTENT)
                  .authority(CHROME_CHANNEL_PACKAGE + CONTENT_PROVIDER_NAME)
                  .path(THIRD_PARTY_MODE_ACTIONS_URI_PATH)
                  .build();

final Cursor cursor = getContentResolver().query(
                  uri,
                  /*projection=*/new String[] {THIRD_PARTY_MODE_COLUMN},
                  /*selection=*/ null,
                  /*selectionArgs=*/ null,
                  /*sortOrder=*/ null);

cursor.moveToFirst(); // Retrieve the result;

int index = cursor.getColumnIndex(THIRD_PARTY_MODE_COLUMN);

if (0 == cursor.getInt(index)) {
  // 0 means that the third party mode is turned off. Chrome uses its built-in
  // password manager. This is the default for new users.
} else {
  // 1 means that the third party mode is turned on. Chrome uses forwards all
  // autofill requests to Android Autofill. Users have to opt-in for this.
}

Deep-link to Chrome settings

To deep-link to the Chrome settings page where users can enable third-party autofill services, use an Android Intent. Ensure to configure the action and categories exactly as in this example code:

Intent autofillSettingsIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_APPLICATION_PREFERENCES);
autofillSettingsIntent.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_DEFAULT);
autofillSettingsIntent.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_APP_BROWSER);
autofillSettingsIntent.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_PREFERENCE);

// Invoking the intent with a chooser allows users to select the channel they want to 
// configure. If only one browser reacts to the intent, the chooser is skipped.
Intent chooser = Intent.createChooser(autofillSettingsIntent, "Pick Chrome Channel");
startActivity(chooser);

// If the caller knows which Chrome channel they want to configure, 
// they can instead add a package hint to the intent, e.g.
autofillSettingsIntent.setPackage("com.android.chrome");
startActivity(autofillSettingsInstent);

Updated timeline

To reflect the feedback and to leave time for autofill service developers to make relevant changes, we are shifting the plan. Users must select Autofill using another service in Chrome settings to ensure their autofill experience is unaffected. The new setting will become available in Chrome 135. Autofill services should encourage their users to toggle the setting, to ensure they have the best autofill experience possible with their service and Chrome on Android. Chrome plans to stop supporting the compatibility mode in summer 2025.

    • March 5th, 2025: Chrome 135 beta is available
    • April 1st, 2025: Chrome 135 is in stable
    • Summer 2025: Compatibility mode will no longer be available on Chrome

Curate and customize the Chrome Web Store for your organization

What’s changing

Admins can now customize the Chrome Web Store experience for their users with several new options, including:

  • Branding and custom messaging: Add company logos, custom welcome banners and announcement banners.
  • Curated collections: Organize specific extensions for your users, including recommended and private extensions. We have also introduced a new collection of extensions that displays all items that are allowlisted by IT administrators.
  • Category controls: Hide specific extension categories to help streamline the browsing experience for users.

Additionally, we've enhanced the Chrome Web Store search experience. In the search results. end-users can quickly notice blocked item tags, and they can benefit from more advanced filtering such as a “Private items” filter.  

Example of a customized Chrome Web Store


Who’s impacted

Admins and end users


Why it matters 

Every Google Workspace customer has unique users with unique needs – Chrome extensions can help improve their workflows and increase productivity. However, navigating the numerous available extensions can present challenges for both admins and end users. For admins, it is often a manual and time consuming process to vet which Chrome extensions they want to allow for their users. For end users, it can be frustrating to sift through a vast catalog of extensions to find relevant and admin-approved extensions.

This update significantly improves the Chrome Web Store experience for enterprises. Admins can customize, organize, and control the Chrome Web Store experience for their users. For end users, finding work-relevant and admin approved extensions becomes significantly easier cutting down on guesswork or wasted time searching for extensions that might be blocked.


Getting started

  • Admins: Four new Apps & Extensions settings have been added to the Chrome section of the Admin console. To find the new settings, go to Menu > Chrome Browser > Apps and extensions > Navigate to the “Settings” tab > Chrome Web Store settings. Visit the Help Center to learn more about customizing the Chrome Web Store for your users.



Rollout pace


Availability

  • Available for all Google Workspace customers with access to the Admin console

Resources


New Chrome Browser Profile Reporting for Workspace users available in the Admin console

What’s changing

For Google Workspace customers with Chrome Enterprise Core, we’re pleased to introduce a new Chrome browser profile list and reporting features for signed-in Google Workspace users. These new capabilities give IT administrators more insight into Chrome user profiles in their organization . The report includes a new managed profiles list and detail pages where IT administrators can find information such as profile details, browser versions, policies applied, extensions installed and more. The list of extensions installed allows you to identify versions of extensions that can potentially be a risk factor for your users.

Overall, this update significantly improves how admins analyze how their users are interacting with Chrome and allows them to take action to keep their users and data secure in Chrome.

Once enabled, you can view reports by going to Admin console > Chrome browser > Managed profiles



Getting started

  • Admins: Admins can simply log in to the Google Admin console and enable the Managed profile reporting policy. Visit the Help Center to learn more about viewing Chrome browser profile details.

To enable reporting, go to Menu > Devices > Chrome > Settings > User & browser settings > Chrome Browser > Browser Reporting > Managed Browser Reporting

  • End users: There is no end user impact or action required.