Google Chrome Won't Hide a Website's Full URL Anymore GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO News > Internet & Security
Google Chrome Won't Hide a Website's Full URL Anymore
The company is ending its ongoing test
By Allison Murray Allison Murray Tech News Reporter Southern Illinois University Allison reports on all things tech. She's a news junky that keeps her eye on the latest trends. Allison is a writer working out of Chicago, IL, with her only coworker: her cat Norbert. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on June 11, 2021 01:58PM EDT Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr University of Maryland Baltimore County Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. lifewire's fact checking process Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Internet & Security Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming Google has pulled the plug on its ongoing test to hide full URLs, since it said doing so doesn’t actually help with security. Initially spotted by Android Police on Thursday, the company’s experiment to only show partial URLs in the browser bar will officially end without launching. S3studio / Contributor Google has attempted to hide full URLs on and off for years, most notably in Chrome 86, which launched last year. Chrome 86 hid all parts of web addresses except the domain name, and was accompanied by a hover animation. A Google developer said the company’s initial reasoning behind hiding full URLs was "because phishing and other forms of social engineering are still rampant on the web, and much research shows that browsers' current URL display patterns aren't effective defenses," according to the Chromium bug tracker. However, Android Police reports that Google's URL experiment ultimately didn't change any security metrics for the testers who were a part of the study. Engadget also notes that many critics said two different sites could appear identical by hiding full URLs, which could potentially expose users to phishing attacks and other issues. ...Phishing and other forms of social engineering are still rampant on the web, and much research shows that browsers' current URL display patterns aren't effective defenses. Chrome 91 already reflects this new full URL stance, and only https:// will be hidden by default now. If you still want to see the https://, you can select "Always show full URLs" on Chrome's Omnibox. Aside from the ability to see the full URL, the Chrome 91 update, which became available late last month, has other features as well, including the ability to search recently closed tabs, a copy and paste feature for files to paste directly into an email, the ability for websites to save your computer’s battery life by slowing down certain processes, and more. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Why Incognito Mode May Not Be Private and What You Can Do About It What Is the Google Chrome Browser? How to View Blurred Text on Websites How to Fix It When Google Chrome Is Not Responding Opera vs. Google Chrome How to View the HTML Source in Google Chrome How to Disable JavaScript in Google Chrome Microsoft Edge vs. Google Chrome How to Activate Full-Screen Mode in Google Chrome How to Clear Cookies for a Specific Site How to Use Google Chrome Commands How to Block a Website The Best Web Browsers for the iPad How to Set the Home Page to Your Favorite Website The Top 10 Internet Browsers for 2022 How to Turn on Incognito Mode in Your Browser Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies