Chrome’s security features are simple, but as of late, they’ve been improving at a faster rate. Google wants you to know it, too—the most current version of its What’s New page highlights two improvements that aren’t strictly fresh, but likely new to many users.
First up: Easy group sharing of passwords. If you’re part of a family group, you can send credentials through Google Password Manager’s Share feature. The What’s New page promotes the mobile option, but you can do so on PC, too. Head to Settings > Autofill and passwords > Google Password Manager. Click on the desired password entry, then on the Share button. A small overlay will pop up, showing your family group members that you can choose from.
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Sharing with only a family group (a free feature) is restrictive, but Google’s seeming logic makes sense—arguably, you’d really only share passwords with family members. Or at least, anyone close enough to you to be considered family.
(Still, I’d love to see Google add the option to share with other specific Google users, like for Google Drive documents. Occasionally, I need to share a password with someone who isn’t close enough to be added to a family group. Plus with only six slots available, group members sometimes have to be chosen carefully.)
Also newish is the ability to manually verify use of your stored payment info. Previously, Google would ask for your credit card’s CVC number (the three or four digit number used to confirm you’re in possession of the card). But you can now protect your card details with your device’s biometrics or PIN. On PC, hop over to Settings > Autofill and passwords > Payment methods, then turn on Manually verify every time you pay using autofill. This option is also available through the mobile Chrome browser, too.
Browsers have gotten a bad rap in the past for their security features, mainly for being too simplistic and not as secure as third-party password managers, but these two small tweaks help boost their viability. Because let’s be realistic—the security software you use is the one that’s the best. For a lot of people, that’s Chrome.
Author: Alaina Yee, Senior Editor, PCWorld
A 14-year veteran of technology and video games journalism, Alaina Yee covers a variety of topics for PCWorld. Since joining the team in 2016, she’s written about CPUs, Windows, PC building, Chrome, Raspberry Pi, and much more—while also serving as PCWorld’s resident bargain hunter (#slickdeals). Currently her focus is on security, helping people understand how best to protect themselves online. Her work has previously appeared in PC Gamer, IGN, Maximum PC, and Official Xbox Magazine.