The browser of Google It is one of the most widely used formats on both desktop and mobile. However, this does not necessarily mean that it is 100% guaranteed or that respects your privacy completely without you touching anything. That's why we bring you seven privacy settings in Chrome for Android and a series of extra features that you should know about to protect your browsing as much as possible.
Settings within everyone's reach to protect your data in Chrome for Android
Chrome It's currently the most popular browser on Android devices. Despite Mozilla's ongoing competition with Firefox and the existence of alternatives like Brave Browser or Kiwi Browser, the truth is that the choice of Google It remains at the top of the mountain today. The reasons may be many, such as its integration with your Google account or its speed, but it's important to understand that this doesn't necessarily make it the best. more private browserIt's simply the most popular choice.
Let's take privacy as an example. If your personal data They matter to you, the truth is Chrome It won't always be the best option… unless you configure it properly. And we're not even talking about going into its flags menu, but about… Very easy adjustments which are accessible to everyone in its most basic menus. In addition, Chrome offers advanced tools in the background, such as... Security check, the management of compromised passwords, the control of third-party cookies or the configuration of a Enhanced Safe Browsing.
That's why today we're going to teach you how configure seven privacy settings in Chrome for Android and, in addition, how to take advantage of other key controls (cookies, permissions, synchronization or safe mode) so that you can browse much more protected without sacrificing convenience.
Seven privacy settings in Chrome for Android
1 - Do not track
Activate this option Do not track To tell websites that you don't want them to track you wherever you go. This setting reduces the likelihood of them creating tracking profiles with your activity to then offer you personalized ads or measure your behavior on different pages.
You should be aware that Whether or not to comply with this request depends on each website.But as a general rule, many services respect it, and it's a simple first step to regain some control over what data is associated with your browsing.
How to activate it: Settings> Privacy> Do not track
2 - Safe Navigation
When activating Secure browsingYou will be better protected against Phishing, malware and other internet threats. Google uses its own blocking and security systems to protect you from these attacks, analyzing potentially dangerous sites and displaying warnings before you visit them or download suspicious files.
Chrome can work with a standard protection or with enhanced protectionIn the first, the browser compares addresses against a frequently updated list of dangerous sites. In the second, more browsing data is sent to Google to better analyze risks and detect new attacks more quickly. This extra protection involves sharing more information, so it's important to consider the level of privacy and of to maximise security and your enjoyment. What do you prefer.
How to activate it: Settings> Privacy> Safe Browsing
3 - Disable auto-fill forms
To avoid that your data ends up being sent by mistake where you do not want, deactivate the option of Autocomplete forms so that the browser does not automatically fill in fields with your name, steer axle truck, phone o payment details when you don't want to.
In addition to reducing the risk of sending sensitive information On unreliable websites, you also prevent other people with occasional access to your mobile phone (for example, if you lend it to someone) from seeing or using that data without your consent.
How to activate it: Settings> Autocomplete and payments> Autocomplete forms
4 - Check the permissions
Check the permits that you've given to each website. Which ones can access your camera? And your location? And your microphone? Block the access you don't want to grant, and set it so that access is always granted. ask permission Before using a critical function, remove any permissions that seem suspicious to you.
Chrome can also automatically withdraw permissions for sites you haven't used in a while and notify you about potentially misleading notifications or extensions that could pose a risk. In this sense, the following also take into account permits that you give to the Chrome application itself from the Android settings, such as access to storage, camera or microphone at the system level.
How to activate it: Settings> Website Settings
5 - Deactivate synchronization
Although the synchronization It can be very useful for having your bookmarks, passwords, and tabs on all your devices; it can also become a access point to your data if someone accesses your Google account from another mobile phone or computer.
To reduce risks, you can disable synchronization completely or disable only the most sensitive elements, such as your steer axle truck, you s t or your PasswordsAdditionally, it is advisable to protect the synchronization with a passphrase additionally so that not even Google can read the synchronized content.
How to activate it: Settings> Username> Synchronization
6 - Disable usage and crash reports
Usage and failure reportsThe term "reports" is very general. It includes data about how you use the browser, which features you use most, and what errors occur. While these reports help improve Chrome, they also mean that more data is sent to Google. diagnostic information of what is needed for daily life.
If your priority is privacy, it is advisable to disable these reports so that the volume of data shared is the minimum necessary, keeping only what is strictly required for the browser to function.
How to activate it: Settings> Privacy> Usage and crash reports
7 - Turn off search suggestions
The search suggestions And URLs are based on what you type in the address bar, your search history, and what other users have searched for. While very convenient, they mean that part of your writing activity It is sent to Google's servers to provide you with predictive results.
If you don't want to give even more data to search websites, you can disable suggestions and use Chrome as a more basic browser where queries are only sent when you press the search button.
How to activate it: Settings> Privacy> Search suggestions and websites
Extra privacy and security features you should check out
In addition to these seven basic settings, Chrome for Android inherits many of the advanced privacy and security features that Google details for its browser. Understanding them helps you make informed decisions. more informed decisions and take advantage of tools that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Chrome Security Check
Chrome has a security check which checks the overall status of your browser. In the desktop version, it analyzes elements such as compromised passwords, the state of Secure browsing, available updatesnotification permissions, suspicious extensions, or permissions for unused sites. Although the interface may be different on Android, the idea is the same: to help you detect security and privacy issues without you having to check each setting one by one.
This type of review can also alert you if any of your saved passwords It appears in a known security vulnerability so you can change it as soon as possible and activate, if possible, the two step verification in the affected services.
Cookie and website data management
Another key area is management own and third party cookiesCookies are files created by the websites you visit to store information such as your session, preferences, or the contents of your shopping cart. But third-party cookies, used by other domains embedded in the page (for example, advertisements or widgets), also allow track your activity between different websites.
In Chrome you can allow them, block them, or apply an intermediate behavior, such as block third-party cookies You can allow them only in normal browsing or only on specific sites that need them to function correctly. On Android, these options are usually found within Settings > Website settings > Cookieswhere it is also possible clear browsing data (history, cache, cookies and more) with different time intervals.
Limiting third-party cookies greatly reduces advertising tracking, but it can cause some pages to malfunction. Therefore, Chrome allows you to create exceptions for websites you truly trust, so that you maintain a good balance between privacy y usability.
Advanced site permissions control
Chrome gives you the option to manage, site by site, access to sensitive resources such as location, camera’s most emblematic landmarks, the microphone’s most emblematic landmarks, the storage, notifications or even more specific functionalities such as access to Bluetooth or clipboardThis allows you to decide, for example, that only certain websites can send notifications or that location should never be used in the background.
When a site asks for permission, Chrome usually offers several options: allow it just this once, allow while visiting the site o never allowThis flexibility allows you to grant occasional access without it becoming a permanent authorization that is later forgotten and could compromise your privacy.
Google Chrome for Android Security and Privacy Guide
Google Chrome offers you all these features
As we have recently stated, the to maximise security and your enjoyment. and privacy These are key aspects for Google, which is why it dedicates a large part of its effort to improving them. This is clearly reflected in Chrome, a browser that offers different functions to users so they can use it safely and privately.
Regarding security, Google Chrome explains on its website that Your browser protects you from dangerous websites by showing you a warning when you're about to enter one of them. Furthermore, Chrome will also prevent those unwanted automatic downloads that may pose a threat to your Android, and controls suspicious notifications or pop-ups that try to trick the user.
If you want to protect yourself from these dangerous websites, you can activate this feature from the Google Chrome menu (three vertical dots button in the upper right corner). Go to Settings > Privacy and you can enable the Safe Browsing option.
Chrome not only protects against dangerous websites, It also does so with possible identity theftsThis is a very common problem on the internet today. According to the company, the browser's security features automatically block phishing pages that try to impersonate banks, social networks, or other services to steal your passwords.
The security updates Updates to Google Chrome are frequent, and the company is committed to quickly fixing critical bugs without user intervention. Keeping the app updated is one of the simplest and most effective defenses.
Chrome's privacy features are more extensive for users, who can choose from different options. To do this, they must open the browser and click on the button with three vertical dots that appears in the upper right corner. Once inside the menu, they must Select Settings > Privacy to find the following options:
- Suggestions for navigation errors: It shows suggestions when a web address cannot be resolved or a connection cannot be established, by sending certain information to Google's servers.
- URL and search suggestions: It displays related queries and popular websites using a prediction service.
- Help improve the Safe Browsing feature: It sends system information and page content to Google to refine threat detection.
- Use page predictions: It preloads pages to display them quickly and even offline, which involves making advance requests.
- Access to payment methods: It allows websites to know if you have saved payment methods to facilitate purchases.
- Usage and fault reports: It automatically sends reports to Google with technical browser data.
- Do not follow up: Send a request to websites not to collect or track your browsing data.
- Tap to search: lets realize quick searches about what you select on a page, sending part of the text to Google.
- Clear browsing data: It deletes browsing history, cookies and site data, cached files and images, saved passwords, form autofill data, and website settings. There is another option to delete browsing history linked to your account, which will also delete your activity with the links with whom you have interacted.
Another key feature for protecting your privacy is in Settings > Website settingsFrom there you can manage all access to your data that you give to websites, such as permission for cookies, camera, or microphone access. Of course, from that section you can also prevent websites from knowing your location When browsing, block intrusive pop-ups or limit unsafe content.
Although it was rumored that it might be renamed private mode, Google Chrome's incognito mode is still around with the same nameFeel free to use it if you want to browse the web without cookies, browsing history, or form data being saved on your device. Keep in mind, however, that this mode doesn't make you invisible to your internet provider, your company, or the websites you visit.
These are all the security and privacy options available in Google Chrome for you to use as you wish. Perhaps you don't want to permanently restrict access to your data, but it's useful to use incognito mode occasionally or to restrict permissions only on public Wi-Fi networks. This is entirely feasible, since Chrome lets you play with the features so that you are always the one who decides what personal information you share.
Tips and tricks for browsing safely and privately
The first trick to controlling your security in Google Chrome for Android is to go into Settings > Your Profile > SyncThat is the function that Sync all your data between the different devices on which you use the browser, that is, it sends them constantly, with what this implies for your privacy.
If you want to protect yourself and your Android device, limits synchronization Uncheck the boxes for sensitive data, such as passwords or payment cards, and consider using a sync password to encrypt your data. This way, even if someone gains access to your account, they won't be able to easily read the synced information.
Through Security Review in your account With Google, you can also control the security of your account. From there you can View all connected devicesCheck if there have been any security threats in recent days, review the applications that can access your data, and manage the verification methods in use—especially useful for protecting your account with double factor.
Regarding privacy, we recommend limiting website access to your cookies From Website Settings > Cookies. Review all the options Google offers you often, and especially... Use the option to clear browsing data regularly to avoid unnecessary accumulations of information.
Pay special attention to the websites you browse and the Extensions that you install on your Android (in the case of Chrome-based browsers that allow them), as they can end up being major threats to your security and privacy. Be wary of any pages or elements that seem suspicious.You shouldn't take unnecessary risks, and always try to keep the app updated to the latest version available on Google Play.
Your only concern should be to navigate Google Chrome logically, using common sense. As you've seen, the browser has automatic security features that look out for you, and if you've also properly configured the privacy options, using Google Chrome on your Android shouldn't pose a problem for protecting your data.
