Google has revealed a new technology for Chrome that could eventually allow most security updates to be installed without fully restarting the browser. The company is developing a dynamic patching system capable of applying fixes while Chrome is still running.
Chrome already downloads updates automatically in the background, but users still need to restart the browser before they can be applied. According to Google, waiting for users to relaunch Chrome remains one of the main reasons devices can stay vulnerable even after a patch has been released.
To address this issue, the company is developing dynamic patching technology. It takes advantage of Chrome’s multi-process architecture, allowing background processes — including the Renderer and GPU processes — to be replaced one by one with updated versions without completely closing the browser. The feature is still in development, and Google has promised to share more details at a later date.
Google is also exploring ways to restart Chrome automatically at convenient moments when it would not interrupt the user. For example, Chrome 150 on macOS can now restart automatically if all browser windows have been closed while the app continues running in the background with an update waiting to be installed.
Google’s ultimate goal is to keep Chrome permanently up to date, with patches applied dynamically and any necessary restarts taking place automatically when users are unlikely to notice.
Chrome previously added Split View and smart document annotations.
Do you often put off restarting your browser after Chrome updates?
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