Key Takeaways
- ChromeOS 126 introduces AI-based zooming, enhancing image quality.
- Quick Start feature simplifies Chromebook setup using Android phones.
- New accessibility features and enhanced parental controls in Family Link.
Google introduces a new ChromeOS update for users on Stable Channel every month, and June is no exception. The Mountain View tech giant has started rolling out Chrome OS 126 with a plethora of new features, making it a lot easier for people to set up their Chromebook devices and more.
What’s new ChromeOS 126 update
New AI-based zooming feature will enhance your images
Google continues to add AI capabilities with each ChromeOS update. Last time, in ChromeOS 125, they came in the form of generative AI video conferencing background, and generative wallpapers. And now, the latest ChromeOS 126 update has introduced support for AI-based digital zoom.
Select Chromebook devices that have enough computation power will be able to take advantage of this. The built-in camera of those devices can now zoom into objects without having optical zoom motors. On top of it, Google is using the AI-based “Super Resolution” technique to reduce the loss of quality that occurs during zoom and make the images clearer, which is why high-performance Chromebook devices are required.
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Setting up Chromebooks gets easier when you’ve an Android phone
When you buy a Chromebook for the first time, it can take some time to set up the device. And for a lot of people, that experience can be frustrating. However, with ChromeOS 126, that pain point has diminished to some extent, as Google has now made it easier to set up Chromebooks for people with an Android phone.
Dubbed “Quick Start”, the feature allows users to securely transfer Wi-Fi and Google Account information from their Android phones to Chromebooks. The advantage of doing so is that you don’t have to manually type the passwords of your Google account and WiFi connection.
New accessibility features
ChromeOS 126 comes with some noteworthy changes for differently abled people. For one, people who’ve low vision will find this update helpful because of the “Magnifier following Select to Speak” capability. It simply makes sure that the spoken text is magnified, helping users with low vision to read. Users will be able to adjust the zoom levels from the Magnifier settings.
The other important accessibility feature is a new setting to turn off the blinking text cursor. If you’re one of the users who find it distracting or have photosensitive seizure triggers, you can reduce the blink rate or turn it off completely from the settings.
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ChromeOS 126 gives parent more control over their children’s supervised accounts
If you’re a parent, Google has introduced an update to the Family Link feature in the latest ChromeOS update. It gives you more control over your children’s supervised accounts by separating permissions for apps and extensions, unlike previously, where permission for extensions and app installations were grouped under a single control option. So, in other words, you can disapprove extensions while allowing your child to install certain apps on their Chromebooks.
Miscellaneous
In addition to all the aforementioned features, you also get a new setting to control the ‘overscroll behaviour’, a fancy set of words to describe the swipe gesture to navigate between pages. As described by Google, you’ll find it by going to Settings > Accessibility > Cursor and touchpad > Use a swipe gesture to navigate between pages. The other noteworthy change is multi-calendar support, which allows users to view all events from multiple calendars within their Google Calendar.
ChromeOS 126 will be rolled out in phases
If you’re new to ChromeOS or aren’t aware, Google doesn’t roll out ChromeOS updates to everyone on the launch day. Instead, the company prefers to complete the rollout process in phases. So, if you aren’t seeing the update yet on your device, you should wait a few more days before it shows up.