This iOS Exclusive Google Chrome Feature Is Finally On Android Phones

The latest version of Google Chrome, Chrome 150, is finally rolling out to Android devices, bringing with it one of the browser's strangest long-standing omissions: a dedicated back button. This feature has been available on Google Chrome for iOS for quite a while now, but the release of Google Chrome 150 will mark the first time it has debuted on Android devices. For years, users have been able to take advantage of Chrome's forward button, which has been situated along the top row of the overflow menu in the mobile browser. But, if you wanted to go back a page, you always had to make use of your phone's built-in back button, or the screen's related gestures. This lack of a basic navigation feature could have been a reason to ditch Chrome in favor of other browsers.

Being able to easily get around webpages is one of the most basic parts of a mobile browser. As such, the lack of a dedicated back button in Chrome on Android has never made much sense. Thankfully, users won't have to worry about it any longer. This change is small but it is still worth being aware of, especially since it has taken so long despite Google adding new features to Chrome all the time. The back button is now situated directly next to the forward button, which means that the info button has been moved to help shuffle things around more easily. You can still make use of the gesture-based movement through webpages, but if you prefer using a dedicated button instead, you should be able to once the update hits your device.

While the addition of the back button is certainly a big deal for Chrome users, Google Chrome 150 has also made some other changes, including how you save to your home screen. This feature is exceptionally useful for quickly accessing websites you use often. The option "Add to Home screen" is now "Install and create shortcut" instead. This can be found by opening the overflow menu (the three vertical dots next to the URL bar), and then scrolling down.

Once you press "Install and create shortcut," you'll need to name your new shortcut. After that, tap "Add" and then the site will be added as an icon on your phone's home screen. This update originally started rolling out at the end of June 2026, but the Google Play Store didn't receive the update until July 8. Checking for any updates to Google Chrome will verify that you have the latest version, so that you can start using the back button and the updated shortcut option. If it doesn't appear, you may need to wait for Google to flip the switch server side.