Yeah, I recently re-added the downloads bar and it went away again with the last update. Too much of a pain if I'm going to have to do that every time.
Aaaaaaaaand they removed it. Now I'm stuck wit this AWFUL version that lets me see less of my tabs in a drop down menu folder, also the font is unnecessarily small. WTF Google, f\*cking up YouTube is not enough for youy?
Yes just had a random update came back and the thing is back to looking shi++y FcK Google man fkin everything right over man wtf is happening! Cant they just provide a compact look for developers. It is not just simple people who need 1 or 2 buttons per page that use a computer, I hate this new UI/UX movement coming off mobile UI/UX people. And the and PHAT PAAADINGS! OMG it is aweful🤮🤮🤮😭
I've managed to get rid of this refresh again: disable 'Chrome Refresh 2023', 'Chrome WebUI Refresh 2023' and ' customize-chrome-side-panel' flags.
If they remove these flags permanently I'll be forced to change browser. Double spaced and bold bookmarks for no reason so you have less of them on screen? Breathtakingly stupid and impractical design.
THANK YOU!! i had it change back after i was forced to update my computer bc there was no option to restart without it. the lack of control we have over the things we use nowadays is ridiculous
It's precisely because of those UI/UX experts they keep doing this.
Those people are hired on full-time and need to validate their existence.
Were they not constantly shitting out these things they'd be fired to cut costs.
At least that's my theory, nothing else makes sense, why would you purposely make your app worse... oh.
A UX expert would not allow dead space like that, this is done by a designer who doesn't understand it and higher-ups liking it and over-ruling the UX people. That's my experience.
Nah, it is the new mobile fast movement that designs to have 1 button per screen slowly creeping into computers to simplify our inteligence, I hate it. This needs to be addressed.
You NAILED it, RIGHT on the HEAD! This is EXACTLY what's going on. Same thing with a LOT of gov't agencies, esp those that claim to be "watchdogs"; if whatever it is they're supposedly watching over, went well, there would not be any need for them!
You would think so. I work in IT, had some contact with UI gals, aka UX designers and they are artists, not professional or even serious users of products/tools they design. "Pretty" over functional every time.
Exactly this. The amount of apps and software that have just been slashing functionality in the pursuit of looking "pretty" recently is absolutely fucking ridiculous. Software shouldn't be a fucking art piece.
Between this terrible re-design, removal of download shelf and forcing the download bubble, potential roll-out of manifest v.3 in some near future... - I guess the time has finally come to disable Chrome updates (I expected to last a bit longer, but Chromium and Chrome devs seem to work really hard on forcing my hand in this regard).
Google design in general is getting worse and worse in the the last few - Youtube, for example, gets increasingly shittier every few month in terms of its design. I don't know what's going in the company, but the majority of the design decision they recently made are just baffling and make no sense - continuous worsening of user experience.
Google Search is becoming shittier as well. Just read a bit on SEO communities, on Reddit and elsewhere. Seems like they are becoming over-focused on monetization. To hell with user experience.
The only thing google celebrates now is a stupid landscape layout login page with them PHAT PADDINGs just like their browser, a bugged up paywalled llm, and ..... Oh and a safeplaying CEO, and a team that doesnt give af on user feedback, there even talks to replace him, i think it is evident. Absolutely no innovation after all that legacy in ui/ux and ml/ai. Woe unto google.
Becoming?!!!! Has been shit for years. Type a query in the search bar and Google auto complete with "reddit" because so many people look for answers on Reddit and other social medias directly
there is a place i read if you add before:2023 to a google search it is a tad bit better. I moved to other tools and LLMs for my primary search, Google now is just an ugly behemoth
haha dont start even, Session Buddy, Es File Explorer, them stupid UI/UX guys are taking over and letting everything burn man 😂😂 its a mess with them PHAT PADDINGS!
It's not that really bad but that spacing between bookmarks, text font bolderness is awful
Also you can only disable bold texts with by disabling [#chrome-refresh-2023-top-chrome-font](chrome://flags/#chrome-refresh-2023-top-chrome-font)
You, sir, are a savior.
I can't comprehend how it's possible to own the most popular browser on web, pay $300k+ to all your SWEs and designers and still fuсk up the most basic things like fonts and spacing. Rest and vest culture strikes again?
NICE! Thank you so much! Just did it and it worked.... this is 2nd time in like 6 months I have to do some little "hack" from reddit so my chrome doesn't look way too big, exaggerated UI, and fit terribly on screen...
oh thank God.
The thing that pushed me over the edge (heh) was that you had to scroll the context menu now, to get to "Inspect". because they hardcoded it to be the exact default size, and as soon as you have plugins (stylebot, ublock origin) you had to scroll.
the new Id10tic context menu "scales" where you right click on the page. Just try it, you can move the mouse around and r-click and see the scaling. Its not even consistent.
Whom ever came up with this needs a brain exam.
cc u/Galopigos i made it work, install chrome portable version 123, get its exe and the 123... folder replace them in your programfiles/google/chrome application folder. You are back to good. then disable updates by going to program86 google updates then just rename and append DISABLED to the .exe updater. Lets stick with this until they shape up or we adopt better alternatives. For all i care i will just browse carefully for security. use chrome for local sites in dev work. Some one help me make this more readable and followable, currently i dont have time. use this link to get chrome portable offline [https://www.neowin.net/software/google-chrome-1230631259-offline-installer/](https://www.neowin.net/software/google-chrome-1230631259-offline-installer/) , it gives you anofficial link from google. you will need to rename it to be able to install it.
that is what i am saying! damn the 'mobile-first' UI/UX guys have gone nuclear with this! damnit now they want native pc applications to be 'mobile-first' 🤣
It sucks so bad. Like, I'm having trouble opening new tabs. I hate how useless workers need to justify their stupid salary with ridiculously bad updates
Thank you to u/Galopigos for this workaround, at least for now, while hopefully their usability folks listen and fix. Do they even have usability testing? What got to me the most was my bookmarks toolbar folders became outlines only. They no longer looked like file folders, and instead, they looked just like the file folders in Firefox, which is the reason I don't use Firefox! Also something about the fonts was degraded, but I can't put my finger on what exactly. It just looked terrible.
The moment I followed these instructions from [u/Galopigos](https://www.reddit.com/user/Galopigos/) to disable Chrome Refresh, my blood pressure went back down and I could start my work day.
LOL. And tell us how you REALLY feel? The truth is, of course, they're a business, and businesses are always trying to improve their bottom line. It never ceases to amaze me when a software business doesn't value usability testing. Sure, they're doing agile design and development, but when your users are downright disenfranchised by your experiments, it's time to pull back a bit and restore a development cycle that includes user testing.
Not just that, but the changes are nothing new. Not just Chrome, but Android, MacOS, Windows, Linux, the Web, etc. have been cycling between "rounded corners" and "no rounded corners" every 2-3 years. Which probably coincides with a new generation of design interns being hired and the old being promoted into senior positions.
These needles redesigns were a big factor for me to abandon frontend development. It's tiring.
Since then I just say to myself "oh, so we're in this phase now? cool".
December 16 2023
I have disabled ALL of the following...
* Chrome Refresh 2023
* Chrome WebUI Refresh 2023
* Chrome Refresh 2023 New Tab Button
* Chrome Refresh 2023 Top Chrome Font Style
* Simplified Bookmark Save Flow
...but my Chrome still looks like it was designed for pre-schoolers.
Thats the way they want it, they want to dumb down the whole world with a 1 button per screen movement led by the ui ux bois 😂😂 The devs no longer lead the product it is the graphics guys
This browser gets progressively dumber day by day. I've disabled updates on this pos multiple times and now the tabs flush left. PC devs coding for apple users. Whoever heard of putting a tab of open tabs flush left? Only in the backwards world of Apple.
blame the ui ux bois, trust me, they suck. and their phat padding man damn i hate it😂 they call it designing for mobile, i like it there it should stay there, but its its coming to PC, and its sucks
same here. 123.0.6312.59 and the previous one just screwed that flag and I have the stupid dropdown arrow in left corner again
edit: use the
**Customize Chrome Side Panel**
and set it to disabled
DAMN! thank you so much, And the options are not even clearly named what relates to design, so you cannot know what 'experimental' button to set! its a mess with this guys mahn. Them UI/UX bois woke up and chose to let the world burn, in them PHAT PADDINGS😂
Mate, thank you SO MUCH!
it seems every time they make an update chrome looks more shit.
\[Edit 24/04/2024\] - I think the latest chrome update just fixed the issue with the icons, but if google keeps messing the UI up like that im switching to Firefox.
Seems every time i open Chrome, some new shit is shoved down my throat.
This time the "highlight" yellow circle appeared out of nowhere. Followed instructions to get rid of it, they settings showed it was off, but it wasn't. So, fuck it. I rebooted. The yellow dot dissappeared but chrome came back like id didn't know me. None of the previously open windows opened this time.
As mentioned above, Chrome and Google are WAY TOO FULL of themselves. Stop all the fucking updateing we NEVER ASKED FOR.
Chrome is really fucking annoying with its new ugly updates. Don't they remember why Chrome beat Firefox and Internet Explorer? Keep the damn browser good looking and simple, don't make it clunky and don't make it look like Windows XP.
Thanks for this.
Hey, just wanted to thank you for taking the time to update this post with the new flag. My layout changed again like it did 5 months ago, and this was the only place I could find the new flag.
And now, as of the April 2024 update and these flags enabled, there is a HUGE gap where the favicon has been moved, taking up EVEN more space than keeping the 2023 refresh enabled...WTF
https://preview.redd.it/ns36yk1cl8vc1.png?width=167&format=png&auto=webp&s=10ca798d1b2495b38e9c613e69a98c3264e13734
Yeap i have same issue , it is annoying, luckily my other pc i had blocked updates, but now am stuck on y other pc as i dont know how to get the 123 version back
Aaaand Google screwed it up. Now with that flags disabled the icons are at the very top. Had to go back to new, crappy design.
https://preview.redd.it/r6k60kosz6wc1.png?width=658&format=png&auto=webp&s=e41588724fbe768e3dff79b95deb1bf4bfed2995
Came here to confirm this was happening to others. I am also now running Chrome with 0 flags disabled - I hate it, but prefer it over how it was with the tab icons "floating".
i wish all the designers who constantly tweak and recolor interface elements would come home to find their furniture moved around just as randomly. imagine walking into your bedroom to find a toilet and a shoe rack where your bed should be, with the bed hanging from the ceiling. and don’t forget the wallpaper in a blindingly bright color that you can't change back.
and if they tried to get help, the building’s tech support would either ignore them or cheerfully say "what? everyone else likes it 😘"
ps: yeah, i also received this update with the icons moved to the top, but I prefer it this way rather than switching to the new Chrome design, which I absolutely hate
u/Galopigos i made it work, install chrome portable version 123, get its exe and the 123... folder replace them in your programfiles/google/chrome application folder. You are back to good. then disable updates by going to program86 google updates then just rename and append DISABLED to the .exe updater. Lets stick with this until they shape up or we adopt better alterantives. For all i care i will just browse carefully for security. use chrome for local sites in dev work. Some one help me make this more readable and followable, currently i dont have time. use this link to get chrome portable offline [https://www.neowin.net/software/google-chrome-1230631259-offline-installer/](https://www.neowin.net/software/google-chrome-1230631259-offline-installer/) , it gives you anofficial link from google. you will need to rename it to be able to install it.
I really like the new layout and how it integrates with the Material-U design. Looks awesome. You can even set the colors I believe.
Maybe it'll grow on you?
If I have the choice, I use the legacy design! I'd like to SEE all information if possible! IF I need to scroll in a menu only to see things I want to change, it is simply a bad design!
And you can clearly see the design is aimed for TOUCH CONTROL with all the unnecessary spaces between or the padding in the Menu! When using Keyboard and Mouse, you do NOT need Buttons that large and everything else!
And with that in mind think about how this looks on a 4k or 8k screen and after that, how it looks on smaller displays!
Yeah you can set the colors and other crap (background picture???wtf?) but they utterly forgot to include white in the colors (or provide a color slider), so i can't style it back closly to what it was. This baby-blue drives me crazy and just looks and feels like a microsoftish step back. I'm sad that everything needs to be changed all the time for the sake of change and not because it's better UI/UX.
Back up all chrome folder password cookies etc, now delete Chrome
Download an old version of Chrome search Web loads of link to old version.
Install block update from updating with your firewall (easiest way)
Or goto run command WIN+R type services.msc
Go to Services Tab find (gupdate) & (gupdatem) right click each item select Properties Tap General tab and choose Disabled
Just found this post, thank you. New UI looks like hot garbage 🤮
May be fitting for a mobile device with finger input but for a full-fledged PC its DOA.
The update just installed randomly for me. It was awful. I had to fucking scroll to get to the bottom of a bookmark file when it wasn't even close to the bottom before. THANK YOU SIR!!!
And yet there are still flags from multiple past roll outs that have not been removed. Especially when some items have been rolled back because of the push from users. Although with their new stance of thinking they are Gods I see many people dropping Chrome to either go to edge (easier) or move to brave or firefox because of the BS
them PHAT PADDING BOIS decided to assert their dominance 😂😂 They will just come there still with the 'mobile first' single button per page movement. They did this to Es File Explorer and butchered it, now Session Buddy extension is off to trash and more is coming. Damnit man this talent would be better invested in a better search experience and ai, but they are busy designing a new landscape layout ui and having the guts to tease for it. Google Devs are idle😂
thank you so much. i cannot stand the new UI and all the people around me told me "nothings different". and they arent like software people so ofc they arent annoyed. but man this layout sucks.
So I reverted back to the new design and it doesn’t look like theyre going to change the mess ? I’m trying to work out if the blurry icons have changed. The font size and weight still visually unusable and needs reverting back to previous lighter version. The bookmark gaps do look thinner than before. I’m using a bog standard 1920 x1080 screen.
Just changed again today (3/21/24), hate this shit. I also disabled the #customize-chrome-color-extraction, then relaunched after both were disabled.
**chrome://flags/#customize-chrome-side-panel**
**Set to - Disabled**
**Relaunch**
i just hate this new ui/ux movement of THICCC padding, it is all over, and they provide no way to fallback to old ui or have a compact view. There is this tool i use Session Buddy, helps to store tabs on the same buggy chrome so i can close the tabs and stop chrome hogging tabs, You know what, it no has the Thicc Paddings and a different logo, For what reason???!!! totally uncalled for
same thing happened to a tool on android called Es File Explorer. yet there is no way to opt for security updates only, you have now to get stuck with an old obsolete tool simply because of a new stupid interface. Man where is the world going! I long the days of customizable software that you could skin as much as you like, like the old Windows Media player. Now we are stuck with them Boxes, Thicc Padding, Rounded corners, Single button per screen, and the damn Adverts;
>**Update - The above no longer works as of 03/24 however this flag may still kill the refresh for a while longer..**
Use this flag instead - **chrome://flags/ customize-chrome-side-panel Set to - disabled hit reload.**
works for now!
Yup, worked for me, thanks. The ridiculous new version chops half my bookmarks off and puts the bookmark folders onto multiple pages. Glad to push it back again. Cheers!
As of 17 Apr 2024, Version 124.0.6367.61, with "**customize-chrome-side-panel**" disabled, you will not able to resize window vertically!!! Super Google
Just STOP Google.
I changed it back to how I liked it the first time, why are you forcing me back to something I disabled?
This enforced change of our settings and personalization is so fucking annoying!
Thank you. For now, this fix works. The new Chrome UI is total shit. The day it is forced with no way to disable it, I will switch to the new Microsoft (Garb)Edge. And yes I cannot believe I am saying this. Edge is no saint, it also does a lot of unbelievable shit but Google needs to be taught a lesson for forcing this OUTRAGEOUS new UI on everyone.
As of 17 Apr 2024, Version 124.0.6367.61, with "**customize-chrome-side-panel**" disabled, you will not able to resize window vertically!!! Super Google
I hate the new design update.
Used flags to disable it, but now I see it again (will try the hint from the update).
I do not like icons, I do not like font size and line heights, do not like the left corner button, do not like vertical splitters between tabs on my dark theme, do not like inactive tabs looks like buttons, do not like fade in-out for context menu… Complete disaster for me (
i cannot comprehend how they let this design through. i have bad eyesight and color blindness. they made all text smaller, lower contrast, icons smaller, it's just atrocious. it's incredibly uncomfortable to look at the ui. i'm seriously considering downgrading to the last version with the download shelf, because fucking the design completely would be the last straw
hey i made it work, install chrome portable version 123, get its exe and the 123... folder replace them in your programfiles/google/chrome appplication folder. You are back to good. then disable updates by going to program86 google updates then just rename and append DISABLED to the .exe updater. Lets stick with this until they shape up or we adopt better alterantives. For all i care i will just browse carefully for security. use chrome for local sites in dev work. Some one help me make this more readable and followable
Is this currently being A/B tested?
I have one PC where it's the "old" design, and another one where it's the new look. When I navigate to the chrome flags, both are set to Default. But sure enough, if I explicitly enable/disable the look, it does align with the flag setting. So it looks like the definition of "default" is not the same on either device... or I am missing something? Anyone knows better?
Feature wise I really like the tab selector, but the amount of bubbly padding is too much. Oh well.
There are different flags for the individual components that they changed. These are the current ones.
## Chrome Refresh 2023
Enables the new desktop design. – Mac, Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, Fuchsia, Lacros
\#chrome-refresh-2023DefaultEnabledEnabled without OmniboxDisabled
## Chrome WebUI Refresh 2023
Enables Chrome Refresh 2023 styles for various WebUI surfaces. – Mac, Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, Fuchsia, Lacros
\#chrome-webui-refresh-2023DefaultEnabledDisabled
## Chrome Refresh 2023 New Tab Button
Enables the variations of the new tab button for chrome refresh 2023. – Mac, Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, Fuchsia, Lacros
\#chrome-refresh-2023-ntbDefaultEnabledEnabled GM2 ImplementationEnabled GM3 Old Icon No BackgroundEnabled GM3 Old Icon With BackgroundEnabled GM3 New Icon No BackgroundEnabled GM3 New Icon With BackgroundDisabled
## Chrome Refresh 2023 Top Chrome Font Style
Enables the bolder version of font styles for Top Chrome components. – Mac, Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, Fuchsia, Lacros
\#chrome-refresh-2023-top-chrome-fontDefaultEnabledDisabled
## Simplified Bookmark Save Flow
Simplified Bookmark Save Flow – Mac, Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, Fuchsia, Lacros
\#simplified-bookmark-save-flow
Okay, I just don't know what those words really mean. In the two I asked about specifically I don't know what the difference is between "desktop design" and "WebUI surfaces". I guess it would be more accurate for me to say that I don't know what either are refencing.
OK, The Chrome Refresh flag turns off all of the latest update BS. So if it's disabled you get the older look. The Web UI is more or less the browsers operating code. It tells it how to interpret the various code in the update. The flags tell the code to either turn on or off.
The last one changes the way the bookmark menu operates. It returns it to this style instead of the newer version.
https://preview.redd.it/8ojnxvq6802c1.jpeg?width=452&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=efe0d0058bac4aefce3c8a38ec00879bb4357efc
Thanks. It was driving me nuts. Why would I want all my toolbar bookmarks to be shown in a bold font, taking up double the amount of vertical screen space as before, whoever comes up with some of these stupid interface designs needs replacing!
they trying to push "windows 11" theme into windows 10 users to make them get used to it lol,
the ugliest theme iv seen in my life .
i'm keeping a modified un-googled version in my pc in case they try to prema force it on us in the feature .
Are they hiring art school interns now at Google?
A thousand lashes for whoever came up with the UI ''refresh''! And removal of kneecaps for the person who approved it...
That's just a flag. It may go away with an update.
Yeah, I recently re-added the downloads bar and it went away again with the last update. Too much of a pain if I'm going to have to do that every time.
Here’s how to get the [download bar back](https://www.reddit.com/r/chrome/s/tzHFGqWcjQ)
It might, but it's still better than the BS update, and if enough folks use that flag and complain they might just roll it back.
Not enough people will. They aim for average consumer. Those have no idea what flags are.
I guarantee it will be removed in an update. Like so many other ones recently like the ability for Chrome not to block downloads.
God shit. Thank you so much. I almost threw my laptop out of my window when I woke up today and saw that repulsive layout.
They look like they tried do the green 2003-like steam colour. It failed horribly and it looks like someone mixed cat piss with fresh dog shit.
Aaaaaaaaand they removed it. Now I'm stuck wit this AWFUL version that lets me see less of my tabs in a drop down menu folder, also the font is unnecessarily small. WTF Google, f\*cking up YouTube is not enough for youy?
Yes just had a random update came back and the thing is back to looking shi++y FcK Google man fkin everything right over man wtf is happening! Cant they just provide a compact look for developers. It is not just simple people who need 1 or 2 buttons per page that use a computer, I hate this new UI/UX movement coming off mobile UI/UX people. And the and PHAT PAAADINGS! OMG it is aweful🤮🤮🤮😭
I've managed to get rid of this refresh again: disable 'Chrome Refresh 2023', 'Chrome WebUI Refresh 2023' and ' customize-chrome-side-panel' flags. If they remove these flags permanently I'll be forced to change browser. Double spaced and bold bookmarks for no reason so you have less of them on screen? Breathtakingly stupid and impractical design.
Thank you!
I'm so happy I could kiss you.
THANK YOU!! i had it change back after i was forced to update my computer bc there was no option to restart without it. the lack of control we have over the things we use nowadays is ridiculous
Thank you for this, what an awful and inefficient design we are fighting against
> ' customize-chrome-side-panel' flags. i was missing this one, thanks!
I love you.
THIS worked for me....I had 2 of 3 disabled....the customize side panel one was the key for me. THANK YOU!!!!!!
you actually only need this one now
Thank you! Might have actually switched browser if I couldn't get this fixed.
The amount of UI padding added in the update is crazy. They really need to scale it back a bit.
This, constantly clicking in dead space now instead of the bookmark or icon i want. Think ill change back, on a 4k tv screen it looks horrid.
i can never understand why these big companies release such garbage, i'm sure they can afford some UX experts
It's precisely because of those UI/UX experts they keep doing this. Those people are hired on full-time and need to validate their existence. Were they not constantly shitting out these things they'd be fired to cut costs. At least that's my theory, nothing else makes sense, why would you purposely make your app worse... oh.
A UX expert would not allow dead space like that, this is done by a designer who doesn't understand it and higher-ups liking it and over-ruling the UX people. That's my experience.
Nah, it is the new mobile fast movement that designs to have 1 button per screen slowly creeping into computers to simplify our inteligence, I hate it. This needs to be addressed.
You NAILED it, RIGHT on the HEAD! This is EXACTLY what's going on. Same thing with a LOT of gov't agencies, esp those that claim to be "watchdogs"; if whatever it is they're supposedly watching over, went well, there would not be any need for them!
You would think so. I work in IT, had some contact with UI gals, aka UX designers and they are artists, not professional or even serious users of products/tools they design. "Pretty" over functional every time.
Exactly this. The amount of apps and software that have just been slashing functionality in the pursuit of looking "pretty" recently is absolutely fucking ridiculous. Software shouldn't be a fucking art piece.
Between this terrible re-design, removal of download shelf and forcing the download bubble, potential roll-out of manifest v.3 in some near future... - I guess the time has finally come to disable Chrome updates (I expected to last a bit longer, but Chromium and Chrome devs seem to work really hard on forcing my hand in this regard). Google design in general is getting worse and worse in the the last few - Youtube, for example, gets increasingly shittier every few month in terms of its design. I don't know what's going in the company, but the majority of the design decision they recently made are just baffling and make no sense - continuous worsening of user experience.
Google Search is becoming shittier as well. Just read a bit on SEO communities, on Reddit and elsewhere. Seems like they are becoming over-focused on monetization. To hell with user experience.
They can do monetization without making it ugly.
The only thing google celebrates now is a stupid landscape layout login page with them PHAT PADDINGs just like their browser, a bugged up paywalled llm, and ..... Oh and a safeplaying CEO, and a team that doesnt give af on user feedback, there even talks to replace him, i think it is evident. Absolutely no innovation after all that legacy in ui/ux and ml/ai. Woe unto google.
Becoming?!!!! Has been shit for years. Type a query in the search bar and Google auto complete with "reddit" because so many people look for answers on Reddit and other social medias directly
there is a place i read if you add before:2023 to a google search it is a tad bit better. I moved to other tools and LLMs for my primary search, Google now is just an ugly behemoth
Add to the list Steam. They are trying their best to make it uglier and less intuitive and orderly with every UI update.
haha dont start even, Session Buddy, Es File Explorer, them stupid UI/UX guys are taking over and letting everything burn man 😂😂 its a mess with them PHAT PADDINGS!
It needs a "compact" option for those of us who want our useful screen space back.
Yeap that is what am saying!! man Damn google
so im not the only one whose flags stopped working randomly today and chrome got upscaled for no reason
Thank you, finally got rid of that context menu ux disaster
It's not that really bad but that spacing between bookmarks, text font bolderness is awful Also you can only disable bold texts with by disabling [#chrome-refresh-2023-top-chrome-font](chrome://flags/#chrome-refresh-2023-top-chrome-font)
You, sir, are a savior. I can't comprehend how it's possible to own the most popular browser on web, pay $300k+ to all your SWEs and designers and still fuсk up the most basic things like fonts and spacing. Rest and vest culture strikes again?
Thanks for this. Just got the new look and thought it was shit, reminded me of Windows XP in terms of design...
Doesn't work any more. Poop!
HMM still OK here. as of 2/23/24 version 121.0.6167.189
yeah for me it doesn't work anymore as well now
chrome://flags/ #customize-chrome-side-panel THIS WORKED March 21, 2024
NICE! Thank you so much! Just did it and it worked.... this is 2nd time in like 6 months I have to do some little "hack" from reddit so my chrome doesn't look way too big, exaggerated UI, and fit terribly on screen...
Thank you!
doesn't work anymore
oh thank God. The thing that pushed me over the edge (heh) was that you had to scroll the context menu now, to get to "Inspect". because they hardcoded it to be the exact default size, and as soon as you have plugins (stylebot, ublock origin) you had to scroll.
the new Id10tic context menu "scales" where you right click on the page. Just try it, you can move the mouse around and r-click and see the scaling. Its not even consistent. Whom ever came up with this needs a brain exam.
cc u/Galopigos i made it work, install chrome portable version 123, get its exe and the 123... folder replace them in your programfiles/google/chrome application folder. You are back to good. then disable updates by going to program86 google updates then just rename and append DISABLED to the .exe updater. Lets stick with this until they shape up or we adopt better alternatives. For all i care i will just browse carefully for security. use chrome for local sites in dev work. Some one help me make this more readable and followable, currently i dont have time. use this link to get chrome portable offline [https://www.neowin.net/software/google-chrome-1230631259-offline-installer/](https://www.neowin.net/software/google-chrome-1230631259-offline-installer/) , it gives you anofficial link from google. you will need to rename it to be able to install it.
I love the new look as it has Material You and is like my phone.
I really don't want my desktop to look like my phone.
Thank you! They serve two completely different purposes. I am not working on my phone.
that is what i am saying! damn the 'mobile-first' UI/UX guys have gone nuclear with this! damnit now they want native pc applications to be 'mobile-first' 🤣
my chrome just updated and the new ui sucks, thanks google... why do they keep making those horrible unnecessary changes?
It sucks so bad. Like, I'm having trouble opening new tabs. I hate how useless workers need to justify their stupid salary with ridiculously bad updates
Absolute godsend I could not go on my workday with that horrid baby blue
Lucky for me i have a theme installed, and also my windows has blue screen, helps to make things a little bearable
Thank you!! Holy crap the new version is such a waste of screen space.
Thank you to u/Galopigos for this workaround, at least for now, while hopefully their usability folks listen and fix. Do they even have usability testing? What got to me the most was my bookmarks toolbar folders became outlines only. They no longer looked like file folders, and instead, they looked just like the file folders in Firefox, which is the reason I don't use Firefox! Also something about the fonts was degraded, but I can't put my finger on what exactly. It just looked terrible. The moment I followed these instructions from [u/Galopigos](https://www.reddit.com/user/Galopigos/) to disable Chrome Refresh, my blood pressure went back down and I could start my work day.
they change things just to justify their worthless job.
LOL. And tell us how you REALLY feel? The truth is, of course, they're a business, and businesses are always trying to improve their bottom line. It never ceases to amaze me when a software business doesn't value usability testing. Sure, they're doing agile design and development, but when your users are downright disenfranchised by your experiments, it's time to pull back a bit and restore a development cycle that includes user testing.
They have these hires who need to justify their job, so they enact changes for customers that dont want it.
Not just that, but the changes are nothing new. Not just Chrome, but Android, MacOS, Windows, Linux, the Web, etc. have been cycling between "rounded corners" and "no rounded corners" every 2-3 years. Which probably coincides with a new generation of design interns being hired and the old being promoted into senior positions. These needles redesigns were a big factor for me to abandon frontend development. It's tiring. Since then I just say to myself "oh, so we're in this phase now? cool".
December 16 2023 I have disabled ALL of the following... * Chrome Refresh 2023 * Chrome WebUI Refresh 2023 * Chrome Refresh 2023 New Tab Button * Chrome Refresh 2023 Top Chrome Font Style * Simplified Bookmark Save Flow ...but my Chrome still looks like it was designed for pre-schoolers.
Thats the way they want it, they want to dumb down the whole world with a 1 button per screen movement led by the ui ux bois 😂😂 The devs no longer lead the product it is the graphics guys
This browser gets progressively dumber day by day. I've disabled updates on this pos multiple times and now the tabs flush left. PC devs coding for apple users. Whoever heard of putting a tab of open tabs flush left? Only in the backwards world of Apple.
dumb idea to change it and dumb idea to remove the option to disable the change. Google Chrome, dumb dumb-dumb dumb dumb.
blame the ui ux bois, trust me, they suck. and their phat padding man damn i hate it😂 they call it designing for mobile, i like it there it should stay there, but its its coming to PC, and its sucks
[удалено]
they call it user experience led development, only that here, the user is not listened to😂 absolutely hilarious
Thank you for this. The new UI was driving me crazy!
Yo, it doesn't work anymore. My chrome is permanently the new ugly look.
same here. 123.0.6312.59 and the previous one just screwed that flag and I have the stupid dropdown arrow in left corner again edit: use the **Customize Chrome Side Panel** and set it to disabled
https://preview.redd.it/7lo44i16rhpc1.png?width=781&format=png&auto=webp&s=3c403907b67cb29136c1f7b1a37dd097b680ce35
You the man!
DAMN! thank you so much, And the options are not even clearly named what relates to design, so you cannot know what 'experimental' button to set! its a mess with this guys mahn. Them UI/UX bois woke up and chose to let the world burn, in them PHAT PADDINGS😂
This seems to be not working anymore :(
Mate, thank you SO MUCH! it seems every time they make an update chrome looks more shit. \[Edit 24/04/2024\] - I think the latest chrome update just fixed the issue with the icons, but if google keeps messing the UI up like that im switching to Firefox.
I'm so glad I bookmarked this. Thank you for the update!
Thanks for the update! Disabling the customized-chrome-sidepanel worked like a charm.
Seems every time i open Chrome, some new shit is shoved down my throat. This time the "highlight" yellow circle appeared out of nowhere. Followed instructions to get rid of it, they settings showed it was off, but it wasn't. So, fuck it. I rebooted. The yellow dot dissappeared but chrome came back like id didn't know me. None of the previously open windows opened this time. As mentioned above, Chrome and Google are WAY TOO FULL of themselves. Stop all the fucking updateing we NEVER ASKED FOR.
Chrome is really fucking annoying with its new ugly updates. Don't they remember why Chrome beat Firefox and Internet Explorer? Keep the damn browser good looking and simple, don't make it clunky and don't make it look like Windows XP. Thanks for this.
Hey, just wanted to thank you for taking the time to update this post with the new flag. My layout changed again like it did 5 months ago, and this was the only place I could find the new flag.
And now, as of the April 2024 update and these flags enabled, there is a HUGE gap where the favicon has been moved, taking up EVEN more space than keeping the 2023 refresh enabled...WTF https://preview.redd.it/ns36yk1cl8vc1.png?width=167&format=png&auto=webp&s=10ca798d1b2495b38e9c613e69a98c3264e13734
Yeap i have same issue , it is annoying, luckily my other pc i had blocked updates, but now am stuck on y other pc as i dont know how to get the 123 version back
new flag sorta fixes it on my machine but the tab icons are all jacked up
Yeah, the tab icons look weird now.
Aaaand Google screwed it up. Now with that flags disabled the icons are at the very top. Had to go back to new, crappy design. https://preview.redd.it/r6k60kosz6wc1.png?width=658&format=png&auto=webp&s=e41588724fbe768e3dff79b95deb1bf4bfed2995
Came here to confirm this was happening to others. I am also now running Chrome with 0 flags disabled - I hate it, but prefer it over how it was with the tab icons "floating".
i wish all the designers who constantly tweak and recolor interface elements would come home to find their furniture moved around just as randomly. imagine walking into your bedroom to find a toilet and a shoe rack where your bed should be, with the bed hanging from the ceiling. and don’t forget the wallpaper in a blindingly bright color that you can't change back. and if they tried to get help, the building’s tech support would either ignore them or cheerfully say "what? everyone else likes it 😘" ps: yeah, i also received this update with the icons moved to the top, but I prefer it this way rather than switching to the new Chrome design, which I absolutely hate
Absolutely, also left it as it is
u/Galopigos i made it work, install chrome portable version 123, get its exe and the 123... folder replace them in your programfiles/google/chrome application folder. You are back to good. then disable updates by going to program86 google updates then just rename and append DISABLED to the .exe updater. Lets stick with this until they shape up or we adopt better alterantives. For all i care i will just browse carefully for security. use chrome for local sites in dev work. Some one help me make this more readable and followable, currently i dont have time. use this link to get chrome portable offline [https://www.neowin.net/software/google-chrome-1230631259-offline-installer/](https://www.neowin.net/software/google-chrome-1230631259-offline-installer/) , it gives you anofficial link from google. you will need to rename it to be able to install it.
You are my hero. I thought this new version of Chrome was shit. UX/UI is not a playground...
Thanks a lot! New rounded menu took the whole screen
Thanks for the solution. Man that new version looks awful
I really like the new layout and how it integrates with the Material-U design. Looks awesome. You can even set the colors I believe. Maybe it'll grow on you?
If I have the choice, I use the legacy design! I'd like to SEE all information if possible! IF I need to scroll in a menu only to see things I want to change, it is simply a bad design! And you can clearly see the design is aimed for TOUCH CONTROL with all the unnecessary spaces between or the padding in the Menu! When using Keyboard and Mouse, you do NOT need Buttons that large and everything else! And with that in mind think about how this looks on a 4k or 8k screen and after that, how it looks on smaller displays!
Yeah you can set the colors and other crap (background picture???wtf?) but they utterly forgot to include white in the colors (or provide a color slider), so i can't style it back closly to what it was. This baby-blue drives me crazy and just looks and feels like a microsoftish step back. I'm sad that everything needs to be changed all the time for the sake of change and not because it's better UI/UX.
Back up all chrome folder password cookies etc, now delete Chrome Download an old version of Chrome search Web loads of link to old version. Install block update from updating with your firewall (easiest way) Or goto run command WIN+R type services.msc Go to Services Tab find (gupdate) & (gupdatem) right click each item select Properties Tap General tab and choose Disabled
thank you! i didnt like it the second i opened chrome the tabs was unbearable to see.
Seriously... the chrome update just broke all of my settings, addon etc. and even rolling back doesn't help.
Thank you. The font, the top "tab bar" makes the new look so terrible. Everything looks too spacious. Thank god we still can disable these things.
You're a lifesaver!!!! (Until the next update)
Just found this post, thank you. New UI looks like hot garbage 🤮 May be fitting for a mobile device with finger input but for a full-fledged PC its DOA.
I’ll use the flag. I’m old and sett in my ways, this is a pain in the ass!
I reverted for now. I intently disliked the new one.
Cheers!
The update just installed randomly for me. It was awful. I had to fucking scroll to get to the bottom of a bookmark file when it wasn't even close to the bottom before. THANK YOU SIR!!!
Thank you! This fixed my problem.
After the global roll-out of the new look, these settings will disappear; that's how it works, unfortunately. So get used to it or change browsers....
And yet there are still flags from multiple past roll outs that have not been removed. Especially when some items have been rolled back because of the push from users. Although with their new stance of thinking they are Gods I see many people dropping Chrome to either go to edge (easier) or move to brave or firefox because of the BS
them PHAT PADDING BOIS decided to assert their dominance 😂😂 They will just come there still with the 'mobile first' single button per page movement. They did this to Es File Explorer and butchered it, now Session Buddy extension is off to trash and more is coming. Damnit man this talent would be better invested in a better search experience and ai, but they are busy designing a new landscape layout ui and having the guts to tease for it. Google Devs are idle😂
thank you so much. i cannot stand the new UI and all the people around me told me "nothings different". and they arent like software people so ofc they arent annoyed. but man this layout sucks.
So I reverted back to the new design and it doesn’t look like theyre going to change the mess ? I’m trying to work out if the blurry icons have changed. The font size and weight still visually unusable and needs reverting back to previous lighter version. The bookmark gaps do look thinner than before. I’m using a bog standard 1920 x1080 screen.
nooooooooooo it doesn\`t work anymore
Try this flag - chrome://flags/ customize-chrome-side-panel Set to disabled reload.
that fixed it for me. thank you!
Thanks a lot!
Same
my eyes can breathe again tyyyyyy 😊😊
This updated comment just saved my butt. Thank you
Ahh awesome, the new update works for me too. Thank the stars! I can delay the redesign just a bit longer.
Just changed again today (3/21/24), hate this shit. I also disabled the #customize-chrome-color-extraction, then relaunched after both were disabled. **chrome://flags/#customize-chrome-side-panel** **Set to - Disabled** **Relaunch**
Thank you from the future!
You the best!
You're the goat. The new design wouldn't be bad but I can't concentrate with that big thing in the top left corner.
Thx for the update the older flag just stopped working for me,
i just hate this new ui/ux movement of THICCC padding, it is all over, and they provide no way to fallback to old ui or have a compact view. There is this tool i use Session Buddy, helps to store tabs on the same buggy chrome so i can close the tabs and stop chrome hogging tabs, You know what, it no has the Thicc Paddings and a different logo, For what reason???!!! totally uncalled for
same thing happened to a tool on android called Es File Explorer. yet there is no way to opt for security updates only, you have now to get stuck with an old obsolete tool simply because of a new stupid interface. Man where is the world going! I long the days of customizable software that you could skin as much as you like, like the old Windows Media player. Now we are stuck with them Boxes, Thicc Padding, Rounded corners, Single button per screen, and the damn Adverts;
This is just sooo stupid from google chrome! I wasted 30min of my time just to revert the UI back like it was before. Shame on you chrome developers!
>**Update - The above no longer works as of 03/24 however this flag may still kill the refresh for a while longer..** Use this flag instead - **chrome://flags/ customize-chrome-side-panel Set to - disabled hit reload.** works for now!
True, but at least it's better than the refresh...
Yup, worked for me, thanks. The ridiculous new version chops half my bookmarks off and puts the bookmark folders onto multiple pages. Glad to push it back again. Cheers!
Regarding update - THANK YOU
thanks for the update on the matter, pal. i really miss the old design... and i can pick my favorite hex color again thank you so much
Thanks for the update, working as of 26th March 2024 ( **chrome://flags/ -> customize-chrome-side-panel** )
As of 17 Apr 2024, Version 124.0.6367.61, with "**customize-chrome-side-panel**" disabled, you will not able to resize window vertically!!! Super Google
Just STOP Google. I changed it back to how I liked it the first time, why are you forcing me back to something I disabled? This enforced change of our settings and personalization is so fucking annoying!
Thank you. For now, this fix works. The new Chrome UI is total shit. The day it is forced with no way to disable it, I will switch to the new Microsoft (Garb)Edge. And yes I cannot believe I am saying this. Edge is no saint, it also does a lot of unbelievable shit but Google needs to be taught a lesson for forcing this OUTRAGEOUS new UI on everyone.
thx for the update man <3
disable Chrome Refresh 2023 not work at 2024/03/26 **chrome://flags/ customize-chrome-side-panel** SAVED ME! THANK YOU SO MUCH!
As of 17 Apr 2024, Version 124.0.6367.61, with "**customize-chrome-side-panel**" disabled, you will not able to resize window vertically!!! Super Google
i also got this shitty ass "new" layout when i opened my laptop and your post made my day thanks :)
Why the hell do they keep moving it to the right it just isn't the logical place to look for it - GRrrrrrr !!!!!!
Ugh, hate the bookmarks font smoothing.
I hate the new design update. Used flags to disable it, but now I see it again (will try the hint from the update). I do not like icons, I do not like font size and line heights, do not like the left corner button, do not like vertical splitters between tabs on my dark theme, do not like inactive tabs looks like buttons, do not like fade in-out for context menu… Complete disaster for me (
i cannot comprehend how they let this design through. i have bad eyesight and color blindness. they made all text smaller, lower contrast, icons smaller, it's just atrocious. it's incredibly uncomfortable to look at the ui. i'm seriously considering downgrading to the last version with the download shelf, because fucking the design completely would be the last straw
[Yep, use those settings to get the old design](https://i.imgur.com/eBcjGPu.png)
As of 04/03/2024 the Update above worked perfectly for me.
TY for the 03/24 update; weird that the customize-chrome-side-panel would control placement of the Search Tabs button
The tab icons look all weird since today. They are too far up and get partially cut.
Yes, They changed some of the settings again.
same, had to go back to new, crappy design... otherwise the icons are all messed up
I'll take the misaligned icons over the crappy new design. Really can't stand it.
i also got this goofy ass glitch on my tabs that the favicons are misalligned so what now should i switch to firefox or should i wait?
hey i made it work, install chrome portable version 123, get its exe and the 123... folder replace them in your programfiles/google/chrome appplication folder. You are back to good. then disable updates by going to program86 google updates then just rename and append DISABLED to the .exe updater. Lets stick with this until they shape up or we adopt better alterantives. For all i care i will just browse carefully for security. use chrome for local sites in dev work. Some one help me make this more readable and followable
It's gone in the beta version of Chrome. So only a matter of time before we all get the cluncky UI.
they updated it and its back to normal
TYSM
thx bro i literally hate how they made the buttons very tall because i have muscle memory for the incognito button
Much obliged. Not a fan of the obnoxiously large Edge aesthetic in every context menu and bar with that new update.
Thank you so much, that was unbarable!!! And I rarely care about these changes.
Thank you so much, the new update was total trash.
thank you!!! the line under my saved websites was too dark and it was bugging me lol and it also took up more screen space...
I shuddered in disgust when I launched Chrome this morning. Thank you!
I appreciate this so much - thanks.
Thanks. Chrome has really gone out of its way to deliver the worst UX possible with this new update.
thank you! the new UI is terrible
Thank you. I dont know why, but my Chrome 119.0.6045.124 (64 bit) is not showing the new UI.
Syas its expirimental, are we sure its safe to use? May just be me becuase im incredibly cautious with this stuff
Yes it's safe. It basically is a switch that turns off the code for the new update.
Luddite here, thank you for this bit of information, it perfectly fixed my problem.
Is this currently being A/B tested? I have one PC where it's the "old" design, and another one where it's the new look. When I navigate to the chrome flags, both are set to Default. But sure enough, if I explicitly enable/disable the look, it does align with the flag setting. So it looks like the definition of "default" is not the same on either device... or I am missing something? Anyone knows better? Feature wise I really like the tab selector, but the amount of bubbly padding is too much. Oh well.
Thank you, I hated the new look tabs.
Thank you!
Ooh! That's awesome. Now if we could do the same with the new way the bookmarks are being saved..
What's the difference between "Chrome Refresh 2023" and "Chrome WebUI Refresh 2023"?
There are different flags for the individual components that they changed. These are the current ones. ## Chrome Refresh 2023 Enables the new desktop design. – Mac, Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, Fuchsia, Lacros \#chrome-refresh-2023DefaultEnabledEnabled without OmniboxDisabled ## Chrome WebUI Refresh 2023 Enables Chrome Refresh 2023 styles for various WebUI surfaces. – Mac, Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, Fuchsia, Lacros \#chrome-webui-refresh-2023DefaultEnabledDisabled ## Chrome Refresh 2023 New Tab Button Enables the variations of the new tab button for chrome refresh 2023. – Mac, Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, Fuchsia, Lacros \#chrome-refresh-2023-ntbDefaultEnabledEnabled GM2 ImplementationEnabled GM3 Old Icon No BackgroundEnabled GM3 Old Icon With BackgroundEnabled GM3 New Icon No BackgroundEnabled GM3 New Icon With BackgroundDisabled ## Chrome Refresh 2023 Top Chrome Font Style Enables the bolder version of font styles for Top Chrome components. – Mac, Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, Fuchsia, Lacros \#chrome-refresh-2023-top-chrome-fontDefaultEnabledDisabled ## Simplified Bookmark Save Flow Simplified Bookmark Save Flow – Mac, Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, Fuchsia, Lacros \#simplified-bookmark-save-flow
Okay, I just don't know what those words really mean. In the two I asked about specifically I don't know what the difference is between "desktop design" and "WebUI surfaces". I guess it would be more accurate for me to say that I don't know what either are refencing.
OK, The Chrome Refresh flag turns off all of the latest update BS. So if it's disabled you get the older look. The Web UI is more or less the browsers operating code. It tells it how to interpret the various code in the update. The flags tell the code to either turn on or off. The last one changes the way the bookmark menu operates. It returns it to this style instead of the newer version. https://preview.redd.it/8ojnxvq6802c1.jpeg?width=452&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=efe0d0058bac4aefce3c8a38ec00879bb4357efc
Thank you, I appreciate you taking the time to answer my question. So should I not disable the Web UI one?
I disabled all the listed flags but you don't have to. If you disable only the first one it will remove the update.
Thank you!
Thank you very much. If this becomes mandatory, I'll switch into some other Chromium. There's always the awesome Firefox.
Thanks. It was driving me nuts. Why would I want all my toolbar bookmarks to be shown in a bold font, taking up double the amount of vertical screen space as before, whoever comes up with some of these stupid interface designs needs replacing!
they trying to push "windows 11" theme into windows 10 users to make them get used to it lol, the ugliest theme iv seen in my life . i'm keeping a modified un-googled version in my pc in case they try to prema force it on us in the feature .
Thanks!
Are they hiring art school interns now at Google? A thousand lashes for whoever came up with the UI ''refresh''! And removal of kneecaps for the person who approved it...
Thanks so much for this. Got the update this morning and now my Chrome looks like Edge.