Why it is necessary: For Chromebook customers who discover their laptop computer slowing down or misbehaving, Google simply rolled out a helpful new function with the ChromeOS M131 replace that allows you to hit the reset button with out going nuclear. It is known as a “Safety Reset” and it serves as a center floor between erasing every thing with a full manufacturing unit reset and easily deleting cookies.
The brand new security reset possibility is designed to get your Chromebook again to optimum situation if you happen to see virus-like habits, reminiscent of limitless pop-ups.
ChromeOS is just not significantly prone to viruses because of the working system’s built-in security measures. Nonetheless, you possibly can nonetheless obtain malware if you happen to set up malicious apps or extensions or undertake unsafe on-line habits.
When your Chromebook begins to malfunction, the standard possibility is to clear cookies, however that does not at all times work. Now, Google has supplied a brand new possibility that preserves your information whereas eliminating potential culprits.
As for particulars, the Google assist doc particulars all. Principally, the function resets all Chrome settings and shortcuts to defaults, disables any extensions you’ve put in, and deletes cookies and different short-term web site information. But it surely leaves your bookmarks, historical past, saved passwords, and regionally put in apps/information alone.
Google additionally says which you could activate safety reset in numerous methods, together with:
- Press CTRL + Shift + Search + R keyboard shortcut
- Seek for key phrases like “popup,” “spam,” or “virus” in Settings
- Discover it within the Settings > Safety & Privateness menu.
Along with the safety reset, the M131 replace add a brand new accessibility function: Flash notifications. This offers those that are exhausting of listening to or use display magnification a useful visible cue any time they could miss an audio notification.
You will discover Flash notification settings in Settings > Accessibility > Audio & Captions. It permits you to select between completely different colours for the notification flash and even preview what it’ll seem like earlier than enabling it.
Total, the M131 replace is not a earth-shattering launch, however it continues Google’s efforts to refine the ChromeOS expertise with sensible quality-of-life enhancements.
