How to improve Chrome privacy

Let’s not fool ourselves. Google Chrome isn’t the ideal browser if you’re concerned about your personal information. In that case it is better to use options like Firefox or Brave. However, if you don’t want to or can’t exclude Chrome, this article will give you some tips and tweaks to help protect your data a little better.

Delete cookies and other browser data

Let’s start with the privacy options available in the Chrome browser. To access it, you need to open the main menu and click Settings (settings) click.

Open Chrome settingsOpen Chrome settings

In the list of options, open the section Privacy and security (Privacy and Security).

Privacy and security optionsPrivacy and security options

go in Clear browsing data (Delete browsing data).

Clear browsing dataClear browsing data

tap Advancedchoose All time from the drop-down list and confirm with the button Clear data (delete data).

Advanced modeAdvanced mode

thereby become all data stored by Google Chrome, such as cookies and cache, will be deleted. This can have a positive impact on performance and also on your privacy, as it nips certain companies from tracking your activity.

Use the right security setting

Without the area Privacy and Security (Privacy and Security) turn your attention to safe browsing in Safe browsing to.

security settingssecurity settings

There you choose standard protection out. Under no circumstances should you click Enhanced protection (advanced protection).

standard protectionstandard protection

Although this option is designed to improve browsing security, it increases the amount of data Chrome sends to Google’s servers.

Access to payment methods and preloading of websites

In the same section of the settings it is also advisable to set the options for payment methods, Access payment methodscall and Preload pages for faster browsing and searching (Preload pages for faster browsing and searching) to disable.

Other privacy settingsOther privacy settings

The former prevents websites from accessing the payment details you’ve saved in Chrome. The second prevents Google from receiving information about your surfing behavior.

Submit a non-tracking request

Browsers can Do-Not-Track-Anfrage send to sites to prevent them from tracking you. In Chrome for Android, this option is under Privacy and Security (Privacy and Security) and is by name Do Not Track marked. In this case you just have to activate it.

Activate the Do Not Track requestActivate the Do Not Track request

However, you must be aware that accepting this request is site-specific and Chrome cannot guarantee that it will be honored.

Disable testing of alternative to cookies, FLoC

FLoC is a supposedly privacy-friendly system that Google proposes as an alternative to cookies. Instead of tracking individual users, they are grouped into groups with common interests. For now, however, it is advisable to avoid this and use a setting that blocks traditional cookies. For that open the Privacy Sandboxwithout leaving the privacy settings.

Floc system settingsFloc system settings

Disable the slider next to the Privacy Sandbox trials.

Disable floc testDisable floc test

Block third-party cookies

If you have already disabled Google’s FLoC, now is the time to Block third-party cookies. This is done in the settings by going to website settings, Site settingsclick.

Website SettingsWebsite Settings

Then go to Cookies.

Cookie OptionsCookie Options

Activate the option Block third-party cookiesto block third-party cookies.

Block third-party cookiesBlock third-party cookies

This prevents third party tracking when you visit a website, but it does not prevent the website from storing cookies which are necessary for its proper functioning. However, the portals may not function properly. In this case use the option Add site exception Add to add such pages as an exception.

Check other site permissions.

Since you’re already in the site settings, take a look at the permissions granted.

Check other permissionsCheck other permissions

Some sections are particularly important, such as location or camera.

Say goodbye to syncing

Syncing your data with Google is useful but offers little privacy. open Sync in the settings menu.

Sync with GoogleSync with Google

Then click Sign out and turn off sync and turn off the sync.

Sign out of the current session in the Google accountSign out of the current session in the Google account

Chrome will quickly sign out and no longer save your data. While you’re there, you can also pause tracking web activity. To do this, tap Google activity controls.

Google Browsing LogGoogle Browsing Log

Disable the options Web & App Activity.

Disable web activityDisable web activity

Bye Google, hello DucDuckGo

The heart of Google is its search engine. Even using an alternative like DuckDuckGo greatly improves privacy when using Chrome. Open Settings and go to Search Engine (search engine).

Change default search engineChange default search engine

Click on DuckDuckGo.

Use DuckDuckGoUse DuckDuckGo

From now on, Chrome will use this search engine for queries.

Don’t let Chrome save a password

If you go to settings Passwords you can decide whether Chrome should save your passwords. This prevents other users from being able to access your online services without much effort.

Password OptionsPassword Options

On the next screen, uncheck the option Save passwords.

Don't save passwordsDon’t save passwords

Chrome will no longer save your passwords from this point forward.

Be careful with Android permissions

Removing Chrome’s root access to some resources is a little easier via the Android App Info section. If you up there Permissions click, you can see what the browser can and cannot do.

Permissions of the appPermissions of the app

the under Allowed Permissions shown are those that are enabled. Click on one of the icons to change the respective setting.

permission grantedpermission granted

choose Denyto deny access.

Deactivate a granted permissionDeactivate a granted permission

Chrome will likely re-request access for a permission when a website requires a system resource to function.

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