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Latest Chrome Update Puts Privacy First with Auto HTTPS Switch

Google has just released the latest update to its Chrome browser, and it comes with a neat little feature that’s going to make your internet browsing a whole lot safer.

In Chrome 115, the browser will now automatically shift to use "HTTPS" for all websites, whenever it's possible. You might have noticed that some websites in your address bar start with "http://" and some with "https://". The "s" stands for "secure" - it means that the data being sent between your browser and the website is encrypted, making it safer from people trying to snoop on your internet traffic.

Previously, the Chrome browser would rely on websites to tell it whether to use this secure "HTTPS" connection or not. But there were instances where a site might support the secure "HTTPS" version, yet your browser still used the less secure "http". That's because the site didn't explicitly tell Chrome to switch to the safer version.

Well, with Chrome 115, Google decided to take the matter into its own hands. Instead of waiting for the website to tell it to use "HTTPS", Chrome will now just go ahead and use it by default for all main websites. This should give us users an extra layer of security during our web surfing adventures.

Don't worry if a website doesn't support "HTTPS", though. Chrome has got you covered there, too. If Chrome tries to use "HTTPS" and it doesn't work, it'll quickly fall back to the standard "http" version without you even noticing.

The new HTTPS upgrade feature is currently available in Chrome 115 behind flag, but you can easily switch it on if you want to try it out.

Here's how to do it:

1. First, make sure your Chrome browser is updated to version 115 (beta).

2. Once you've got Chrome 115, type "chrome://flags/#https-upgrades" into your address bar and press enter.

[You'll see a page full of experimental features - don't be intimidated!]

3. Just find the one labeled "HTTPS upgrades" and click on the drop-down menu next to it.

4. Select "Enabled", then click on the "Relaunch" button at the bottom of your screen to restart your browser.

And there you have it! With a few easy steps, you've just added an extra layer of security to your browsing.

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