Summary

  • A Chrome bug causing page disappearance when switching tabs has been patched by Google through a server-side update.
  • Users don’t need to take any action as the update automatically applies, but a browser restart can help speed up the process.
  • Google continues to improve Chrome with machine learning in the address bar and fun AI features like the GenDino game.



Google Chrome is one of the most widely used web browsers, thanks to its ease of use and extensive lineup of extensions. However, with a large user base comes great responsibility, and even a small issue can have a huge impact. A similar issue popped up this week when many Chrome on desktop users reported that webpage content would disappear when switching back to an open tab.

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The issue was first reported by the user Mark7688 on Google’s Chrome Help Community, stating that whenever they switched between open windows, Chrome would show a blank screen. Our own Dallas Thomas experienced this issue, with pages turning blank when switching tabs. Thankfully, the content reappeared a few moments later, but imagine editing an important document and having the content vanish into thin air.



Google has already patched it

Thankfully, you don’t have to worry much about this bug. According to the Support Manager on the Chrome Help Community, Google has already patched it. The company is rolling out a server-side update that addresses the underlying issue and should fix the behavior.

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Since it is a server-side update, you don’t need to do anything; it automatically applies in the background. However, Google does recommend restarting the Chrome browser, which may help apply the update more quickly. So, if you’re facing this issue, a simple relaunch of Chrome might just fix it.



Google Chrome logo on a book that has bookmarks attached to pages.

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As quickly as Google patched this bug, the company has been working hard behind the scenes to make Chrome even better. Recently, Google added machine learning to the address bar for Chrome desktop users, improving suggested URLs and search autocomplete. Google has also brought back the GenDino game that gives the pixelated dinosaur that appears when pages aren’t loading a fun AI twist.