The long awaited 64-bit Chrome for Android is finally coming

It’s been a long wait for anyone with a 64-bit device, but the wait is finally coming to a close, as 64-bit Chrome for Android is coming soon. This is a big deal because not having 64-bit versions of the app can lead to some security and performance issues.

As discovered by Android Police, both Chrome Dev and Chrome Canary (releases 85 and 86) show 64-bit in the chrome://version. Checking the same place on the current version of Chrome shows 32-bit, so it definitely appears the next versions of the browser are the ones that’ll switch to 64-bit.

It appears that only Android devices running Android 10 or higher will get access to the 64-bit version of Google Chrome, so older devices that can’t install Android 10 will need to keep running the 32-bit version of the popular web browser. Google’s own rules say that all apps must be updated to 64-bit by August 1, 2021, which means it will most definitely need to update Chrome for users outside of just those with Android 10 installed.

Interestingly, some users are reporting that they’re seeing 64-bit versions of Google Chrome on release 84. However, others are saying that they’re running the exact same version and seeing 32-bit Chrome installed. Those curious which version they’re running can go to chrome://version and look at the section labeled Google Chrome at the top.

Both Chrome Dev and Chrome Canary are available from the Google Play Store, so anyone looking to test out the 64-bit version of Chrome can do so now. Right now, the plan is for Chrome 85 to go stable in August, so users who don’t feel comfortable installing the developer or unstable versions of Chrome won’t need to wait too long.