Google releases ChromeOS 126 with AI-based digital zoom, quick setup with Android phones, and more

Key Takeaways

• ChromeOS 126 introduces AI-based zoom to improve image quality.
• The Quick Start feature makes it easy to set up your Chromebook with your Android phone.
• New accessibility features and enhanced parental controls in Family Link.

Every month, Google introduces a new ChromeOS update for users on its Stable channel, and June is no exception. The Mountain View tech giant has started rolling out Chrome OS 126, which comes with a ton of new features, making it much easier to set up your Chromebook device, and more.

What's new in ChromeOS 126 update?

New AI-based zoom feature improves image quality

Google continues to add AI features with every ChromeOS update. Last time, ChromeOS 125 brought AI features in the form of generative AI video conferencing backgrounds and generative wallpapers. Now, the latest ChromeOS 126 update introduces support for AI-based digital zoom.

Certain Chromebook devices with sufficient computing power can take advantage of this. The built-in cameras on these devices can now zoom into objects without the need for an optical zoom motor. Additionally, Google is using AI-based “Super Resolution” technology to reduce the loss of quality that occurs while zooming, making images clearer. This is why you need a high-performance Chromebook device.

Setting up your Chromebook is easy with an Android smartphone

When you first buy a Chromebook, setting up your device can be time-consuming, and for many, the experience can be frustrating. But with ChromeOS 126, that pain has been alleviated to some extent as Google has made setting up a Chromebook easier for users with Android phones.

Called “Quick Start,” this feature allows users to securely transfer their Wi-Fi and Google Account information from their Android phone to their Chromebook. The benefit of this feature is that you don't have to manually enter your Google Account and Wi-Fi connection passwords.

New accessibility features

ChromeOS 126 has some notable changes for people with disabilities. Firstly, for those with low vision, the update benefits with the “Select to Speak for Magnifier” feature. This feature makes the text that is spoken magnified, making it easier for those with low vision to read. Users can adjust the zoom level in Magnifier settings.

Another important accessibility feature is a new setting to turn off the blinking text cursor. If you find the blinking bothersome or triggers photosensitive seizures, you can go to Settings to reduce the blinking frequency or turn it off completely.

ChromeOS 126 gives parents more control over their kids' supervised accounts

For parents, Google has introduced an update to the Family Link feature in the latest ChromeOS update. Unlike earlier when extension and app installation permissions were combined into one control option, it now provides more granular control over your child's supervised account by separating app and extension permissions. This means that you can allow your child to install certain apps on their Chromebook while disapproving extensions.

others

In addition to the aforementioned features, Google also added a new setting to control “overscroll behavior,” which is a fancy word to describe the swipe gesture for navigating between pages. According to Google's description, you can find it by going to: setting > Accessibility > Cursor and touchpad > Use swipe gestures to navigate between pagesAnother notable change is multi-calendar support, which allows users to view all events from multiple calendars within Google Calendar.

ChromeOS 126 will be rolled out in stages

For those of you who are new to ChromeOS or don't know about it, Google won't be rolling out the ChromeOS update to all users on launch day. Instead, the company wants to complete the rollout process in stages. So, if you haven't seen the update on your device yet, you'll have to wait a few days for it to show up.