Google Chrome upgrades Autofill: smarter, deeply integrated with many payment services

Google is rolling out a series of improvements to Chrome's Autofill feature, giving the browser deeper access to data in Google Accounts and Google Wallet. This means that more of your personal information will be consolidated into one Google ecosystem.

 

With the new update, Chrome Autofill can suggest a variety of data stored in your Google account, from membership card numbers, home and work addresses, to trip information. When users visit a checkout page and are faced with a series of repetitive forms, Autofill saves time by automatically filling in the necessary information.

The biggest change is how Chrome interacts with Google Accounts. With just a few taps, Chrome can pull in your name, email, or other sign-in information when you need it. When you shop or book a service, your home or work address is pulled directly from your Google Account, and this feature will appear on your computer, Android, iPhone, and iPad.

The integration doesn't stop there. Chrome now connects directly to Google Wallet to autofill the hardest-to-remember information. If you save your membership card in Wallet, Chrome can autofill the card number when you shop on your computer or Android. Wallet also allows Autofill to handle travel data, so when you book a flight or car rental, Chrome will recognize the form and prefill the reservation number, date, and other relevant information.

On desktop Chrome, users can also save vehicle information like license plate numbers or VINs, making it easier to fill out insurance or repair service forms. Google has also tweaked the Autofill experience on mobile devices, which used to be a bit awkward. Suggestions on Chrome for Android now appear in two lines, making them easier to see, whether they're passwords, addresses, or payment methods.

Additionally, Chrome is improving its global address recognition and filling capabilities, matching how each country structures postal information. For example, Chrome already supports the 'between two streets' field commonly used in Mexican addresses, and will soon add phonetic name handling for Japanese users.

It's worth noting that users can only opt in to the Wallet and trip data Autofill feature, while other Autofill extensions are almost always enabled by default. To enable the full new capabilities, users will need to enable Enhanced Autofill in Chrome settings.