Google to replace lock icon in Chrome’s URL bar, here’s why – Times of India

Google is set to release the Chrome 117 version in September. The tech giant’s popular web browser will be redesigned as a part of a wider Material You-theme integration. In a recent blog post, the company also announced that with this version of Chrome, the lock icon which is placed on the URL bar of the browser will be replaced by a new “tune” icon. The padlock icon that indicates website security has been associated with Google Chrome for a long time now. Users are also quite familiar with the lock icon, so why Google is changing it?
More than just a ‘cosmetic’ change
The lock icon on Google Chrome appeared for the first time in the ’90s after Netscape introduced the HTTPS protocol. This protocol allowed users to send sensitive data like banking information and login credentials safely through the web with encryption. Chrome shows the lock icon when users browse a website using HTTPS. This signals that the network connection is secure.
In 2021, Google conducted a study which concluded that only 11% of participants were able to understand the intended purpose of the lock icon. Moreover, the lock icon was important when HTTPS wasn’t a popular protocol and users had to be better informed of its benefits.
Now, over 95% of Chrome webpages that loads on Windows use this protocol. So, it is now a default connection. Also, Google thinks that users may confuse the lock icon as an overall indication of trust in the website. This can be dangerous as HTTPS doesn’t protect users against things like phishing scams.
Google Chrome lock icon replacement: Timeline
Google will replace the lock icon on desktop and Android in “early September 2023.” However, the company will withdraw the icon entirely from iPhones as Chrome on iOS doesn’t allow users to expand the icon.
Chrome Canary channel users can test an experimental version of the browser which shows how the new tune icon looks. Canary members can enable the new icon the Chrome Refresh 2023 flag. However, Google notes that the feature is still being developed and may change before the final rollout.
How Google is replacing the lock icon
To reduce confusion, Google will be replacing the lock icon with a variant of the tune icon which is mostly used to represent control menus. The new symbol won’t be misleading users and will also encourage them to click through and access more information about their security and connection settings.

Google’s research also showed that only a handful of users were aware of the click-through functionality. The upcoming tune icon won’t be getting any extra features and will continue marking the very few plaintext HTTP pages as insecure on all platforms.
Google is not changing the icon for the first time
In 2016, Google redesigned the lock icon by removing colours to give the symbol a neutral look. The company also said that it is “re-examining” the design again in 2021. Initially, Google planned to replace it with a downward-pointing arrow.
From a UI perspective, the arrow icon would have suggested users expand it for more details. However, the tune symbol represents a slider control and can be a good replacement for the lock icon.