For the first time in 8 years, Google Chrome receives a new logo

Google Chrome has undergone very few changes to its visual identity since 2008. After a debut with a 3D icon, Google decided that its browser would display a “flat” logo, which it changed only very subtly a few years later. Now, after 8 years of the Chrome icon remaining unchanged, Google is introducing a new one that most users may not even notice.

Google has simplified the Chrome logo over time

According to those testing Google Chrome in Canary, Google is introducing a new desktop icon. Those who only look at the icons fleetingly will not even notice the difference, but those with a more developed spirit of observation will quickly notice some small differences.

The overall design has not changed. We have the same four colors arranged in a circle, but the new design is even “flatter” than it was before. Each of the three outer colors of the circle had a shadow effect when combined with the next color. For the new Chrome icon, this effect has been removed. Also, the inner circle, which is blue, now has a darker color and is slightly larger.

Some of you might have noticed a new icon in Chrome’s Canary update today. Yes! we’re refreshing Chrome’s brand icons for the first time in 8 years. The new icons will start to appear across your devices soon. pic.twitter.com/aaaRRzFLI1

– Elvin 🌈 (@ elvin_not_11) February 4, 2022

Most users probably won’t even notice the difference, as from a distance, the logo looks like it did from 2011 until now. However, it seems that Google has moved towards a continuous “simplification” of the logo. The first version of the logo changed from the original “3D” to include small color gradients to further suggest a 3D logo, and the second version dropped them in favor of shadows. The new logo is now completely flat, with a slightly more vibrant color selection.

However, the changes may not occur on all platforms, at least not immediately. In general, Google changes the Chrome icon according to the operating system on which it runs.

source: The Verge