14 DAY TRIAL // Google just made Chrome a lot less annoying by introducing scroll anchoring, a feature that should prevent those pesky page jumps.
This normally happens, Google says, because websites insert images or other content above the visible area, which pushes down what's on the screen.
"With the newest Chrome update, we're introducing something called scroll anchoring, which locks the content you're currently looking at to the screen, keeping you in the same spot so you can keep reading," Google says.
This is an issue many users complain about and it's virtually impossible for a Chrome user not to encounter it at least once as they eagerly try to read an article they are particularly interested in. Before the new update, someone could read through the first paragraph, quickly scroll to the next only to be pushed back at the top as more content has loaded.
Usually, that's either a slideshow, a video, or even a high resolution image. In general, it's content that requires more time to load due to its size, as text will generally load immediately.
Powerful, but hidden
"Scroll anchoring is one of our favorite kinds of features - those that shine when no one notices them. Today we're preventing an average of almost three 'jumps' per pageview, and we're still getting better," Google's blog post reads.
This isn't exactly a huge update, but it's one that will certainly make users more comfortable and a lot less frustrated while enjoying content online.
The company has also released a side-by-side comparison video so you can see the update in action. It's pretty clear just how big the difference is and how scroll anchoring is going to help many from huffing in annoyance every time they load a page on Chrome.
