Google is finally giving Chrome’s three-dot menu a brain. For years, the browser’s familiar menu has been a cluttered mess. It stuffs dozens of options into one unsorted list with no search function. As a result, finding a specific setting means clicking through layers of submenus. However, that changes with a new redesign spotted in Chrome Canary.
A working search bar now sits right at the top of the menu.
Type a few letters, and Chrome surfaces matching commands, bookmarks, and recent pages instantly. Moreover, results appear separated by category for easy scanning. For instance, a search for “dark” might show the Dark Mode setting alongside a bookmarked article. Browser tipster Leopeva64 first demonstrated the feature on X. Notably, earlier Canary builds included the search box visually, but it did nothing when clicked. That has now changed.
In Chrome Canary, Google is testing removing the scroll arrows that let you automatically scroll to reveal hidden items when you hover over them in the 3-dot menu. They also added a scrollbar, and the search box at the top and the footer are now pinned so they are always visible: https://t.co/D7TxDkCtmP
— Leopeva64 (@Leopeva64) October 24, 2026
However, the search bar is just one piece of a much larger overhaul. Google has been quietly rebuilding Chrome’s interface under a project called “WebUI Refresh 2026.” Internally, the team also calls it “GlowUp.” So far, the effort has introduced animated navigation buttons and deeper background colors. Still, the menu redesign is its most visible change yet.
Meanwhile, the old continuous list is gone entirely. Instead, options now sit inside rounded blocks grouped into two sections: “Your Chrome” and “Tools and Actions.” Additionally, each block uses a different shade of the user’s theme color. Similarly, New Tab, New Window, and Incognito have been redesigned as three large buttons at the top.
Scrolling works differently too. Specifically, the search box stays pinned at the top permanently. Likewise, Settings, Help, and Exit stay anchored at the bottom. As a result, only the middle section moves between them. Furthermore, Google swapped the old hover-activated scroll arrows for a proper scrollbar. That sounds minor, but anyone who accidentally triggered those arrows while clicking will appreciate it.
Users can try it now by enabling the “App Menu Glow Up” flag in Canary. Currently, it works on Windows, macOS, Linux, and ChromeOS. There is no confirmed date for stable Chrome yet. However, with updates now shipping every two weeks, experimental features reach production faster than before.
