Google is pushing 64-bit Chrome on Android

If you are using Chrome on Android devices, you may run a 64-bit version of the browser after the upgrade to Chrome 89 on the device, instead of the 32-bit version of the browser.

Google started to push the 64-bit version of Google Chrome for Android to devices that match specific system requirements. In other words: not all devices will see the upgrade to Chrome 64. The following minimum requirements need to be met (all of them):

• The device needs to run Android 10 or newer.
• The device needs to have at least 8 Gigabytes of RAM.

You can check out the installed version of Chrome, including whether it is 32-bit or 64-bit, in the following way:

1. Load chrome://version in the address bar of the browser.
2. The first entry, called Google Chrome, displays the installed version of the web browser and its architecture.

If Chrome is not at version 89 already, you need to update the browser to version 89 first to run the 64-bit version of the browser on the device, provided that it meets the requirements.

The Android version is displayed under OS on the same page.

Check the installed RAM on Android

Pixel 3a with just 4 Gigabytes of installed RAM.

To check the RAM that is installed on the device, do the following:

1. Open the Settings on the device.
2. Search for "memory".
3. Select the "System > Developer Options" result.
4. The installed memory is displayed.

Note: if you have not enabled Developer options on the device, you may need to do so first. Open Settings > About Phone, scroll to the Build number listing, and tap on it seven times (may vary, but you should get information that Developer options are now enabled on the device after the operation).

Google added the requirement in 2019 that Android applications needed to support 32-bit and 64-bit architectures, going forward. Existing apps that are not updated anymore remain available as 32-bit only versions, however.

ARM announced in October 2020 that ARM Cortex-A "big" cores" will only support 64-bit code from 2022 onward.

One of the main effects of switching to a 64-bit application is that it may utilize more RAM on the device. Performance may benefit from the switch because of that.

The move to 64-bit apps may also benefit security, power consumption, and enable support for features that may not be possible on 32-bit devices.

Now You: does your Android device meet the minimum requirements? Many of Google's own recently released devices don't.

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