Google Tests Redesigned Chrome Toolbar for iPhone With Built-In Gemini Button

Google is quietly testing a redesigned bottom toolbar in Chrome for iPhone that embeds a permanent shortcut to its Gemini AI assistant directly in the browser’s navigation bar.

The new interface replaces Chrome’s existing bottom toolbar with a darker design that surfaces three fixed controls: Ask Gemini (visible only when signed in), New Tab, and All Tabs.

The change surfaced publicly after the head of Helium Browser posted on X criticizing the redesign, calling it “atrocious” and flagging that users could disable it through a hidden browser flag.

Shortly after, a Reddit user posted screenshots of the same redesign appearing in Chrome Beta for iOS following a routine update, suggesting Google is running either a staged beta experiment or an A/B test — a method of showing different interface versions to different user groups to measure response.

The new toolbar also displays a brief onboarding prompt when it first appears, reading: “Your controls, where you need them.”

How to Disable the New Toolbar

Users who receive the redesign and want to revert can do so through Chrome’s internal flags system — a developer-facing menu that controls experimental features.

Open Chrome on an iPhone and type `chrome://flags/#chrome-next-ia` into the address bar.

That opens a flag called ChromeNextIa. Changing the setting from Default to Disabled, then relaunching Chrome, restores the original toolbar layout.

The same flag also exists in the current stable version of Chrome for iOS, meaning users who have not yet received the redesign can activate it manually by switching the flag to Enabled instead.

Rollout Remains Limited

Google has made no public announcement about the new interface, and the company has not confirmed whether it plans a wider release.

Chrome’s beta program for iOS is currently full, which limits independent verification of how broadly the redesign appears within beta builds.

Based on available reports, the redesigned toolbar appears to be active for a small subset of users on Chrome Beta or within a controlled test group on the stable channel.

Google routinely tests interface changes behind feature flags before deciding whether to push them to its broader user base, a process that can take weeks or result in a feature being shelved entirely.

Chrome for iOS holds a significant share of mobile browser usage. StatCounter data shows Chrome accounts for roughly 65% of global mobile browser traffic as of mid-2025, making even incremental interface changes relevant to a large number of users.

The Gemini integration in the toolbar reflects Google’s broader push to embed its AI assistant across its product suite. Google has been progressively adding Gemini entry points to Search, Gmail, Docs, and Android since the assistant’s rebrand from Bard in early 2024.