Chrome Can Now Warn You About Suspicious Websites – Here’s How to Turn It On
Scam websites are getting harder to spot. Fake "your computer is infected" pages, bogus browser updates and copycat shopping sites can look very convincing, and it only takes one wrong click.
Google has just added a new layer of protection to Chrome that can help. Chrome can now warn you when a website looks suspicious, not just when it's known to be dangerous. The catch? You only get it if you've turned on a setting called Enhanced Protection, and most people haven't.
What's new?
Chrome has had red "Dangerous site" warnings for years. Those appear when Google is confident a website is harmful.
The new "Suspicious site" warning sits one step below that. It's for websites that look dodgy but haven't been confirmed as dangerous yet. When Chrome spots one, it shows a smaller pop-up saying "This site doesn't seem right".
You then get two choices:
Back to safety – leaves the website. This is the one to pick if you're unsure.
Mark as safe – tells Chrome you trust the site and lets you carry on.
How does Chrome know a site is suspicious?
Google compares the site with others already known for phishing, malware and scams. Its Gemini AI also looks at the page to work out which brand it's pretending to be and what it's trying to get you to do, and combines that with how trustworthy the website address is.
Google says this now also catches fake tech-support scams, fake antivirus warnings and fake browser-update pages. It says page content is only sent off for checking when there are strong signs of a scam, and that it isn't stored or used to train its AI.
There's also new protection against a trick called ClickFix, where a website tells you to copy and paste a "fix" command into your computer. If you copy a suspicious command, Chrome can now warn you before you run it.
How to turn on Enhanced Protection
On a Windows PC or Mac
Open Google Chrome.
Click the three dots in the top-right corner.
Click Settings.
On the left, click Privacy and security.
Click Security.
Under Safe Browsing, select Enhanced protection.
That's it – there's no save button. The setting is on straight away.
Shortcut: type chrome://settings/security into the address bar and press Enter to jump straight to step 6.
On an Android phone
Open the Chrome app.
Tap the three dots (top right), then Settings.
Tap Privacy and security, then Safe Browsing.
Select Enhanced protection.
On an iPhone or iPad
Open the Chrome app.
Tap the three dots (bottom right), then Settings.
Tap Privacy and security, then Safe Browsing.
Select Enhanced Protection.
Bonus: turn it on for your Google account too
Google recommends switching this on for your Google account as well, so you're protected across Gmail and other Google services.
Go to myaccount.google.com and sign in.
Click Security & sign-in.
Scroll down and click Enhanced Safe Browsing for your account.
Turn the switch on.
Is there a catch?
It's worth knowing what you're trading. With Enhanced Protection on, Chrome sends more information to Google to check for threats, including the web addresses you visit and small samples of page content. If you're signed into Chrome, this is linked to your Google Account.
For most people, that's a fair trade for better protection against scams. If you're very privacy-conscious, you can stay on Standard protection, but you won't get the new suspicious-site warnings.
My advice
If you help look after the tech for parents, grandparents or anyone who's not confident online, switch this on for them. It takes 30 seconds and gives them an extra safety net.
And remember: no warning system is perfect. If a website is rushing you, asking for payment in gift cards or crypto, or telling you your computer is infected, close it and talk to someone you trust before you do anything.
Got a question about Chrome or staying safe online? Get in touch with Adelaide Tech Guy.