Chrome to Turn HTTPS on by Default for Public Sites

Chrome is set to make HTTPS the default for public sites, with Google stating that from October 2026, when Chrome 154 is projected to arrive, the Always Use Secure Connections setting will be on by default for all users and all public sites. If a user encounters a site that does not use a secure connection, Chrome will display a warning and request explicit permission to navigate, while the aim is to reduce the risk of navigation hijacking, malware exposure, and social engineering.

The changes follow an opt-in phase and testing of the feature, and prior steps included enabling the setting for a subset of users in Chrome 141 and plans to enable it for opt-ins to Enhanced Safe Browsing protections in Chrome 147 in April 2026. Google notes that more than 95% of websites already rely on encrypted connections, and that mixed content handling is being improved to support migration to HTTPS.

Users can disable the warnings or turn off the setting to completely revert to the previous behaviour, according to Google says. Written by Ionut Arghire.