Chrome replaced the address-bar padlock with a tune icon to make site controls easier to recognize and to avoid implying that HTTPS proves a website is trustworthy. The change rolled out with Chrome 117 in 2023. The tune icon is a clickable route to permissions and other site information; it is not a safety rating.
Why did Chrome replace the padlock with a tune icon?
Google’s rationale was that users could mistake the padlock for a trust or reputation badge. Chromium said the new, more neutral indicator would emphasize that a secure connection should be the default, rather than a special sign that a site is safe. The team also chose the tune shape because it resembles a settings control and looks more obviously clickable. Chromium’s May 2, 2023 announcement explains the change.
The context was a shift in how common HTTPS had become. Chromium reported that more than 95% of page loads in Chrome on Windows used HTTPS in 2023. For comparison, it said just 14% of the Alexa Top 1M sites supported HTTPS in 2013. Those figures refer to different measures—page loads on Windows versus sites in a ranking—but illustrate why a padlock had become a poor way to distinguish exceptional security from the ordinary encrypted connection.
What does the tune icon beside the URL mean?
The tune icon is a control for information and settings about the current site, including permissions and additional security information. Tap or click it to inspect those controls. Its presence does not certify the site’s operator, content, or business as legitimate.
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#1 Best Overall
- Read Before You Buy — No Video Output: These adapters support charging and USB 2.0 data transfer, but cannot transmit video signals. Except for standard USB webcams (which use USB data only), they are not compatible with HDMI/DisplayPort cables, video-capable USB-C hubs, or docking stations with video output.
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Does HTTPS mean a website is trustworthy?
No. HTTPS encrypts the connection between your browser and the website, helping prevent others on the network from reading or altering data in transit. It does not establish that the site owner is honest, that a page is harmless, or that a payment request is legitimate. Chromium noted that nearly all phishing sites use HTTPS, so a fraudulent site can also have an encrypted connection. The Chromium announcement discusses this distinction.
Browser research has also found that people can misunderstand connection-security indicators. A 2016 USENIX SOUPS study surveyed 1,329 people about browser indicators. That work is one reason it is useful to distinguish a connection status from a judgment about the website itself. USENIX SOUPS 2016 proceedings
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Where did the Chrome lock icon go?
Chromium announced the redesign on May 2, 2023, with rollout planned for Chrome 117 in early September 2023 as part of a desktop design refresh. Desktop and Android were to receive the tune icon. On iOS, Chrome removed the lock because it was not tappable. Chrome continued to mark plaintext HTTP as insecure. These details describe the announced 2023 rollout; the cited announcement does not establish that every current Chrome version or release channel has identical interface behavior. Chromium’s rollout announcement
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What changed—and what did not
| Aspect | Padlock | Tune icon |
|---|---|---|
| What it indicates | An HTTPS connection, though many users read it as a broader sign of safety. | A neutral entry point to site controls, not a trust claim. |
| What happens when selected | Opened site controls. | Opens site controls, including permissions and additional security information. |
| Security meaning | HTTPS protects data in transit; it does not prove the site is legitimate. | The same distinction applies: the icon is a control, not a security verdict. |
| Platform rollout announced | Desktop and Android replacement; non-tappable lock removed on iOS. | Planned for desktop and Android with Chrome 117; iOS removed the lock. |
The interface changed, but the underlying distinction did not: HTTPS describes the connection, while deciding whether to trust a site requires evaluating the site and what it asks you to do.
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