Chrome OS will soon support closing overview windows with a swipe gesture

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We’ve been talking a lot about Chrome OS being optimized for touchscreens lately. Tablet mode is getting a full-screen launcher, which has been optimized for touch. The floating keyboard will make it easier to type on a tablet. The next touch optimization involves the Overview Mode. Users will be able to close open windows with a swipe gesture.

If you’re not familiar with Overview Mode in Chrome OS, think of it like the Recent Apps screen on Android. It shows all of the open windows/apps in an exploded view. Most Chromebooks have a dedicated button on the keyboard to open Overview Mode, but you can also use a gesture. Google recently updated Overview Mode with some subtle changes. The info bar is easier to read with larger text and app icons. The wallpaper is now blurred and the animations have been tweaked for better performance.

With touchscreens in mind, Google is making it possible to close windows with a swipe, similar to how it works on Android. A new commit in Chromium Gerrit mentions “swipe to close” for Overview. Users will be able to drag or fling the window up to close. Here is the full description:

With the Acer Chromebook tablet launching next month, all of these small touch optimizations will be important. Ready or not, Chrome OS on tablets is about to be ready for prime time. Most people will still use Chromebooks with keyboards, but we expect to see more full touchscreen devices this year. Are you interested in a tablet Chrome OS device?