Chrome Instant Pages Is Now Preload Pages: How to Turn It On (2026)

Looking for Instant Pages in Google Chrome? In 2011, Chrome’s Instant Pages started loading the top search result before you even clicked it, and we showed how to switch it on. That feature still exists, but it’s now called Preload pages, and it lives in Chrome’s Performance settings. Here’s how to turn on Chrome preload pages in 2026, what Standard and Extended preloading do, and when you might want to turn it off.

Quick answer: To turn on preload pages in Chrome (the successor to Instant Pages), open Settings > Performance, switch on Preload pages under Speed, and choose Standard preloading or Extended preloading. You can also paste chrome://settings/performance into the address bar to go straight there.

What happened to Chrome Instant Pages?

Instant Pages was Chrome’s 2011 feature that pre-rendered the first Google result while you typed, together with Google Instant, which showed results as you typed. Google retired Google Instant in 2017, but the idea of loading pages before you click lived on. Today Chrome uses preloading: it fetches or even fully renders pages it predicts you’ll open next, from the address bar, Google search results and links on sites that support it.

How to turn on preload pages in Chrome

On Windows, Mac, Linux and ChromeOS

1. Click the three-dot menu at the top right of Google Chrome and choose Settings.
2. Select Performance in the left menu.
3. Under Speed, switch on Preload pages.
4. Pick Standard preloading or Extended preloading.

On Android

Tap the three-dot menu > Settings > Privacy and security (or Performance on newer versions) > Preload pages, then choose an option. On iPhone and iPad, Chrome uses Apple’s WebKit engine and doesn’t offer the same setting.

Standard vs Extended preloading

• Standard preloading: preloads some pages you’re likely to visit. Cookies are only used for preloading if you’ve visited the site before. It’s the default for most people.
• Extended preloading: preloads more pages, and may send page requests through Google’s servers to keep your identity private from the sites. It’s faster but uses more data and memory.
• No preloading: pages load only when you click. Choose this on metered connections or low-memory devices.

Other Chrome speed settings worth checking

• Memory Saver: frees memory from inactive tabs so active tabs stay fast.
• Energy Saver: limits background activity on battery.
• Update Chrome: go to Settings > About Chrome; new versions often bring speed improvements.
• Remove unused extensions: extensions are one of the biggest causes of a slow browser.

For website owners: make your pages load instantly

Sites can ask Chrome to prerender likely next pages with the Speculation Rules API, a modern version of the Instant Pages idea. WordPress 6.8 added speculative loading for links by default, so many WordPress sites already preload pages when visitors hover over links. Faster navigation also helps your Core Web Vitals, and modern protocols like HTTP/2 help too.

Frequently asked questions

Is Chrome Instant Pages still available?

Not by that name. The feature evolved into Preload pages in Chrome’s Performance settings.

Does preloading pages use more data?

Yes, a little, because Chrome loads some pages you may not open. Turn it off on limited data plans.

Is preloading pages safe for privacy?

Standard preloading limits cookies to sites you’ve visited. Extended preloading can route requests through Google to hide your IP from sites, but Google sees the requests.

Why is Preload pages greyed out?

Your organisation may manage the setting, or Data Saver/Lite mode may be on. Check chrome://management.