No one was noticed! It’s gone! The useful Simplify Page option provided in Print Preview dialog by Google in Chrome, which lets you print pages without clutter, was no longer available in version 53. Chromium team cites low usage and inconsistent quality as the reason for removing the feature. Guess What! Firefox to get this feature with version 50.
READ: Firefox 50: Simplify Page feature turned on by default for Print Preview
Boo!! This tanks!! This was a great feature, and if anything it simply suffered from a lack of awareness. Once I discovered it, I used it multiple times a day. It was great for printing blog posts and news articles that I wanted to hang on to.
What can be done to bring it back? And why take it out if it wasn’t hurting anyone??
Low usage and inconsistent quality have been mentioned as reasons. If you really want that feature use portable version of Chrome 52 for that purpose or you may have to downgrade, which is not recommended. Or Mozilla has cooked that for you, wait for Firefox 50 to arrive.
Addendum – IMHO, it smacks of insincerity when techies preach sustainability yet deliberately remove a function that serves to substantially decrease the amount of paper used when printing.
I noticed, and I’m upset! Big step backward! I used this feature many times every day. So it’s back to copying text and pasting it into a new document if I want to keep something that is concise and looks good (which is most of the time). I’ll be thinking about the idiot(s) who made this decision every time I have to do that. Firefox, eh?
It is all about advertising. It was widely used and greatly appreciated. What it didn’t do was provide $$$ to Google and caused backlash by Google’s ad vendors. Money talks. And I thought Google’s motto was to “do no evil”.
Absolutely correct. Follow the money. The “evil” stuff was hot air.
The loss of “simplify page” option smacks of real idiocy and stupidity by those who have no marbles. May you all get lost in the dark web!!!!
“What it didn’t do was provide $$$ to Google and caused backlash by Google’s ad vendors.” I have a feeling this was the main reason. Money talks. Too bad, because this was really good for the consumer and the environment. What happened to the rebellious Google we once knew?
I noticed. This was a nice feature even if it didn’t work perfectly in all cases. Anytime I used it, it was good. “Low usage” would be a bad reason for discontinuing it.
The hell is that ?!? I used it like each and every day, building up a clear and concise documentation of local pdfs…
And now I’m stuck with a 49 pages pdf with a freaking 8 chars wide column squeezed in between a shitload of banners and advertising boxes. This is just filthy, and once again for the sake of money.
Who cares if it does not work perfectly. Now it just does not work at all. Sadly guys, that was the main reason for using chrome as my private navigator. Good buy chrome !
Oh and yeah, to you Google devs, just go yourselves… I’m really THAT.
Printing with Chrome now costs me more in paper and toner and leaves me with an ugly document sprinkled with ads from vendors that I don’t patronize. In fact, I couldn’t click on a printed ad even if I wanted to. Bring back “simplify page.”
That decision bites. So what if not many people used it? Some of us USED it.
I’m curious what the thinking is to remove functionality unless/until you have something better to replace it? Was that space it used just sooooo painful?
They just want to keep Chrome minimalist without bloat.
Can this excellent removed feature be ported back in as an extension?
Its simplicity and usefulness was perfect!
Would Google allow this feature to be duplicated by a third party?
There are extensions available on the store that offer same functionality Check these https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/print-friendly-pdf/ohlencieiipommannpdfcmfdpjjmeolj/related?hl=en
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/just-read/dgmanlpmmkibanfdgjocnabmcaclkmod/related?hl=en
Both of those options don’t allow me to print a GMail Reservation without the font being 90p. So no, they are not offering the same functionality.
This is by far the shittiest decision which currently has no functional equivalent. I will be 100% moving off Chrome once Firefox 50 is released for general usage.
DITTO: Chrome you are history down.
I am so they removed this option!! I print a lot from the web for my graduate school classes and I used this option multiple times a day. Will have to get rid of Chrome since, once again, they are jacked up when it comes to printing. Remember when you couldn’t even get a print preview??
Also, they jacked with my custom margin settings that I had set up – wiped them out completely with the same update. Wonder what else will turn up??
I used it ALL THE TIME. I noticed. It’s really annoying since it’s also extremely cumbersome to adjust the scale. I end up now copy-pasting into a document… which also sometimes doesn’t work.
Firefox is glitchy for me.
I hope someone comes up with an extension for Chrome to replace this FEATURE.
I used the Print Simplify feature all the time as well. Was one of the best Chrome features imo, and my personal favorite! Perhaps is enough users let Google know how useful we found this feature, it might get put back.
If you also miss the Print Simplify feature, tell the developers how much.
Here is the current comment thread.
https://productforums.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!msg/chrome/mDTcnLVXj7c/iVDQCj6QAwAJ
There is now another thread about this issue, here: “Reinstate “Simplify page” option in print function” https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!msg/chrome/klRcmAM5tZk/DXgGEahTAgAJ
On the new thread, the reasons being given for the removal of Simplify Page are:
“Low usage is just part of the reason, not the main reason. The second reason is that this feature can’t produce good printing quality consistently because it is very hard to see how to simply a webpage with heavy style design. Every webpage is different so no prefect solution for this.”
and
“Yes it was removed intentionally because the effort to maintain this feature does not meet the user demand. By abandoning this feature, they Chrome developers can focus on other more important features as well as keep Chrome slim.”
Truth to tell, isn’t it because “Simplify” typically removes all the ads that marketers have paid Google to show in the first place. Come on now… this is a change pushed by the number crunchers at Google in order to justify ad charge prices to their clients. “See we’re maximizing the value of your ad marketing dollar!” This is NOT because there’s not enough interest out there to continue “Simplify”…
What do we need to do, what can we do to get ‘Simplify Page’ back please Mr Chrome??
Low usage is not a convincing reason for it’s removal Mr Chrome.
More likely the objections of the advertising moguls putting pressure on Mr Google to remove it!!! Having annoying adds covering what I want to print is more likely to make me avoid these products rather than encourage me to buy them.
There appears to be numerous very annoyed Chrome users. I expect Mr Chrome would be very unhappy if all it’s customers decided to dump you Mr Chrome due to your lack of interest in satisfying us, the customers. No customers = No advertisers = No money = One very unhappy Mr Chrome!
Please, please, please Mr Google Chrome, please reconsider your decision, please reinstate the ‘Simplify Page’ feature? Pretty please? Thank you!!
@Brian Truth
FYI Print Simplify now works for me via Chrome Portable thanks to Barrett
Barrett Sonntag said:
I have been able to recover the functionality, for Windows at least, by downloading the Portable Apps version.
I installed 52.0.2743.116 the 64 bit version even thought it was more unstable. I signed in and the extensions installed. Everything appears to be working as expected. On the download list you have to scroll down all the newer versions are just in the listing.
Direct link to the version I downloaded: https://sourceforge.net/projects/portableapps/files/Google%20Chrome%20Portable/GoogleChromePortable64_52.0.2743.116_online.paf.exe/download
Stupid. Important function has been deleted. Hope Chrome bring this back ASAP
I used this feature all of the time. What’s the harm in keeping it on as an option?
Probably the main differentiator, for me, against IE and Firefox. I used this every single day, several times a day, very convenient, it worked 90% of the time.
Very sorry to know is gone, I’m sure I’ll use more Firefox instead of Chrome from now on.
It was very useful even if not perfect. I suspect advertisers killed it — we are drowning in a marketing toilet that makes second-class citizens out of anyone who doesn’t want to conform to the latest herd trends or doesn’t want to have their lives dictated by commercial interests. I will use Firefox or whomever once they institute it.
Unbelievable that they would remove such a useful feature!! I think it may have something to do with advertising, as someone pointed out.
I really liked the Simplify Page feature.
Not only did it save paper, but on busy pages with lots of margin clickbait, it made the printout… which I give to my computer illiterate wife… far more readable.
I liked it so much that I shifted from a mixed usage of Mozilla and Edge along with Chrome to almost exclusive use of Chrome. It made for a far superior set of printing options.
I don’t understand why Google would get rid of it. The ads that are now force fed onto the print aren’t going to be clicked on once they are on paper. They are just a space and paper wasting nuisance once you decide to hard-copy to paper.
Please put it back!
It is weird how Google have removed such a very useful feature under the false excuse that it has low usage!! Really!! Was this decisions taken by real humans or Google AI bots which are still in the deep learning cycle of stupidity!! And how did Google know that it is not used? did they conduct any surveys to come out with this result? I doubt. This is equivalent to removing car windshield wipers in a desert country because it doesn’t rain frequently!! More importantly, what is the alternative? Printing all the ad junk on the page? Come on Google, who are you fooling! Give more credit to your users… Anyway, Goodby Chrome…Hello Firefox
Wow!!! I used the “simplified” option OFTEN!!! They need to bring it back!!!
about this… it was probably the option I used the most and it will be the top reason for me to start using Firefox again…
I DEMAND TO BRING SIMPLIFIED OPTION BACK OR WILL SWITCH TO FIREFOX!!!!
put simplify print option back, knuckleheads!
Honestly, I used that feature many times and would love it if Google brought it back with their next update. Seriously, what the heck, Google?
Bring back Simplify Page!!!
Please bring it back. I used it every day. Now, not having it has actually reduced the number of pages I use for research; if they are too gummed up with ads and links to print or save, they are useless to me.
PLEASE BRING IT BACK!!!
I work for a busy professor and he doesn’t like to read off a screen (eye issues) so I print a lot of articles for him. It’s really annoying that this function has been removed as now I have to copy and paste articles into Word to avoid printing screeds and screeds of unwanted ads. I say bring this function back!
This is seriously not caring about your customers! If I sell something that even a low percentage of my costumers I would ask them before removing it from market! It was a huge option for the minority that used it! it wasn’t just something decorative it was the most practical option during printing. Now does every single person use net for printing? no but for example a student NEEEEEEEED this option! instead of printing loads of advertisements and free spaces I used this to get exactly what I wanted….. poor decision I hope they give a fig and go ahead and fix it.
where can we sign a petition?
Here https://www.change.org/petitions
this simplify page was the most useful best option. We demand it back
I noticed. I thought I accidentally changed my settings. I’m pissed to find out that Google dropped the feature.
Makes no sense from a UX perspective.
Please restore “Simplify Page” option to Print Preview. I saved a lot of paper with this option. Pages I print now are ugly.
This is unacceptable!