Chrome expands Autofill to fill passports, licenses, VINs on desktop

Google on Monday expanded Chrome's autofill capabilities to let desktop users automatically populate passport numbers, drivers license numbers and vehicle details such as license plate numbers and VINs when they encounter relevant web forms. The feature, called Enhanced Autofill, is available globally in all languages for users who opt in through Chrome's settings.

When enabled, Enhanced Autofill will recognize and insert a wider range of saved personal data into forms, reducing the need for manual entry during tasks such as car rentals or registration. Google said the update improves Chrome's ability to interpret complex form layouts and varied formatting requirements, which it expects will increase accuracy and speed across diverse websites.

Google said Chrome will save this additional autofill data only after users give permission and that stored information is protected through encryption. The browser will prompt users to confirm before filling in saved details on a page. Google also indicated that processing complex forms can require sending a page's URL and content to its services to determine the correct field mapping, a behavior users should consider when deciding...