Chrome adds warnings for suspicious websites

Google is adding a new warning to Chrome that alerts users when a website appears suspicious. The feature is available when Chrome’s Enhanced Protection is on.

Chrome will flag sites that share characteristics with websites associated with phishing, malware, and scams. Google describes these alerts as lower-confidence verdicts that indicate a possible risk of harm. A site may be flagged incorrectly, and users can choose “Mark as safe” if they believe that happened.

Warnings for dangerous sites remain more severe. Google says those alerts have a higher-confidence verdict and indicate a high risk of harm. They replace the webpage with a red background and take up almost the entire screen. Suspicious-site alerts instead appear in a pop-up, with the page visible but darkened underneath. Both warning types appear on desktop and mobile.

The redesign builds on a two-stage warning system Google introduced for Chrome file downloads in 2024, which distinguishes between suspicious and dangerous files. Google also improved scam detection powered by Gemini for Enhanced Protection users alongside the site-warning changes.

The Verge updated its report on October 20 to clarify that the suspicious-site warnings appear when Enhanced Protection is enabled.