Google and Microsoft have implemented a collaborative update in the Chrome and Edge browsers, introducing a feature called selective format reading. This functionality is available in versions 149 or higher of both browsers and changes how the browsers manage copied content.
Clipboard Optimization
The new technology aims to modify the functioning of the clipboard by preventing the loading of formats that will not actually be used by web pages or applications. The main objective is to reduce the time spent during copy and paste operations.
This change was designed to lower the overall resource consumption of the browser, especially when complex content such as HTML code, images, and other elements stored in the clipboard are manipulated.
Change in Paste Process
Prior to the update, when triggering a paste command, such as the Ctrl + V shortcut, the browser examined all formats present in the copied material. This included plain text, HTML, and images, even if the website only required one of these modalities.
After loading these various formats, the browser proceeded to perform security checks on each one. This procedure could increase memory usage and cause small pauses, especially on pages displaying more extensive or detailed material.
New Selective Approach
With the implementation of the new methodology, Chrome and Edge now identify which formats are accessible and process only the one requested by the site or application. For example, a code editor can receive only the essential text without needing to load unnecessary HTML structures or images.
The HTML format was one of the factors contributing to increased processing, as this type of content requires rigorous analysis to prevent the inclusion of codes or information that could compromise page security, thus demanding more computational resources.
Expected Benefits and Standards
It is expected that the improvement in paste speed will be noticed primarily in tools that frequently use the clipboard, such as spreadsheets, text editors, email services, and visual creation platforms operated within the browser.
In addition to faster pasting, the reduction in RAM consumption can be beneficial for users who keep multiple tabs open simultaneously, as the browser will have less data to process in certain circumstances.
The adoption of this feature is also part of an effort to establish an operational standard for the clipboard across different browsers. While Chrome and Edge already offer this novelty starting from version 149, Safari presents a similar behavior, and Firefox is in the development phase to incorporate the technology, although Mozilla declares support for the proposal and intends to follow this standard in future versions.