How To Change User Agent in Google Chrome [2026 Guide]

I’m going to teach you how to change the user agent in Google Chrome. This can be pretty handy if you need to run specific tests or see how a website appears on different devices without the actual hardware.

Follow the steps below to get it done quickly and correctly.

Change User Agent in Google Chrome [2026 Guide]

Open developer tools

First off, you'll need to open the Developer Tools in Chrome. You can do this with a quick keyboard shortcut.

Windows: Ctrl + Shift + I  or  F12
macOS: Command + Option + I

Once you do that, the Developer Tools panel will pop up on the side or at the bottom of your browser window. This is a powerful tool filled with features for debugging and inspecting your web pages.

Read More: Change Color Theme Google Chrome

Find Network conditions

Inside this Developer Tools panel, you'll notice a three-dot menu. Click it at the top right corner of the panel. From this dropdown, navigate to More tools and select Network conditions.

This is exactly where we need to be, as it allows us to alter the network properties, including our user agent.

Read More: Change Google Chrome Icon

Change the user agent

In the Network conditions section, you'll see an area labeled User agent. By default, Chrome is set to use your browser's default user agent, which tells websites what browser and operating system you're using. Uncheck the box labeled Use browser default.

Unchecking it allows us to manually select a user agent from a predefined list that resembles other browsers. Choosing a different user agent is the fun part. Chrome provides a handy list of alternatives, such as Chrome on Android or Safari on iPhone.

Each option simulates a different browsing environment. For example, if you want to see how your web page would look on an Apple device, select Safari on iPhone. This is particularly useful for developers who need to test responsiveness and design across various platforms.

Reload to apply

Once you've chosen your desired user agent, the final step is to reload the page you're testing. You can hit the refresh button or use the shortcut below.

Reload: Ctrl + R (Windows)  or  Command + R (macOS)

With the page reloaded, Chrome now temporarily uses the user agent you selected. Remember, this change is only temporary and will revert back to the default once you close the Developer Tools or refresh the page again.

Read More: Change Time Google Chrome

Final thoughts

By following these steps, you can change the user agent in Google Chrome and test or view web content just as it would appear on other devices or browsers. Experiment with different user agents and see how quickly this improves your testing workflow.