Viewing a website conveniently is something that a web user should learn especially on mobile. It paves the way for a seamless experience across various devices and screen sizes. Since mobile browsing is easier than its desktop counterpart, you need to know how to view a webpage when you open it in Google Chrome.

Our guide to viewing a website in mobile view is easy to follow for testers and developers. You can also benefit from this.

Why Mobile Version Testing on Chrome is Essential

Google Chrome Guide: How to View a Website in Mobile

Google Chrome dominates the mobile browser market, holding a significant 65.12% market share. Therefore, if you want to achieve an optimized user experience, it should be noted that website functions should be flawless regardless of Chrome versions and screen sizes.

Testing on real devices rather than relying solely on emulators or simulators guarantees the most accurate results, making sure your website performs as intended for real users.

Simulators and emulators, although useful for initial testing, cannot match the capabilities of devices, such as hardware differences, network conditions, or even details of other versions of Chrome. Thus, actual testing on real Chrome browsers is necessary to check performance, usability, and responsiveness.

Methods for Viewing Mobile Versions of a Website on Chrome

There are two ways to test your website's mobile version on Chrome: either using Chrome's DevTools for simulation or using a real device cloud like BrowserStack Live.

Method 1: View the Mobile Version Using Chrome DevTools

Chrome DevTools is a native application for Google Chrome, allowing the developer to access the mobile version of a website from the desktop browser. It is accessible and fast, though it does rely on a simulator rather than the real device, which may give slightly inaccurate tests performed via DevTools.

To see how a website is rendered in its mobile version using Chrome DevTools, do this:

1. Press F12 and open the Chrome DevTools window.
2. You find the "Device Toggle Toolbar." It's represented by the shape of a smartphone. You tap on this. This turns on mobile simulation mode.
3. Drop down a device you would want to emulate – for example, an iPhone or Samsung Galaxy.
4. After selecting the device, the website will reload in mobile view, simulating how it would appear on that device.

Although this method is convenient, it doesn't provide a fully accurate user experience since it doesn't mimic real device conditions, such as varying performance across different devices or network types.

Method 2: Use BrowserStack Live for Real Device Testing

There is a highly recommendable solution which is BrowserStack Live if you want to test accurately. This browser application runs on the cloud and gives you the opportunity to access thousands of real mobile devices that you can test how your website will perform on real hardware, thus reliable and accurate.

To start using BrowserStack Live, you have to:

1. Go to BrowserStack and sign up for a free trial or purchase a subscription plan.
2. Login on the application, then go to the Live Dashboard.
3. Choose the desired operating system (Android, iOS, etc.) and select a device-browser combination, such as Samsung Galaxy S22 running Chrome.
4. Once the device loads, open your website and see how it behaves on that particular screen size and device configuration.

This testing method enables you to see exactly how your website behaves under such conditions as network variation and fluctuations as well as various Chrome versions.

BrowserStack Live offers the most complete, reliable testing of your web application across various devices, thus providing invaluable information regarding how it can work improperly.

Why Prefer Real Device Cloud Testing to Simulators?

Although Chrome's DevTools can simulate mobile devices, real device cloud testing has much more vital benefits:

• Accurate results across devices: Testing on actual devices ensures your website works accurately across different screen sizes, chrome versions, and device hardware.
• Real-world conditions: Simulate network connectivity, slow data, and other effects that affect users' experience with your website
• Advanced features: Features such as media testing, device rotation, and pinch-to-zoom simulation, among others, along with the functionality of taking a screenshot during your test.
• Access to Multiple Chrome Versions: With real device cloud services, you get access to multiple Chrome versions, meaning even the oldest browser users will enjoy your website.

If you have a laptop or PC, you can download this extension on your Chrome browser.