The primary reason users search for this specific version is its handling of .

Chrome 42 was the first version to disable NPAPI by default, affecting popular plugins like Java, Silverlight, and Unity . However, it included a temporary "flag" that allowed users to manually re-enable them.

Since support for these plugins was completely removed in version 45, version 42 serves as a "bridge" for users who must access old enterprise tools or web-based games that haven't transitioned to modern standards like HTML5 or WebGL.

This version also introduced the Push API , allowing websites to send notifications even when the browser window was closed, a standard feature we use today. Key Features of Chrome 42 NPAPI deprecation: developer guide - Chromium