Google Chrome: AP’s top tips and tricks for the desktop browser

Google Chrome is many people’s browser of choice. Chrome is available on most operating systems. It’s pre-installed on thebest Android tabletsand phones, and it’s available for Windows as well as in the App Store for iOS and macOS. You only need a Google Account to use Chrome’s best features.

Chrome has features such as extensions, themes, apps, and tab previews. The Chrome browser is the basis for the ChromeOS operating system, theoperating system on all Chromebooks. Chrome has great features, and many lesser-known features can improve your experience. We collected 13 Google Chrome tips and tricks to help you make the most of your browser.

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This post focuses on tips and tricks for the Google Chrome desktop browser. If you use the Chrome app for Android or iOS, check out our topGoogle Chrome tips and tricks for mobile.

Use Google Chrome’s keyboard shortcuts

Shortcuts are the simplest way to boost your browsing productivity. They’re easy to learn and speed up browsing. Here are some of our most used shortcuts. You’ll find thefull list of Chrome shortcutson Google’s support page.

Shortcut (Windows)

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Shortcut (Mac)

Open a new window

The Google Chrome logo in the center of a yellow, green, and red swirl

Open a new tab and jump to it

Open your homepage in the current tab

Adding six and twenty using Google Chrome’s Omnibox

⌘ + Shift +h

Open the previous page

Google Chrome’s Omnibox converting 100 US dollars to Great British Pounds

Alt+Left Arrow

Close the current tab

Close the current window

Ctrl +Shift

⌘ + Shift + w

Minimize the current window

Alt+Space, thenn

Go to the top of the page

Shift +Space

Quit Google Chrome

Alt +fthenx

Answer quick queries with the Omnibox

The Omnibox is the box at the top of Chrome where you enter website addresses. It isn’t only for website addresses. It’s also a calculator, currency converter, and more. Type your query into the Omnibox, and it provides the answer. You don’t need to press Enter to see the result. The Omnibox provides the answer in a pop-up window. Here are a few things you can do with the Omnibox:

you’re able to also use it as a search engine, and more complicated commands can be run by pressingEnter(for example, setting a timer).

Bookmark useful commands

Chrome incorporates commands that allow users to access experimental features, open hidden pages, force close the browser, and more. You can access these by typingChrome://followed by the command into the Omnibox. You can bookmark these commands in your bookmarks bar to use later. Here’s how to create a bookmark for a command in Chrome:

Use the Restart Chrome command

Forcing a restart is one of the most useful commands in Google Chrome. TypeChrome://restartinto the Omnibox, and Chrome restarts. This closes and reopens all Chrome windows and tabs, except for incognito tabs, which close but do not reopen. It also closes other open profiles. Bookmarking this command makes restarting Chrome even quicker.

Create a custom search engine

You aren’t limited to searching with Google search in the Omnibox. You can customize it to search any website. Follow these steps to set up a custom search engine.

For more details, check out our in-depth guide onhow to use Chrome’s custom search engine.

Manage your Chrome tabs with tab groups

If you like to open scores of tabs but get overwhelmed when you see them all at once, Google Chrome has a feature for you. Tab groups manage your clutter by putting any number of tabs into a group that appears as a single tab. Here’s how to set up tab groups:

After creating a tab group, left click the group name to expand and collapse the group.

How to add a tab to an existing group

You may want to add a tab or two to a group you created. To do so:

Test out Chrome’s Beta features

To test the latest features of Chrome before they’re released to the public, check out the experimental features. These features are not fully finalized, so you might be able to give feedback to help shape the final product. To give this a shot, follow these steps:

Manage tasks with Chrome’s Task Manager

Tired of trying to remember your bookmarks? Make Google Chrome your default browser on every device

Those familiar with the Windows task manager will feel at home with Chrome’s Task Manager. Task Manager is an easy way to check which web page, extension, or app is causing problems and see how Chrome uses memory and processing bandwidth. On Windows, pressShift + Escto open the Task Manager. On macOS, clickWindowin the menu bar at the top of your screen, then selectTask Manager. If you have a Chromebook, pressSearch + Escsimultaneously to access it.

Save files directly to Google Drive

Rather than downloading files and immediately uploading them to Google Drive, skip the intermediate step with thisnifty extension from Google. After it’s installed, you can save files to Google Drive instead of your computer’s local storage.

After setup, you’ll see an extra option calledSave to Google Drivewhen right clicking hyperlinks or media. Click this option, and the extension saves it to Google Drive.

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This article is sponsored by Total Wireless.

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