Back in 2006, the aim was to build a simple and fast browser that can deliver better user experience and today Google Chrome is the best browser in the world with 52% of the total usage share of web browsers. The reason behind this successful browser is its minimalist design, performance and open source code (Chromium).
There are many functions, features and tweaks packed in Chrome that we still don’t know. Let’s find out some of the unknown features in our latest tips and tricks of Google Chrome that will help you to browse like a boss.
Table of Contents
22. Quick Calculations
If your math is quite weak, Chrome address bar could help you there. You can use it to do simple as well as complex calculation. The answer will be presented in one of the suggestions. You can also use it as a unit conversion tool.
Furthermore, this feature will not work while you are offline because it uses Google quick result box to present answers.
21. Built-in Task Manager and Memory Information
We all know about Ctrl+Alt+Delete pops up the Windows task manager. The same feature is available within Chrome system. The Chrome is packed with built-in task manager that you can access through More Tools>Task Manager or press Shift+Esc. It treats each tab as a separate process. So if any one tab starts causing problem, you can close it separately instead of closing the entire browser.
There is another feature (you can call it stats for nerds) that represents the task manager with broader information. You can access it by typing about:memory into the address bar. It gives the details about how different processes are consuming browser’s memory.
20. Auto-Reload Visible Tabs
It’s better to use this feature if your internet connection goes down frequently. This will auto-reload all the tabs (when you connect back to the internet) that fail to load previously while the browser was offline.
Type about:flags into the address bar and search for Enable Offline Auto-Reload Mode. Change it from Default to Enable.
19. Enable Offline Browsing
Type about:flags into the address bar and search for Enable Offline Load Stale Button. Change it from Default to Enable.
Once the option is enabled, a button will be presented to allow you to load the stale copy (if any) of the page. That means, just open a page when you are connected and use it further as many times as you want without being online. Moreover, this option works with Windows, Mac, Linux and Android.
18. The Password Generator
Chrome has a built-in password generator which can generate complex password while signing up for new online services. To use this facility, you need to be signed into your Google account.
Type about:flags into the address bar and search for Enable password generation. Change it from Default to Enable. Chrome will then suggest you a strong password when it detects account creation pages. If you select it, chrome will automatically add it to saved passwords and sync it using Google account.
17. Post to Tumblr
Wanna post your favorite content on microblogging websites quickly? There is an extension for that, named Post to Tumblr. It adds right-click-post functionality to chrome. A similar extension is available for Pinterest, which makes it super easy to any picture to your boards.
16. Save For Later
You discover hundreds of interesting links while browsing but didn’t read it because of lack of time. Bookmark isn’t really a good option for these kinds of links. But there is an extension named Pocket website that automatically syncs your desktop, phones and tablets so you can view it anytime even without internet connection. All later to read articles are saved in one place where you can see them in a beautiful layout.
15. Reveal your Passwords
Google Chrome can save and auto-fill all your passwords but they are marked with asterisks. If you would like to see your password, follow these 2 steps
1) Right click on the password box and click inspect element
2) Change the input type from password to text
Alternatively, you can also find saved password from Chrome setting> advanced setting > passwords and forms > manage passwords.
14. Stop Automatically Playing Videos and Annoying Flash Content
There are a lot of websites that uses flash or video ads. They play automatically whenever you open the webpage. Fortunately, Chrome has a solution for that.
Type chrome://settings/content into your address bar. Now go to plug-ins section and select “click to play”. Also, add popular site like YouTube, Vimeo in exception box, for better experience. Now any piece of multimedia will appear as grey box until you click to play it.
13. Turn Chrome into Notepad and Use it as Media Player
You can also use Chrome as a notepad. Just copy data:text/html,<html contenteditable> into the address bar and click inside the tab to start typing. When done, save your work (Ctrl+S) on your local machine in complete webpage format.
Just drag your file to Chrome window and view them without using any dedicated software. It supports image, video, audio, text and PDF files.
12. Search Your Bookmarks
It’s hard to find a saved site if you already have hundreds of bookmarked pages. There is an extension, named Holmes, which allows you to search bookmark through address bar. Just type *, hit tab and then type the keyword to get instant results from your saved websites.
11. Navigate Between Tab Quickly
You can use Ctrl+Tab to navigate tabs sequentially. You can also jump from one tab to another by pressing Ctrl+[Number]. However, this facility is available for the first 9 tabs only.
Press Ctrl + 1 to go to tab 1
Press Ctrl+2 to go to tab 2 …
Press Ctrl+9 to go to tab 9
Read: 50+ Beautiful Google Chrome Themes | Free Download
10. Look at all Security Information of a Website
If you ever find yourself on funky site and want to perceive a little more information about it, click on page icon shown at the left of the URL in the address bar. It will show you all permission, connection, cookies and site data.
9. View Site on Different Devices
This is very useful option for developers and designers. It allows you to view any website in any resolution. Not all readers view your site on single device; also you don’t have all devices to test your webpage. In this case, this option can help you test webpages on numerous different devices including iPhone, Kindle fire, Google Nexus, Samsung and more.
8. Compose Email Address Direct From the Address Bar
Go to the address bar and write the following commands. This will open Gmail compose window with auto-fill fields.
To send email to Monica => mailto:[email protected]
To send email to Monica and John (multiple recipients) =>mailto:[email protected],[email protected]
Send mail to Monica with subject “party” => mailto:[email protected]?subject=party
Send mail to Monica with subject “party” and body text “hello there” => mailto:[email protected]?subject=party&body=hello there
To send email to Monica, add John in CC and Sam in BCC => mailto:[email protected][email protected]&[email protected]
7. The Chrome://Commands
There are several features that are not directly available on menu page, but you can access those using the following commands. Just paste/type them into the address-bar.
chrome://dns
chrome://flags
chrome://downloads
chrome://extension
chrome://bookmarks
chrome://memory
chrome://history
chrome://sessions
chrome://setting
chrome://restart (to restart the browser)
chrome://quota-internals (information about disk space)
chrome://sync-internals (information about Chrome sync feature)
chrome://net-internals (all networking related information)
6. Chrome Remote Desktop and Google Cloud Prints
Chrome Remote Desktop is the small extension that lets you access other computer or allow other user to access your computer securely over the internet. For remote access, it uses Chromoting protocol developed by Google.
For cloud printing, go to setting > advanced setting and sign into/manage Google cloud print. Once you set up your printer using cloud print, you can print it from anywhere, any sync device.
Read: 45+ Best Chrome Extensions You Must Have
5. Search within Website and Use Google Cache
If you want a result from a specific website only, type website-name + tab + your keyword. For example, if you wanna search for movie trailer on YouTube, you’ll need to write YouTube.com [press tab] movie-name. You can also press tab button after putting first 2-3 character of YouTube.
P.S: The site you would like to search must be added to chrome://settings/searchEngines as shown in the image.
Google cache is the best way to access website which is currently offline due to any reason. And Chrome makes it really easy to access those offline pages. Just type the “cache:URL” and hit enter. You will be taken to the last Google cached version (if any) of the page.
4. Search Gmail and Google Drive from Address Bar
Jumping to the specific apps like Google Drive or Gmail takes a bunch of clicks. What if you can search those services direct from your address bar? Follow the steps to do this
1) Go to manage search engine in settings
2) Fill the boxes under other search engine. Add the name and keyword by yourself.
3) Put the URL
For Gmail: https://mail.google.com/mail/ca/u/0/#apps/%s
For Drive: http://drive.google.com/?hl=en&tab=bo#search/%s
Now you can type gmail.com or drive.google.com (or whatever the keyword you have added), press tab and initiate your search.
3. Add Events to Google Calendar from Address Bar
You can add event name, place and time to Google’s calendar event from Chrome address bar. Follow the steps.
1) Go to manage search engine in settings
2) Fill the boxes under other search engine. Add the name and keyword by yourself.
3) Add the URL: http://www.google.com/calendar/event?ctext=+%s+&action=TEMPLATE&pprop=HowCreated%3AQUICKADD
Now you can type calendar (or whatever your keyword is), press tab and enter the content to add it on Google calendar. For example: [keyword] Dinner with mom at 8pm on Tuesday.
2. Update Your Twitter Status from Address Bar
1) Go to manage search engine in settings
2) Fill the boxes under other search engine. Add the name and keyword by yourself.
3) Add the URL: http://twitter.com/home?status=%s
Type tweet (or your keyword), press tab and put the status. For example: [keyword] Having dinner with Monica.
Also Read: 40+ Best Google Chrome Apps | All Free
1. A Few Short Tricks
a) Press Ctrl+Shift+B (Cmd+Shift+B on Mac) to toggle the bookmark bar.
b) Type a link into the address bar and press Alt+Enter. It will open the link in a new tab.
c) Press Ctrl while clicking on a link to open it in a new tab and press shift to open it in a new window.
d) Middle click on tab’s tittle box (top of browser) will close the tab.
e) Middle click on a link to open it in a new tab (works with all links on the webpage).
f) Click and hold the back button at the top left of the browser to see most recent viewed pages within the individual tab.
g) To save all your open tabs as bookmarks within a single folder, press Ctrl+Shift+D (Cmd+Shif+D on Mac).
h) Pressing Spacebar will scroll down the page whereas pressing Shift+Spacebar will scroll up.
i) Press Ctrl and “+” or “-” to zoom in and out of webpages and Ctrl+0 (zero) bring back the normal view.
j) Press Ctrl+Shift+V to copy the text without any format (it will remove all hyperlinks and colors).
k) To move and close multiple tabs, hold down the shift button and click on the tab. They will be selected and you can close or move them simultaneously.
Yes, Many of the tricks over here were unknown to me. Thanks once again & appreciate your blogging efforts