10 Google Chrome Tips and Tricks
I use Google Chrome every single day so I’m always excited to learn and share tips and tricks! In this blog, I hope to share some ideas for Chrome that you may find extremely useful!
Today’s topics: Utlizing your Omnibox, searching Drive and Gmail from within your Omnibox, pinning tabs, creating Groups for your tabs, reopening a closed tab, muting tabs, two of my favorite Chrome Flags, the new QR code generator, and video play settings!
1) Utilize Your Omnibox
The Omnibox is the address bar where you type in the URLs. But, it can do more than many users realize! The Omnibox works just like the Google search bar so you may type in questions such as “What is the weather”, type in math problems, or even set a timer!
1) Search Google Drive or Gmail from Onmibox
I like to set up my Omnibox to search my Drive and Gmail. Here’s how:
- Right-click in your Omnibox and select “Manage Search Engines” or go into your Settings.
- Add Gmail and/or Drive as search engines by copying and pasting the following URLs
Type in the keyword you will use to activate the search Omnibox. Note: The keywords are case sensitive.
Now, when you access the Omnibox and type in the keyword it will start the search and locate items that match your search in your Drive or Gmail! I love it!
You may actually search any site as long as you add it as a search engine.
2) Pin Tabs
If you pin your tabs you can make sure you won’t easily exit out of them. All you do is right-click on the tab and select “Pin”. Now the tab will appear as a smaller version in Chrome. To unpin, simply right-click and select “unpin”.
3) Tab Groups
The tab Groups feature allows users to right click on a tab and then add the tab to a Group. Once established, Groups may be expanded and collapsed. In this example, I added a tab to a new group titled “Joli’s Websites”.
Next, I color coded the Group by selecting the color purple.
Lastly, I added other websites to the Group by right-clicking and selecting “Add Tab to Group”.
You may then collapse and expand the group of tabs as needed.
4) Reopen your last closed Tab
Whoops! You accidentally closed a tab. No worries! If you are using a Chromebook press Control+Shift+T. If you are using a Mac try Command+Shift+T.
5) Mute Tabs
If I’m helping a students in a Goole Meet and another student is recording in another tab they may end up recording me. To solve this, show students how to mute a site open in a tab. If you mute the tab,it will remain open but the background noise will be eliminated. Simply right-click on the tab and select “Mute” and do the same to unmute.
6) Flags
If you are looking to speed up your browser and enhance your overall Chrome experience, you may want to check out Google’s Flags. Flags are still in development mode and experimental so there is a note of caution informing you to enable Flags at your own risk before. If you want to check Flags you may find them here.
7) Hover Cards
One Flag I have enjoyed is the Hover Card which provides you with thumbnail images of the tabs in your browser. To enable Hover Cards visit chrome://flags/#tab-hover-cards and enable the setting. Then, relaunch Chrome! I find this very useful as I gain access to a quick thumbnail image of the website.
8) OmniBox Google Drive Suggestions
If you have already set Google as your default search engines, you may now enable on #omnibox-drive-suggestions to search your Google Drive for items matching the keyword you type in the omnibox.
In this example, you will notice that I start to type in Valentine, Google will locate items in my drive that may match what I am searching for.
9) QR Code Generator
QR codes are scannable barcodes that allow users to access information quickly. In my last blog, I discussed the new QR code generator in Google Chrome along with 20 integration ideas! Make sure to checkout the blog here!
10)Video Play Settings
Did you know you have video play settings built into Chrome? When you have a video playing you will notice the music notes appear in your brower. Click on the notes and you will have access to video play settings!
What are your favorite Chrome tips? I’d love to hear from you!
