I enjoy saving seconds, thank you so much. And if there’s one place on your Android phone where squandered time begs to be recaptured, it’s within the gleaming Chrome browser.
When it comes to secret shortcuts and underrated time-savers, Google’s Android Chrome app is a treasure mine. Despite the fact that we covered a slew of excellent time-savers for the Chrome Android environment a few months ago, I kept thinking to myself, “Gee walkers, Mr. Wiggles by, there’s got to be more.”
(When I’m extremely deep in thought, I refer to myself as Mr. Wiggles by.) But, of course, you already knew that.)
So I put on my favorite spelunking hat and set out to thoroughly investigate every inch of the Chrome Android app. I had a feeling there had to be more time-saving gems hidden within some of its less-frequently touched regions. And sure enough, within the boundaries of the browser’s simple address bar, I discovered some great new gems for both of us to enjoy.
Grab your sturdiest exploring boots and get ready Chrome Hearts Dress. It’s time to have your eyes opened to some splendid extra shortcuts baked right into the uppermost area of your Chrome Android browser. Chrome Android shortcut No. 1: The hidden tab actions
First up, see that box showing the total number of tabs you have open in Chrome on Android — the rounded square shape in the upper-right corner of the screen?
If you’re a digital hoarding freak like me, that’s the one — the one with some absurdly high number on it.
Make a mental note of this: If you press and hold that box for about a second, a fantastically handy menu of time-saving tab alternatives will appear.
It’s by far the quickest way to close a tab or open a new one, whether ordinary or incognito. It’s only a matter of realising it’s there.
The fast-nav launchpad is the second Chrome Android shortcut.
Then, in Chrome on your phone, tap the actual address of the site you’re reading — whatever address you see in the centre of the identical bar at the tippity-top of your scriggity-screen.
This will bring up a rarely utilized launchpad with a plethora of fantastic options:
The icons directly next to the site’s name allow you to share the page with others, copy the URL, and edit it in the Chrome address bar (in case you want to adjust it in any way).
Below that, you’ll see icons for other sites that Chrome believes you’ll visit next, as well as search terms that are related to the page in some manner.
But hold on! There’s something else in that area that’s just waiting to be found…
The hidden recent search list is the third Chrome Android shortcut.
It’s as follows: Tap the line that says “Related to this page” after you’ve tapped the address of the site you’re now seeing.
Chrome will compress that list and display you a second list with specific recent searches you’ve done on your phone and any other device where you’re linked into the same Google account. You may then tap any of those terms to immediately launch the same search.
Who’d have guessed?!
The home customising button is the fourth Chrome Android shortcut.
Pretend you’re a homing pigeon and focus your beady bird eyes on the icon that looks like a house in the upper-left corner of the Chrome Android address bar for this following tip.
(If you don’t see that icon, go to your browser’s settings, press “Homepage,” and change the toggle there to on.) Then, for good measure, make a loud “CAW!” sound.)
If you press and hold the home button for a few seconds, you’ll see a hidden option to change the Chrome home page. That’ll bring you to a screen where you can change the default New Tab page to whatever you want, whether it’s a site you visit frequently on your phone, a Google Image results page with photographs of my face, or even a pigeon-specific social network.
Remember that shortcut, and you’ll be able to alter your Chrome Android home page whenever your fluttering little feather-scented heart wishes.
The browser settings speedway is Chrome’s Android shortcut No. 5.
When it comes to the Chrome home page, if you go with the usual Google New Tab page setup, you’ll have a quick way to access your browser’s settings without having to crawl through menus or spend time.
