Create Custom Keyboard Shortcuts in Chrome
Google Chrome is known for its extensive features, which include cross-platform compatibility and support for a variety of extensions. One aspect that often flies under the radar is its robust set of keyboard shortcuts. Below is an exploration of useful Chrome keyboard shortcuts that can enhance your browsing experience.
Overview of Chrome Keyboard Shortcuts
A standout feature of Google Chrome, as well as other Chromium-based browsers like Opera and Microsoft Edge, is the availability of numerous keyboard shortcuts. These shortcuts enable users to perform tasks quickly, allowing for a more efficient browsing experience. For example, if you wish to open a new window, you can either right-click the Chrome icon in your taskbar and choose “New Window” from the context menu or click the three dots in the upper-right corner of the browser. However, a faster method is to simply press Ctrl+N on your keyboard. This combination instantly opens a new window, streamlining your workflow.
Using keyboard shortcuts is not only about speed; they serve as an effective alternative when your mouse is malfunctioning. Below, you will find a comprehensive list of keyboard shortcuts categorized for efficient access.
Chrome Keyboard Shortcuts for Managing Tabs
| Shortcut | Use | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch a new window | Opens a new Chrome window | Ctrl+N | ⌘+N |
| Launch a new incognito window | Opens a new incognito window | Ctrl+Shift+N | ⌘+Shift+N |
| Launch a new tab | Opens a new tab and navigates to it | Ctrl+T | ⌘+T |
| Reopen previously closed tabs | Reopens tabs in the order they were closed | Ctrl+Shift+T | ⌘+Shift+T |
| Navigate to the next tab | Moves to the next open tab | Ctrl+Tab | ⌘+Option+Right arrow |
| Navigate to the previous tab | Moves to the previous open tab | Ctrl+Shift+Tab | ⌘+Option+Left arrow |
| Switch to a specific tab | Switches to the specified tab | Ctrl+Number | ⌘+Number |
| Switch to the rightmost tab | Moves to the rightmost open tab | Ctrl+9 | ⌘+9 |
| Enable full-screen mode | Activates full-screen mode | F11 | Fn+F |
| Disable full-screen mode | Exits full-screen mode | F11 or Escape | Fn+F or Escape |
Chrome Keyboard Shortcuts for Managing Chrome Features
| Shortcut | Use | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch the Chrome menu | Opens the menu | Alt+F | N/A |
| Toggle Bookmarks bar | Shows or hides the bookmarks bar | Ctrl+Shift+B | ⌘+Shift+B |
| Open Bookmarks Manager | Launches the bookmarks management tool | Ctrl+Shift+O | ⌘+Option+B |
| Access History tab | Opens the history in a new tab | Ctrl+H | ⌘+Y |
| Open Downloads tab | Shows the downloads in a new tab | Ctrl+J | ⌘+Shift+J |
| Open Chrome Task Manager | Displays the task manager for Chrome | Shift+Escape | N/A |
| Open Find Bar | Launches the find bar to search the current page | Ctrl+F | ⌘+F |
| Open Developer Tools | Opens the tools for developers | Ctrl+Shift+I | ⌘+Option+I |
| Access Delete Browsing Data | Launches options for clearing data | Ctrl+Shift+Delete | ⌘+Shift+Delete |
| Enable Caret browsing | Activates caret browsing (text cursor) | F7 | F7 |
| Open Chrome Settings | Directs to Chrome settings page | N/A | ⌘+, |
Chrome Keyboard Shortcuts for Managing Webpages
| Shortcut | Use | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Print the current page | Opens print dialog | Ctrl+P | ⌘+P |
| Save current page | Opens save dialog for the page | Ctrl+S | ⌘+S |
| Refresh the current page | Reloads the page without cached data | F5 | N/A |
| Reload the page ignoring cache | Reloads the page while ignoring cached content | Shift+F5 | ⌘+Shift+R |
| Cancel page loading | Stops loading the current page | Escape | Escape |
| Navigate forward through items | Moves to the next clickable item | Tab | Tab |
| Navigate backward through items | Returns to the previous clickable item | Shift+Tab | Shift+Tab |
| Open a file in Chrome | Opens files from your computer | Ctrl+O | ⌘+O |
| Bookmark the current webpage | Saves a bookmark | Ctrl+D | ⌘+D |
| Save all tabs as bookmarks | Bookmarks all open tabs in a new folder | Ctrl+Shift+D | ⌘+Shift+D |
| Zoom in | Increases the zoom level | Ctrl++ | ⌘++ |
| Zoom out | Decreases the zoom level | Ctrl+- | ⌘+- |
| Reset zoom | Returns the page to default zoom | Ctrl+0 | ⌘+0 |
Customizing Your Shortcuts
Google Chrome and its Chromium counterparts come with pre-set keyboard shortcuts for nearly all browser tasks. Though users cannot directly modify these default shortcuts, various extensions available on the Chrome Web Store allow customization. A notable example is the Keyboard Shortcuts extension.
To install this extension, click on the "Add to Chrome" button and accept any prompts to proceed. Subsequently, go to the Chrome Extensions page where you can select "Keyboard Shortcuts" from the sidebar. There, you will find options to assign custom shortcuts for different actions.
For instance, if you wish to customize the shortcut for opening a new tab, click on the pencil icon next to "New Tab" and enter your desired key combination.
Conclusion
Utilizing keyboard shortcuts in Google Chrome can significantly enhance your productivity. While many users often rely on mouse clicks to navigate their tasks, developing a habit of using these shortcuts can transform your browsing experience. Once you integrate them into your routine, you may find it hard to revert to the slower method of manual navigation.
