Chrome remains the most popular browser in the world, and it’s by a considerable distance. As someone who’s used Chrome for a very long time, I’ve built up a significant rapport with the browser, despite its well-documented problems with privacy and memory usage.
One of the reasons I stick around is that I know all of Chrome’s shortcuts, which makes using the browser a doddle. I mean, everyone knows CTRL + T to open a new tab or CTRL + W to close one. But what about the Chrome shortcuts that let you run a Google search from any page or jump you to the last tab you opened? They’re the real Chrome shortcuts you need to learn.
8
Jump straight to any tab
No more hanging around
Now, I must admit I have mixed use of this one, as someone who typically ends up with heaps of tabs open. But when I have the right number of tabs open, the shortcut to jump straight to any tab is pretty handy.
Press CTRL + 1 through CTRL + 8 to jump to any of the first eight tabs in your row. You’re probably wondering where CTRL + 9 is. Well, that’s another super handy tab jumping shortcut, but it takes you to the final open tab in your browser. This is handy if you keep your email, music, or a work chat pinned in the same place.
7
Move tabs without dragging
Do more without your mouse
Dragging with your mouse is slow and requires you to move your hand from your keyboard. So, speed up your day and use the CTRL + Shift + PgUp or CTRL + Shift + PgDn shortcuts to keep your tabs grouped together.
Of course, you could also use Chrome’s tab grouping feature to make sure they don’t get lost to begin with. Or start using Opera’s tab commands and grouping to get it done automatically, and save even more time (admittedly, in a different browser).
6
Chrome’s built-in Task Manager
Way deeper control over those memory-hogging tabs
I end up with a lot of tabs open. From time to time, that means suddenly, something is taking up a lot of memory, but I can’t always figure out what it is. And that’s where you’ll find detailed information about what exactly is taking place in Google Chrome.
Press CTRL + ESC, and you’ll find options for memory, footprint, CPU usage, network usage, and process ID, with the option to add more data points via a right-click.
If you’re using the Chrome Task Manager to solve a memory issue, sort the memory footprint column to find the culprit, then select End task.
5
Toggle the bookmarks
Hide your most visited websites from view
This is a weirdly underrated Chrome shortcut, but one that I frequently use when taking screenshots. Basically, before you hit the Print Screen button or use your favorite screenshot app, hide your bookmarks from prying eyes by pressing CTRL + Shift + B.
It’s not a huge change, but it protects your privacy when you take a quick snap.
Another useful bookmark shortcut is CTRL + Shift + D, which lets you save all of your currently open bookmarks to a new folder.
4
Search from the omnibox
Another time-saving wonder
This is one of those shortcuts that you’ll use from now on. You can search a site directly from the omnibox (address bar) without using Chrome’s advanced modifiers, like “[search term] :site .com”.
However, this does require you to set up the website as a custom search option, so it can be called with the “@[website]” functionality. For example, as you may expect, I frequently search for internal links, which means spending time inputting my search term, the URL, modifier, and so on.
But the shortcut to search from the omnibox cuts down a heap of time and streamlines the process.
3
Call Gemini from the omnibox
You can start a chat without entering the address
This is another handy search tool that lets you query Gemini without having to head to the chatbot homepage first.
Similar to the previous shortcut, it uses the omnibox to give you direct access. In this case, press @Gemini and start typing your query, and it’ll be answered almost instantaneously.
This is good for most basic queries, or simple image requests and prompts. But for anything more advanced, I’d still advise heading to Gemini itself and working directly. The omnibox is handy, but as it doesn’t have text wrapping, formatting, or otherwise, it’s just not meant for in-depth AI prompts.
2
Instantly clear your browsing history
Wipe the slate clean with a shortcut
I must admit that I didn’t know about this shortcut until I started writing this article, but it’s a doozy. Who knew you could open the Delete browsing data window with a shortcut?!
Hitting CTRL + Shift + Del opens the window hosting your browsing history, such as cookies, download history, cached images, and more. It’s super handy if you clean your internet activity at a moments notice without navigating Chrome’s various menus.
1
Search Google
Who needs a mouse to find the address bar?
This is another handy, quick way to navigate both Chrome and the internet as a whole. Press CTRL + K, and you’ll jump straight to the omnibox, with Google ready to complete a search.
Learning a few of these Chrome shortcuts will speed up everything
There are heaps more Chrome shortcuts, but to me, these are some of the more useful ones you may not have heard about or used. Once you master these, you’ll navigate Chrome with ease. It’s not the common Chrome shortcuts that make it feel faster, smarter, and more personal—it’s these lesser-known Chrome shortcuts that do that.
