10 Things You Didn’t Know Google Chrome Could Do
Google Chrome is a wonderful browser that can perform many unexpected duties, but the most useful things are the best. Many features can be stumbled upon accidently, such as being able to search Google with your voice, but there are others which are hidden away and hard to find without help. Our list of 10 things you didn’t know Google Chrome could do will help you discover some cool new uses for the browser.
Automatically generate secure passwords
In order to automatically generate a new secure password for an account you’re creating using Google Chrome, paste this phrase into your search bar chrome://flags/#enable-password-generation. The password generated will make no sense and be difficult to remember, but it will probably be the most secure password you’ve ever had!
Remotely Access a Computer
You can access any computer remotely by using the Chrome Remote Desktop app which will allow you to use your own desktop on your smartphone or even troubleshoot problems for others. Download the extension, open the app and click Enable remote connections to allow access on your computer. Then download the Chrome Remote Desktop app for your smartphone or tablet to link them together.
Mute Tabs With Audio
Instead of having to listen to unwanted and unexpected audio from a new tab, you can easily mute the tab without even having to open it. Paste this URL into your Google Chrome search bar chrome://flags/#enable-tab-audio-muting and you’ll be given to click on the audio icon in the corner of the tab to mute it.
Search Found Words Easily
One of the things you probably didn’t know Chrome could do is based on the fundamental practice of dragging and dropping. Right clicking on a word or phrase on a web page will give you the option to search Google for the highlighted phrase, but you can also drag and drop the words into the Omnibox (top address bar) to conduct a quick and easy search too.
Merge Multiple Tabs
If you find that having lots of tabs open makes Chrome difficult to maneuver then converting multiple tabs into a single list with OneTab should make things easier. You may also find that opening lots of tabs at once will increase memory use and cause Chrome to crash, so consolidating your tabs will prevent this.
Stack Multiple Tabs
However, if you do like to have multiple tabs open but like to see them too, the stacked tabs might be for you. Enter about:flags into your browser search bar and find Stacked Tabs on the flags page. Enable it and you’ll find that your tabs won’t shrink but will stack on top of each other when they run out of room on the top bar of the browser.
Search Through Any Site Using the Omnibox
Chrome’s search bar is called the Omnibox and, while you can use this to search Google or your other search engine of choice, you can also use it to search most other sites too. To add new sites to your Omnibox searches, right click the search box on the site you wish to add and click ‘Add as a search engine’. You can then directly access and search the site without having to stop by a search engine first.
Use The Omnibox for Mathematics
Many people know that Google will do simple maths for them then they place their queries into the search box, but did you also know that Chrome’s Omnibox can do sums on its own? You can type in your maths problem and the correct answer will appear without you having to the press the enter. This will only work if your default browser is Google, but it is very convenient.
Go Back To Previously Viewed Pages Easily
Instead of pressing the back button hundreds of times or having to scour through your entire Chrome history for the day to find the web page you want to revisit, you can quickly and easily navigate back. Make sure you’re on the tab in which you viewed the page, then just press and hold the back button to be shown a list of previously viewed pages so you can easily choose the correct one.
Automatically Download Files To Your Desktop
Another cool thing you didn’t know Chrome could do is to download files to your desktop instead of your Downloads folder, or another location suggested by your computer. In this way, you can keep track of the files and avoid your computer from getting cluttered. To change where your files are downloaded to, go to Settings > Advanced Settings > Downloads. Then you can alter the place where downloads automatically show.
