Chrome's address bar can do a lot more than you think

There was a time when… Browser address bar It was there exclusively for this purpose, the URL – eg www.futurezone.at – Write there. But that was a very long time ago. The address line is now a file Input field For search engines – and much more.

Since you can do many things with it, the address bar in Google Chrome is officially called The box is multi-purpose specific. If you know how, you can create something like one of the omnibox Command line For almost all popular Google services and many others Practical jobs Recovers.

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Tips and tricks

In this article we provide an overview of Best tips and tricks for Omnibox Desktop version of Chrome browser. The basic requirement is that you set Google search as the default search engine. Many tricks also work in Chrome Android and iOSExcept for “@” commands.

Quickly navigate to the Omnibox

Incidentally, the vast majority of Omnibox commands also work in the Google search field if you empty one of them Opens a new tab (Cmd+T or Control+T). But it doesn't work if you go to google.com and use the search field there.

To get to the Omnibox as quickly as possible, you don't have to use a trackpad or mouse to navigate there. There is also one Practical abbreviationwhere the mouse pointer goes directly to the omnibox: Cmd+L on an Apple computer or using Ctrl+L on a Windows computer.

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Gemini title

even if Artificial intelligence assistant Google is not directly integrated into Chrome, search, or even Windows or macOS, but can be manipulated via the omnibox.

This is what you write for “@twin” in the address bar and confirm using the Tab key or the space bar. Accordingly, “Chat with Gemini” will be displayed in a colored font. Now you can type the prompt for the AI ​​chatbot directly into the Omnibox and confirm it with the Enter key. You will then end up on the Gemini website.

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The strong @ sign

Anyone who's been paying close attention has already noticed that entering the @ symbol causes some suggestions to appear in the omnibox: Besides @twin I will too @bookmarks, @date and @tabs Suggested. If the system language is German, this is the same @reference, @history and @tabs.

For example, if you choose @bookmarks, only saved bookmarks will be displayed Favorites I searched. The same applies to Browser history With @history and Open tabs With @tabs.

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Browse favorites

There is another subtlety with favorites. If you know you have a website in a specific region Bookmarks folder Saved, you can combine the two search terms in the omnibox.

For example, if you have the URL “futurezone.at” in Workshop folder Stored, you can enter “Workshop” and “Future…” and the location you are looking for will appear in the suggestions.

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Write email

If you want to quickly write a new email, you can use the corresponding HTML command. You just give “Melto:” In the Chrome omnibox, then confirm with the Enter key.

Then this opens Standard mail program – Depending on what you set. And while we're on the subject of Google services: would you like it? gmail It opens with the “mailto:” command, which can be done in the browser settings.

I put it in the omni box “chrome://settings/handlers” A. There you put a check mark on “Websites can ask to handle protocols” or in German: “Websites are allowed to ask if they want to handle protocols.” Then activate the protocol on the Gmail page by double-clicking Diamond symbol In the omnibox clicks.

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Create a new Google.Doc

If things need to happen quickly, you can use the commands “docs.new“,”Sheets.new“or”Slides.new“Create a new Google text document, a new Google Sheet, or a new presentation via the omnibox.

Simply confirm your entry with the Enter key. Using Shift+Enter, the new document is created in one go New window Open using Cmd+Enter or Ctrl+Enter simultaneously New tab.

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Search using Google Lens

The shortcut Cmd+L or Ctrl+L mentioned at the beginning not only immediately moves the mouse cursor to the omnibox, but also performs the search there google lens available.

If you click on the corresponding icon, the… Screen content Scanned via visual search. You have one choice image Or click on a section of text. Matching search results are then displayed.

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Take notes in Chrome

It is possible to use Google Chrome as a notepad. Unfortunately, this isn't really practical because you can't easily save your notes as a text file. If you enter the character sequences you see in the screenshot below into the omnibox, you can start taking notes.

Coordination Just as impossible as adding photos or other files. This trick can be useful if you… Chrome notebook Leaves it open in a tab and uses it as an extended clipboard.

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More practical functions

And since the omnibox also works as a traditional Google search, you can also do it all there Practical jobs How to set timers, convert units, view calculators, weather and tariffs, as well as flip a coin and roll the dice.

Create a timer

To start a timer, simply type “Timer 60 minutes“or”Timer 60 minutes” and confirm with the Enter key. You can of course adjust the time as desired.

calculator

If you want to calculate something quickly, just enter the formula in the omnibox – e.g 12*5+15 – The result is displayed without having to press the Enter key. If you confirm with Enter, a full Google search will appear calculator Offered.

Unit conversion

The same goes for this It turns from Units. Regardless of whether it is currencies, area measurements, length measurements or other units. Simply enter “14 feet” in the omni box and the same length will be displayed in meters. This also works with “$15 in euros“or with”15 km/h to mph“.

Translations

If you enter “Queen in German” it will immediately appear German expression That's why she's the “Queen”. Incidentally, it works the opposite. After entering”Queen in EnglishThe omnibox indicates that the English term for it is “Queen.”

Definitions

If you are not sure what a It means expressionyou can order this in the omnibox – using “Define sober“. It will then be shown that this means something like “reserved, modest, shy.” Pressing the Enter key is not necessary for this.

For German expressions, simply type, for example, “Definition of computers“what with”Electronic computing system.

Weather display

Likewise, without pressing Enter, the current weather condition is displayed in the omnibox, for example if you select 'Vienna weather“or”Vienna weather“He comes in.

Roll the dice or flip the coin

Also classic is tossing a dice or a coin. That's why you write in the omnibox “Flip a coin“or”Toss a coin“or”Throw the dice“or”Dice” and confirm with the Enter key.

In the case of dice, you can also choose in a further step how many sides or how many numbers the dice should have.