Google Is Introducing A Handy Feature In Chrome's Address Bar

With Google’s web browser, you can now use shortcuts in the Omnibar to quickly find a tab, access your favorites, or even open your browsing history with a command typed in the address bar.

Google wants to help you find what you’re looking for faster in Chrome. The Mountain View company has just introduced a new search system in the address bar of their browser. Based on the use of shortcuts, it allows direct access to an open tab, your favorites or even your browsing history.

Three native shortcuts available

Chrome comes with three shortcuts by default. The first @tabs allow you to search for a specific tab among the tabs open in the browser. Type @tabs directly into Chrome’s omnibar and click the Find Tab button to enter a keyword or the name of the tab you’re looking for. In the same way, it is possible to quickly open a page saved in your favorites by typing @favorites in the address bar and then clicking Find in Favorites. Finally, the latest native shortcut, @history, lets you search your browsing history right from Chrome’s address bar to easily find a page you’ve already visited.

An option to create your custom search shortcuts

If Chrome only comes with three search shortcuts by default, Google has provided an option for you to create your own. By going to Chrome’s Settings > Search Engine in the Site Search section, you can actually create custom search shortcuts. They allow you to easily search for content on the websites you visit most often right from your browser’s address bar.

Introducing these search shortcuts to Chrome’s address bar isn’t Google’s first move to streamline search in its web browser. Before that, two years ago, the Mountain View company launched Quick Actions, commands that run in the Omnibar to perform specific actions in Chrome.

Source: Google