Some useful tips for Google Chrome browsers users in 2019

Having a 73.6 % worldwide market share, Google Chrome is still the leading browser globally. Chrome’s popularity is largely due to its ease of use and browsing speed. What most people don’t know is that if you dig deeper, you’ll find a plethora of new features that you should be using.

Chrome is a flexible browsernd the ability to embed extensions increasesroductivity and gives you countless options to unlock even more functions. There are so many power user features hidden in Google Chrome, and this article offers some useful tips that will make your life easier.

1. How to pin tabs in Chrome for Windows

Occasionally, you’ll find yourself opening multiple tabs in Google Chrome. Apart from using up a lot of RAM, it’s difficult to know the websites that you have opened. The Chrome browser has a feature called “Pin tab” that reduces the tabs to the favicon size. To use the feature:

• Right-click on one of the open tabs.
• Select “Pin tab.”
• Do the same for all the tabs, and you’ll be able to easily access and view them.
• If you want to expand the tab back to its original size, right-click it and select “Unpin tab.”

To navigate between tabs, use the CTRL + Tab key combination on your keyboard.

2. How to display the Home button

While the simple design makes Google Chrome easy to use, for some users, the “Home” button is still useful. You have the option to add the “Home” button to your Chrome browser.

To add the “Home” button:

1. Click the “Menu” at the top right corner of your browser.
2. Go to Settings > Appearance.
3. Click the toggle button next to “Show home button” to enable it.
4. The “Home” button will now be displayed on your Chrome browser.

3. How to remove a password from a PDF using Chrome

Google Chrome has a built-in viewer for PDFs that enables you to convert and merge PDF files. You can also open a PDF file using the Chrome browser. But one function you probably didn’t know about is that Chrome can remove a password from a PDF so that you can share it with a company or colleagues in your organization.

• Drag and drop the password-protected PDF file into the Chrome browser.
• You’ll be prompted to enter a password.
• Enter the password, and click Submit or Ok, depending on your Chrome version.
• Open Chrome settings, and click “Print,” or simply press CTRL + P.
• Under “Destination,” click the “Change” button.
• Click “Save as PDF” under “Local destinations.”
• This changes the destination printer to “Save as PDF.”
• Click the “Save” button.

Chrome saves the PDF to your desktop without the password, and you can share the file with anyone.

4. Can I see recently viewed pages in Chrome?

The “History” page allows you to see the pages you visited, including the recent ones. To do this, you will need to open the History page via “Menu” or use the shortcut keys CTRL + H.

However, there’s an easier way that will take you less than two seconds. On your Chrome browser, press and hold the back button to see and revisit pages that you recently opened.

5. How to reopen recently closed tabs

If you accidentally close a tab, you can still find and reopen it. Just like in Tip 4 above, you can use the “History” page to view recently closed pages. Simply click the “Menu” option on your Chrome browser and hover the cursor over “History.” Alternatively, hit CTRL + H to access the closed pages.

But, to do this quickly, right-click on a new tab and select “Reopen closed tab.”

6. How to save a webpage as a PDF in Chrome for Windows

You don’t need other software to save a webpage as a PDF. Google Chrome makes this possible in three easy steps.

• On your keyboard, press CTRL + P.
• Change the print destination to “Save as PDF.”
• Select the “Save” button.

That’s it. Now you can share the webpage as a PDF.

7. How to take notes, using the Chrome browser

Google Chrome is making life easier each day. To take notes, you had to download and install software or an extension. But now, Chrome conveniently allows you to take notes right within the browser.

All you have to do is copy “data:text/html,<html contenteditable>” and paste it into the address bar. Press Enter, and you have a new window that you can type and edit freely.

8. How to bookmark a website with a favicon in Google Chrome

The bookmark feature is very useful, especially if you want to save a favorite website for later reference. Saving a bookmark in Chrome browser is easy, but it saves the website with text. This uses up space.

However, you can bookmark a website with its Favicon instead.

• Click the star at the top right corner of your Chrome browser, or use the shortcut keys CRTL + D.
• A text describing the website you want to save appears in the “Name” box.
• Delete the text and click “Done.”
• The website’s Favicon replaces the text and saves on space.

9. Sync your Chrome Settings

If you like carrying your work home, you can use the same settings, theme, extensions, and bookmarks on any computer. Select “Sign in” from your browser’s “Menu”, and all your settings will appear on any computer where you sign in to the Chrome browser.

10. How to change tab location

If you have multiple tabs and there are specific tabs that you want next to each other for easy access, simply drag and drop the tab to the location of your choice.

11. Monitor how Chrome is affecting your PC’s performance

If your computer freezes or the fan suddenly starts to crank up while browsing, you can find the problematic website, using Chrome’s Task Manager. It shows the Memory and CPU usage of each tab, extension, and plug-in that you are using in your browser.

This helps you to keep an eye on the resources being consumed by your online activities. Quickly open the Task Manager by pressing the Shift + Esc keys.

12. Make calculations, using Google Chrome’s Omnibox

The Omnibox is not only an address bar, but it can also be used for basic calculations. If you want to solve a mathematical problem, you don’t need to Google for a calculator. Enter the calculation in the Omnibox, and you’ll see the result in the auto-suggestions.

You can also perform unit conversions, including currencies, and get instant results.

13. How to enable the Do Not Track option

Google studies your online interests and brings you ads relevant to your searches. But this can be annoying, and you can stop your browser from sending data to Google by enabling the “Do Not Track” option from the settings.

1. Click the “Menu” option at the top right corner of the Chrome browser.
2. Select “Settings” at the bottom of the page.
3. Go to “Show advanced settings” or “Advanced” in the latest Chrome version.
4. Under “Privacy and security,” scroll down to “Send a “Do Not Track” request with your browsing traffic.”
5. Click to toggle the button to ON.

14. How to search for the selected text, using drag and drop

Did you know that you can search for a text you’ve selected in the current page you’re viewing? To perform the search, select the text, right-click on it and click “Search Google for (the text you have selected).”

To make the process even quicker, when you select the text, drag and drop it in a new tab or the address bar.

15. Going Incognito

If you want to do your online search without leaving traces of your search history, Google Chrome offers you “Incognito Mode.” It’s a useful function when you don’t want the world to know what you’re up to. However, take note that websites can still log your IP address even when using this mode.

To use “Incognito Mode,” click the “Menu” button and select “New incognito window.” You can also use the shortcut keys CTRL + Shift + N.

While Google Chrome makes browsing fun, easy and fast, hackers are using browser redirect viruses to gather sensitive information from internet users. You must have noticed a site redirecting you to a page that’s not relevant to what you’re looking for.

To stay clear of such virus infections, you need a strong tool that malware developers can’t crack through. Auslogics Anti-Malware is a first-class security and privacy software program that guarantees the safety of your data both while you’re online and offline.

The program does more than look for malware. It goes a step further to detect suspicious software installed on your computer, block extensions that leak data, and prevent sites from tracking your online activity.

As a result, you can carry on using your computer without fear of attack from hackers.