Google Chrome for Android: 15 tips and tricks to extract the full potential of the browser
Table of Contents
- Enable Dark Mode
- Enable Dark Mode on page content
- Add or remove the Home button
- Switch between open tabs just by dragging your finger
- View multiple open tabs at once
- group your tabs
- Hide files recommended by Google Chrome
- Get Facebook and Twitter notifications via Google Chrome
- Select a word to search for it
- Save entire pages in PDF format
- Select emails, phone numbers and addresses to use them
- Enable the use of Zoom on any website
- Add other search engines
- Enable the new Downloads page layout
- Mute or block website sounds
O Chrome is a simple, easy-to-use browser and one of the best options for users of smartphones Android. for being from Google, the browser is usually pre-installed on most cell phones and its great advantage is the synchronization of preferences, bookmarks, passwords and even pages opened on other devices. But not only that! In addition to the default setting, the Chrome it has several hidden, or not very obvious, features that provide the user with better use and ease of navigation on the phone.
In this article we will go through 15 tips and tricks to make the most of what the Google Chrome all with Android has the offer for you.
Enable Dark Mode
Em April, Google finally adopted the long-awaited Dark Mode (Dark Mode) No. Chrome for or Android. This novelty is not enabled for everyone, but activating the option is simple.
Case or Dark Mode is available in your browser, you can enable it in "Settings" > "Topic".
If the option "Topic" is not appearing in the settings, you must activate it as follows: type the URL in the address bar chrome://flags#enable-android-night-mode, select "Enable" in the highlighted menu and restart the navigator. You may have to close and open the Chrome again for the option to be activated. Click to enlarge:
Enable Dark Mode on page content
Besides the Dark Mode in the app, the Chrome allows you to use the resource in the content of the pages opened by it. To activate this feature, you need to type chrome://flags#enable-android-web-contents-dark-mode in the address bar, select "Enable" in the highlighted menu, restart, close and open the navigator again.
Add or remove the Home button
On some devices, the button "Home" (Home page) is visible on the Google Chrome. This is because some manufacturers include a customization application, with default values for the favorites and the Home Page button, called “Chrome Customizations” in the folder of "System". But if your device doesn't have this app, you can add the button (or remove it if you don't want it).
To add it, just type chrome://flags#force-enable-home-page-button in the address bar of Google Chrome, select "Enable" in the menu and restart the browser twice.
Switch between open tabs just by dragging your finger
The most obvious way to switch between the tabs of the Google Chrome No. Android is to click the button “tabs” and select the desired tab. However, there are two other ways to do this. You can swipe left or right over the address bar, or swipe down on the address bar to view all open tabs.
View multiple open tabs at once
One of the coolest hidden features in Chrome for or Android is the customization of the tab view. This allows you to choose the most efficient or pleasant way to use it. The default view mode is Vertical, but we can customize it in two other ways:
landscape mode
The horizontal format allows you to view the tabs as pages in a book, similar to the “Recent” adopted by Android 9 Pie. To activate it you need to type chrome://flags#enable-horizontal-tab-switcher in the browser, enable in the menu and restart twice.
grid mode
In this style your open pages appear as thumbnails in a "Grid" similar to a photo album. To activate, enter chrome://flags#enable-tab-grid-layout, then enable in the highlighted menu and restart the browser twice.
Condensed mode
The style “Rolodex” to switch browser tabs in Android It's pretty cool, but it's not that efficient when you have large amounts of tabs open. In this case, to see more pages at once, you need to activate an accessibility function that hides page previews.
To do that, just type chrome://flags#enable-accessibility-tab-switcher in the address bar, select "Enable" in the highlighted menu and restart. This way you will see all your tabs more easily.
group your tabs
Another cool tip for managing tabs in Google Chrome do Android is the grouping of tabs. This function allows you to form groups of tabs at your discretion. To enable, just type chrome://flags#enable-tab-groups, activate in the menu and restart the application twice.
On the tab preview page you will see the option "Create group". Tap on it to open a new tab that will be part of this group.
In addition, also the option to view the group pages in thumbnails, close and add new tabs.
Hide files recommended by Google Chrome
By default, the page "New tab" shows articles recommended by Google Chrome under the search bar and website shortcuts. If you don't like or aren't interested in these recommendations, there's a function to disable it completely.
type it chrome://flags#enable-ntp-remote-suggestions in the address bar, select "Disable" in the highlighted menu and restart the Google Chrome. Okay, the articles will no longer appear.
Get Facebook and Twitter notifications via Google Chrome
For Facebook, you must log into your account on the device and enter "Account configurations" in the browser menu. Then click on "Notifications" and activate the button.
For Twitter, log into your account at http://mobile.twitter.com and click "Notifications". You will see the option to activate the “Push Notifications”. If not, click on "Settings" in the upper right corner of the screen, select “Push Notifications” and click activate.
Select a word to search for it
This is a simple but little mentioned function. When you select a word or phrase in the Chrome, right below a panel opens with information about what was selected. Dragging up the panel will show the results of the search for what was selected.
Save entire pages in PDF format
With Chrome for or Android you can also save entire pages in PDF that can be opened by other apps or shared with others. The combination of options “Sharing” and the function of “Print as PDF” do Android allows this to be achieved very easily. See the video below:
Select emails, phone numbers and addresses to use them
For those familiar with the iOS know that the safari turns phone numbers and other information into “Clickable Links” for use. At the Chrome for or Android there is a similar but not so obvious option.
When an email address is selected, the Chrome will show a panel with the option to compose a message in the default email application. By selecting an address, the panel gives you the option to view it in the Google Maps, and selecting a phone number allows you to dial it with a single touch.
Enable the use of Zoom on any website
In many cases, pages optimized for viewing on mobile phones do not allow the use of "Zoom" manual. This often impairs the reading of information, causing discomfort, irritation and, in certain cases, even harm to those with vision problems.
Fortunately, the Chrome for or Android includes the option to override this rule in a very simple way. click in "Settings" > “Accessibility", select the option “Force Zoom” and that's it, you can use the zoom on any page.
Add other search engines
for many years the Chrome for or Android only supported some pre-defined search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, Ask.com and AOL. Finally this was changed with the browser version 57 release.
Adding a custom search engine is a little tedious, but not complicated. First you need to open the chosen search page and do any search. So open the "Settings" do Chrome and select “Research Engine”. There you can select one of the most recently visited sites as the default search engine.
Enable the new Downloads page layout
The new page interface under the “Downloads” tab do Chrome provides you with various information and settings for downloads made within the browser, such as choosing the location, always asking where to save, as well as the option to download articles for reading while waiting for the downloaded files to finish, only when connected to the Wifi network.
To activate it, just type chrome://flags#download-home-v2, select "Enable" and restart the app 2 times. Click to enlarge:
Mute or block website sounds
O Chrome for Android defaults to the function of “block automatic audios”, but some sites manage to circumvent this, as in the case of advertisements with audio. However, this problem can be easily circumvented.
The browser allows you to block or release audio for all sites, as well as manage exceptions. For example, you can mute one or another website or block everyone, at your choice, from playing any sound. For this, open "Settings" No. Chrome and select “Website Settings” > “Sound“. There is the universal option to allow or mute and, just below, the option to add the exceptions to the chosen universal rule.
With these tips your Google Chrome will never be the same. Did you like the tutorial? Leave the most useful ones in the comments.
the browser is available on Google Play.
