Top 10 Google Chrome tips

Know your keyboard shortcuts

Like any good browser, Google Chrome has several dozen different keyboard shortcuts that can help improve your productivity. Below is just a few of our top favorites.

Ctrl + 1-8 = Pressing Ctrl and any number 1 through 8 will move to the corresponding tab in your tab bar.
Ctrl + 9 = Switch to the last tab.
Ctrl + H = Show history
Ctrl + J = Open Downloads window
Ctrl + K = Move the cursor to the Omnibox (address bar)
Ctrl + T = Open a new tab
Ctrl + Shift + T = Undo any closed tab 

 Full listing of Google Chrome shortcut keys

 Chromebook shortcut key page.

Shortcut Keys	Description
Alt + Home	Open your home page.
Alt + Tab	Toggle between browser windows
Backspace or Alt + Left Arrow	Back a page.
Alt + Right Arrow	Forward a page.
F11	Display the current website in full-screen mode. Pressing F11 again will exit this mode.
Esc	Stop page or download from loading.
Ctrl + (- or +)	Zoom in our out of a page '-' will decrease and '+' will increase. Ctrl + 0 will reset back to default.
Ctrl + 1-8	Pressing Ctrl and any number 1 through 8 will move to the corresponding tab in your tab bar.
Ctrl + 9	Switch to last tab.
Ctrl + 0	Reset browser zoom to default
Ctrl + Enter	Quickly complete an address. For example, type computerhope in the address bar and press CTRL + ENTER to get http://www.computerhope.com.
Ctrl + Shift + Del	Open the Clear Data window to quickly clear private data.
Ctrl + Shift + B	Toggle the bookmarks bar between hidden and shown
Ctrl + A	Select everything on a page
Ctrl + D	Add a bookmark for the page currently opened.
Ctrl + F	Open the "find" bar to search text on the current page
CTRL + O	Open a file in the browser
Ctrl + Shift + O	Open the Bookmark manager.
Ctrl + H	Open history in a new tab
Ctrl + J	Display the downloads window
Ctrl + K or Ctrl + E	Perform a Google search
Ctrl + L	Move the cursor to the browser address bar and highlight everything in it.
Ctrl + N	Open New browser window.
Ctrl + Shift + N	Open a new window in incognito mode.
Ctrl + P	Print current page or frame.
Ctrl + R or F5	Refresh the current page or frame.
Ctrl + S	Saves the current page
Ctrl + T	Opens a new tab.
Ctrl + U	View a web page's source code
Ctrl + W	Closes the currently selected tab.
Ctrl + Shift + W	Closes the currently selected window.
Ctrl + Shift + T	Reopens the last tab you've closed (up to 10).
Ctrl + Tab	Moves through each of the open tabs.
Ctrl + Left-click	Open the link in a new tab in the background
Ctrl + Shift Left-click	Open the link in a new tab and switch to the new tab
Spacebar	Moves down a page at a time.
Shift + Spacebar	Moves up a page at a time.
Ctrl + Alt + Down Arrow	Go to top of page
Ctrl + Alt + Up Arrow	Go to bottom of page
Alt + Down Arrow	Display all previous text entered in a text box and available options on a drop-down menu.

Use the Omnibox to do more than just search

The Google Omnibox does more than displaying the URL and allowing you to search. It is also capable of performing mathematical calculations (as shown in the picture) and even answer questions such as "how many cups are in 2 liters?" Try adding any math calculation now in the Omnibox without pressing enter to have the results shown.

Sync Chrome with your Google account

Chrome allows you to sync your settings, passwords, and bookmarks to your Google account. This is a great feature for anyone who switches computers (e.g. work computer and home computer) and needs access to all their bookmarks and account settings. You can log into your Google Account and adjust your sync settings by going into Settings under the "wrench"  or "Menu" icon.

Pin your frequently used tabs

Pin your favorite tabs to save space on your tab bar without losing quick access to your favorite pages. In the above picture, you can see we have eight pinned tabs, which would have normally consumed our tab bar.

To Pin a tab right-click on any open tab and click Pin Tab.

Bonus tip: You can also click-and-drag a pinned tab to the position of your choice.

Use the Autofill feature

Use the Chrome Autofill feature for automatically filling out any online form with common fields such as your name, e-mail, address, etc. To enter the Autofill values follow the steps below.

1. Click on the "wrench"  or "Menu" icon in the top right corner.
2. Click Settings
3. At the bottom of Settings, click Show advanced settings...
4. Click Manage Autofill settings under Passwords and forms.
5. In the Autofill settings window, click the Add new street address button.
6. Fill out all address settings you want to be saved and click ok.
7. Once complete try out your Autofill using the below form. To enter the values click on any of the below fields and select the name of your Autofill.

First name: Last name:
Address:
City: State: Zip:
Phone number: E-mail:

Resize text boxes

Chrome gives you the ability to resize any text field, which is useful for when you're filling out a form that doesn't seem big enough for all the information you're entering. To resize the text field click-and-drag the bottom right corner of the box. Below is a text field that can be used as an example.

Use the Chrome Task Manager

Since each open tab runs it its own sandbox to help with browser stability, it can be difficult to see the overall system resources being used. For example, in the Windows Task Manager you will see multiple instances of Google Chrome running for each open tab.

Use the Chrome Task Manager to show you how much memory and CPU resources each open tab and extension you have installed is using. To open the Task Manager press Shift + Esc or Click on the "wrench"  or "Menu" icon in the top right corner, click Tools, and then Task Manager. If you want to get real geeky click the stats for nerds click at the bottom of the Task Manager.

Quickly close a tab

Any tab can be closed by clicking on the x on the tab. However, there are much quicker ways to close a tab. For example, if you have a mouse with a wheel pushing in on the wheel anywhere on the tab closes the tab. The shortcut keys Ctrl + W or Ctrl + F4 also close the current open tab.

Bonus tip: Middle-clicking on any link also opens that link in a new tab.

Use Chrome commands

Use the chrome:// commands to access many hidden features of Chrome. There is a few dozen of these commands available that allows you to do everything from viewing DNS information, GPU information, look for conflicts, setting flags, and much more. A listing of these commands can be accessed by typing chrome://chrome-urls in the Omnibox.

Install Extensions

No Internet browser has every feature you want, therefore we suggest visiting the Google Chrome Webstore to install free extensions for your browser. Today, there are thousands of available extensions, games, and other add-ons that can be installed into your browser.

Top 10 unknown Google tricks

Below is a list of our top ten Google tricks many people who use Google don't know.

Find weather and movies

Type "weather" or "movies" followed by a zip code or city and state to display current weather conditions or movie theaters in your area. For example, typing weather 84101 gives you the current weather conditions for Salt Lake City, UT. Typing movies 84101 gives you a link for show times for movies in that area.

Definitions

Pull up the definition of the word by typing define followed by the word you want to define. For example, typing: define bravura would display the definition of that word.

Local search

Visit Google Local enter the area you want to search and the keyword of the place you want to find. For example, typing: restaurant at the above link would display local restaurants.

Phone number lookup

Enter a full phone number with area code to display the name and address associated with that phone number.

Track airline flight and packages

Enter the airline and flight number to display the status of an airline flight and it's arrival time. For example, type: delta 123 to display this flight information if available.

Google can also give a direct link to package tracking information if you enter a UPS, FedEx or USPS tracking number.

Translate

Translate text, a full web page, or search by using the Google Language Tools.

Pages linked to you

See what other web pages are linking to your website or blog by typing link: followed by your URL. For example, typing link:http://www.computerhope.com displays all pages linking to Computer Hope.

Find PDF results only

Add fileType: to your search to display results that only match a certain file type. For example, if you wanted to display PDF results only type: "dell xps" fileType:pdf -- this is a great way to find online manuals.

Calculator

Use the Google Search engine as a calculator by typing a math problem in the search. For example, typing: 100 + 200 would display results as 300.

Stocks

Quickly get to a stock quote price, chart, and related links by typing the stock symbol in Google. For example, typing: msft displays the stock information for Microsoft.

Top 10 Internet tips and tricks

Take advantage of tabbed browsing

Take full advantage of tabbed browsing on all Internet browsers. While reading an article or browsing a website, you may come across a link that interests you. Any link to another page can be opened in a new tab so it does not interrupt your reading. To perform this action, hold down the Ctrl key and left-click the link. If you have a mouse with a wheel, click the link by depressing the wheel instead of rolling it. Either of the methods opens a link in a new window.

Tip: To open an new blank tab, press Ctrl + T at the same time.

You don't need the http:// portion of a web page

When entering an Internet address you do not need to type http:// or even www. in the address. For example, if you wanted to visit Computer Hope you could just type computerhope.com and press enter. To make things even quicker, if you are visiting a .com address you can type computerhope and then press Ctrl + Enter to type out the full http://www.computerhope.com address.

Quickly move between the fields of a web page

If you are filling out an online form, e-mail, or other text field you can quickly move between each of the fields by pressing the Tab key or Shift + Tab to move back a field. For example, in the example form below you can click in the "First Name" field type anything and press tab to switch to the next field.

Example Form

First Name:
Last Name:
E-mail:

Tip: This tip also applies to buttons, if you press tab the buttons can also be highlighted. Once a button is highlighted press the spacebar or enter to push the button.

Tip: With a drop-down box that lists dozens of options you can press the first letter to scroll down to that letter. For example, click the drop down box below and then press "u" to quickly scroll to Utah.

Bonus Tip: You can also use the autofill feature to fill in common form fields.

Know your Internet browser shortcuts

There are dozens of different shortcut keys that can be used with Internet browsers. Below are a few of our top suggested Internet browser shortcuts.

• Press Alt + D or Ctrl + L to move the cursor into the address bar.
• Hold down the Ctrl key and press the + or - to increase and decrease the size of text. Ctrl + 0 will reset the text.
  
• Press the backspace key or press Alt key + left arrow to go back a page.
  
• Press F5 or Ctrl + R to refresh or reload a web page.
  
• Press F11 to make the Internet browser screen full screen. Press F11 again to return to the normal view.
  
• Press Ctrl + B to open your Internet bookmarks.
  
• Press Ctrl + F to open the find box to search for text within the web page you are reading.

Computer buying help and tips

Reference	Questions
Applications	Buying tips and help with buying software applications
Batteries	Help and tips with buying batteries

Case	Buying tips on computer cases (chassis)
CD-ROM	Tips and help with buying computer CD-ROM drives
CD-R/RW	Help and information on buying CD-R and CD-RW drives
CPU	Information and tips on buying a computer CPU

Computer CD-R buying tips

Buying a CD-R or CD-RW drive can sometimes be a confusing task. Below we have listed important considerations to look at when considering purchasing a CD-R drive.

Technology

Before considering purchasing a CD-R or CD-RW drive, it is also good to consider the other available options.

CD-R - CD Recordable drives allow you to do everything that a standard CD-ROM is capable of doing with the added ability of creating your own CDs. An excellent solution for anyone that is in need of a CD-ROM and backup solution.

CD-RW - Like a CD-R drive, a CD-RW or CD Read/Write drive allows you to do everything that a standard CD-ROM is capable of doing with the ability to read and write CD-R and CD-RW discs. While more expensive, this is another great solution for backups.

DVD - DVD, or Digital Versatile (video) Disc, that allows a computer to read all discs including DVD discs and DVD movies. For users who plan on playing games or watching movies on their computers, this is an excellent addition. Tips on buying these drives can be found on our DVD .

Interface

The first and foremost important consideration is the Interface that the CD-R and CD-RW drive uses. If you are an IBM user, you have a decision between an IDE, SCSI or USB interface. Macintosh users will want to consider between SCSI and a USB interface.

IDE Each IBM computer has the capability of having a total of four IDE devices connected to it. It is likely that one or two of these are already being used, one by the hard disk drive and one by the CD-ROM drive.
IDE devices are a great solution to consider when thinking about the interface you want to use as the drives are easy to install and are relatively fast.

SCSI Every Macintosh computer has a SCSI port built onto the Motherboard or has an Interface card for SCSI devices. Not all computers have a SCSI card, which means you need to purchase an interface card before installing a SCSI CD-R drive.
SCSI devices are one of the more difficult drives to install but are the fastest solution of the three available interfaces.

USB USB is a new interface available on newer IBM and Macintosh computers. USB is a fast solution but is the slower of the three interface possibilities. What makes USB a strong competitor is they are usually always easy to install and are a portable solution, meaning these drives will work with other computers with USB ports.

Software

The next important consideration to look at when purchasing a CD-R or CD-RW drive is the included software. The software is what allows the computer to interface with the CD-R or CD-RW drive and be able to copy files onto the blank CD. Poorly written software can hinder the ease of use of a CD-R or CD-RW drive and sometimes cause errors with the CDs that are created.

Speed

The speed of the CD-R drive can also be an important consideration, as this determines the amount of time this drive takes to create or read a CD. Users that expect to not burn many CDs may want to look at the slower, less expensive drives, while users that expect to burn several CDs may want to look at the faster, more expensive drives.

Other considerations

Some other important considerations to look at when purchasing a computer CD-R or CD-RW drive include:

Warranty How long is the warranty and what does it cover.

Support Is the technical support number a free number; is it open 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Price range

For a CD-R and CD-RW drive, not to be confused with a CD-ROM or DVD drive, can vary depending upon the speed, the included software and the interface the CD-ROM drive uses.

Standard IDE/SCSI CD-R Drive: $100.00 - $200.00
Standard IDE/SCSI CD-RW Drive: $160.00 - $300.00+
USB CD-R and CD-RW Drive: $150.00 - $200.00+

Ready to buy

Once you have reviewed the appropriate information and believe that you are ready to make a purchase of a computer CD-R or CD-RW, ensure that the source that you plan on purchasing the CD-R or CD-RW from is a reputable source and you have reviewed our section on what to look out for when purchasing over the Internet.

Computer Hope is ready to setup and help you with issues you may encounter during the purchase and installation of your CD-R or CD-RW, regardless if you purchase through us or another vendor.

To help support Computer Hope you can purchase directly through our well-known associate, Amazon. Click the below browse button to begin browsing through the CD-R or CD-RW section.

CD drive installation

Additional help and information about installing computer CD drives and other computer hardware can be found through our Installation section.

Computer case buying tips

Purchasing a computer case is not something to consider if you are buying a computer from an OEM such as Dell or Hewlett Packard. However, for those building a computer it can be an important consideration. Below is a listing of different considerations to look at when buying a computer case.

Color and case type

Today, there are a wide variety of computer case colors and case sizes for the PC. When looking at the case, consider the color of the case and its size. Most cases come in either urban white or white. Additional information about the computer chassis including the color and size can be found on our chassis definition.

Location and size

Before purchasing a computer case you should think out where the computer is going to be placed.

• Is it going to be on your desk or your floor?
• Is it going to have enough space at its location with the monitor and other peripherals possibly next to it?
• If it's in a bedroom will it be quiet enough if left on while you sleep?

Upgrade availability

• Does the case have enough bays for adding additional hard drives or other drives?
• Does the case have the availability for slots for additional expansion cards to be placed in?
• Is the computer easy to work in or will it have to be completely disassembled to get to certain parts of the computer?

Motherboard

If you are assembling your own computer, make sure that the motherboard form factor you plan to purchase is going to be able to fit into the computer case. The standard motherboard form factor today is ATX or microATX.

Power supply

If you are assembling your own computer, make sure that the computer case either comes with a power supply or that the power supply you plan on purchasing will fit into the computer case.

Additionally, if you are building a gaming computer with an advanced video card make sure that the power supply is big enough to support the video card along with all other hardware in the computer. If you cannot find the video card recommended power supply requirement, we suggest using at least a 500W PSU.

Service

Many case manufacturers are creating their cases solely for computer manufactures and may not sell to end-users. If you are building a computer and able to order such a case, it is likely that service or support may be slim or not available as well as long distance. Take this into consideration when purchasing a computer case.

Computer battery buying tips

Main batteries
CMOS batteries
Bridge batteries

Main batteries

The main battery is the battery used to power laptop computers. When looking to purchase a new main battery from a third-party, make sure you're getting the correct battery. Verify the below specifications either from the bottom of the battery or from the computer manufacturer.

• Type - Get the right battery: Nicad, NiMH, or Li-ion.
• Manufacturer - Some portables may use a certain manufacturer of battery. Verify if a third-party manufacturer's battery was used. Also, make sure the battery is not proprietary and could be purchased from a third-party.
• Voltage - Verify the Voltage of battery; this amount can vary depending on the battery.
• mAH - Verify the mAH of the battery; this amount can vary depending on the battery.

Warranty

Before purchasing the battery, see if the battery comes with any warranty and how long the warranty may be. This makes things easier if it is defective, since you may be able to return the battery for a new battery or for a refund.

Prices

Prices can vary depending on quantity of batteries, size, and the age of the laptop. Below is a list of the most popular batteries and their price range in the U.S. Dollar.

1 NICAD Battery: $80.00 to $150.00
1 NiMH Battery: $100.00 to $160.00
1 Li-Ion Battery: $100.00 to $180.00

Where to buy

Your laptop computer manufacturer is the best place to get a price quote on a replacement battery. After doing this, check any of the links below to get a price quote comparison and find the cheapest solution.

Ebatts.com
Batteries Plus
BatteriesInAFlash
Laptop batteries planet

Charge the battery properly

Once you have received the battery, if it includes documentation for how to charge it for the first time, make sure to follow those instructions exactly. Otherwise it's recommended that you charge the battery for at least 24 hours before use.

Recycle

See the battery recycling section for further information about properly recycling your old defective battery.

CMOS batteries

The CMOS battery is used to store system information, such as the time and date, and should be replaced when receiving the error "System battery dead", if the computer does not keep the correct time or date, or if you are losing a dramatic amount of time over a period of time.

Before replacing the CMOS battery, you need to know what battery the computer is using. This can be done either by opening the computer and locating the battery or through the motherboard or computer documentation. We suggest visiting a local Radio Shack or other electronics store if you've got the battery but can't identify it or to purchase a new battery.

• How to replace the CMOS battery.

Prices

Prices can vary depending on quantity of batteries, size, and the age of laptop. Below is a list of the most popular batteries and their price range in the U.S. Dollar.

CMOS coin battery: $1.00 to $10.00
CMOS RTC battery: $2.00 to $20.00

Bridge batteries

The bridge battery is a small battery that holds a charge for a sufficient amount of time while swapping between main batteries. If you believe that this battery is defective or bad, it is recommended that you contact your laptop manufacturer for a replacement part.

Computer application buying tip

Purchasing a software application or program can be a big consideration, especially when purchasing advanced and usually expensive programs such as Microsoft Office or Adobe Photoshop. When considering purchasing these programs it is important that you or your staff be familiar with the program and are sure it's going to be capable of what you need it to do.

On this page we've listed different considerations to think about before buying a computer software application.

 Competition

Before buying any application make sure there is not a competing program that may be cheaper or even free. If available and something that's capable of doing what you want it to do this could save you hundreds of dollars.

A good example of such a program is OpenOffice and Corel WordPerfect that would be a competitor to Microsoft Word. Both programs are an excellent choice for a word processor but can be a considerable price difference. In the case of OpenOffice, it's 100% free.

Documentation

Make sure proper documentation is included. Many programs today will include on-line documentation that is more than sufficient. However, it is also useful to obtain a manual or user guide for the software program or application.

Licenses

If you are a company who plans on having software programs used by its employees (more than one person), you need to consider licensing options. It is required that for each computer a product is installed onto that it have a software license. If a company purchases the program and shares it with all its employees without the proper licensing, this would be illegal and can cause your company to face a criminal lawsuit.

Price

Look at your overall price and shop around. Because a software price can change often, you can sometimes save hundreds of dollars on expensive software. If possible, do not purchase directly through the company; many times, the company's price doubles a retailers price.

Be cautious of OEM software. Many resellers will sell a program as OEM, which requires you buy a computer or motherboard. OEM software is software that is included with large manufacturers' computers and only includes either just a CD or a slim manual and CD. This is not what you would find at a retail store. This option is not a bad option, it is only important that you are aware of what you are getting.

Package

Look at the overall software package. How many CDs or diskettes are included, what inserts and documentation is included, and is there any bonus or extra software included?

Media

Today, the majority of software is included on CDs and DVDs. When looking at a program, make sure you have an acceptable drive that's able to read the media, While not common today, an example of why this is important is it's better to receive one CD instead of 32 floppy diskettes.