Google is constantly innovating and updating the performance of their Google Chrome Browser. The changes seem to sneak up on us like a thief in the night at times catching us off guard an unaware. 
Quite often the updates to Google Chrome are very subtle and have little impact on our day to day web surfing experience. Technically the browser will update on it's on, but every now and then we need to give it a gentle nudge by simply checking “About Google Chrome.”
Then there are times when a more radical change comes along that gets our attention – and not always in a good way. We're creatures of habit, which means that we're very resistant change and although we might get annoyed when features are moved around we have little choice but to accept them and move on.
Google has built a lot of loyalty into the Chrome brand (they have a way of doing that don't they) and even hard-core Firefox users will pop in and out of Chrome at least once or twice a day for various tasks.
The Blank Tab In Google Chrome
In a recent change to our favorite browser, Google moved the blank tab containing access to all of our apps and the Chrome Store up to the toolbar. I'll admit, I was very annoyed with that change and I'm sure some of you were also. But after a day or two I started to think of ways to take advantage of the switch. It's actually pretty handy to get access to my most frequently visited websites when I open a blank tab. Here's a peek at the line-up I see when I open a blank tab.
I've got loads of social media sites including YouTube, Triberr, Viral Content Buzz, HootSuite, JustRetweet etc.
What websites do see when you open a blank tab in Chrome? Let me know in the comments section.
Pro Tips for Google Chrome Power Users
One of the coolest tips for using Chrome comes from Peggy Duncan over at Suite Minute in a post called How to Add Your Favorite Webpages to Your Browser Bar. After watching her video I wanted to kick myself for doing it the hard way all those years. You might be doing it the long way too, since most people will click the star on the right hand side of the Omnibox and confirm the new bookmark in the dialog box. Next your bookmark will be added to the end of a long list of bookmarks and most likely it will never see the light of day unless you make the extra effort to move it to a new position.
The method Peggy shared works on Firefox and IE also and very simply, you just drag and drop the new bookmark and plop it down wherever you want on the toolbar.
That is only one of the tips that I share in this video – check out the others and you'll be a Google Chrome Power User in record time!
Google Chrome Browser Tips for Power Users
Related links:
- The Chrome Store
- How to Access Apps and Recently Closed Tabs
- Keep Google Chrome, Gmail and Wisestamp Up to Date
- Managing Extensions in the Google Chrome Toolbar
Transcript for Chrome Power User Video
Today I want to talk to you about the Google Chrome browser and how you can set your browser up for success so you can be a power user on Google Chrome. I wanna show you some tips to help you be more efficient and toward the and I'm gonna give you a special bonus tip that's gonna make you feel like a real power user when it comes to Google Chrome.
When you open a blank tab in Chrome you would get a display of all your applications that you have installed as well as access to the Google Chrome Store where you can find more handy applications and extensions. But one of the updates that they rolled out in the fall of 2013 was to change the home screen for a blank tab and now it looks like this.
So the first tip I wanna give you is even though this browser should update automatically sometimes it doesn't. So I want you to move over to the top of the page and come down and open up your settings bar and do “About Google Chrome”. This is going to check to make sure that you have up-to-date browser and then you'll get the message to let you know that it's up to date.Anytime you find that things are behaving a little strangely go up and make sure that it's up to date.
Now this new blank tab does have some cool features. It let's you do the Google search but it also remembers your browsing history so it's going to show you those pages that you visit most often. They also added a handy feature up in your toolbar to get you back to the Apps page and that's just a link right here.
Now I've showed this in a previous video if you wanna see your extensions and there's just a subtle difference between your Chrome extensions and your Apps you can install the link right on your browser bar for extensions and always check of this develop remove that's just gonna give you if there's any extra features or anything new rolling out that'll give you access if you find that there's an extension that you just don't really like and you haven't really been using it you can easily disable it right here. Or if you completely don't want to have anything to do with the app anymore you can delete it here.
Now HootSuite they're another one who's always constantly innovating and they just made some recent changes to the HootSuite Hootlet but there's options with that so if you wanna check on the options, always look to see what those options are and toggle off any features that you don't want.
Now let's turn our attention back to this browser bar and you'll notice something that I've done here see these bookmarks that I have right here. Notice that they don't have any words next to them that just gives you more room on your browser bar.
If you know certain icons for the favicon of certain sites that you visit often you can simply remove the words. For example this one is for Blog Engage you shortcut click open up edit see I know the favicon for Blog Engage so I don't need that to have any letters.
This next tip is going to save you time anytime you wanna add a new bookmark. So right now over on Triberr, and this my tribe over on Triberr. And you simply come up to the Omnibox that's what this space is called it's called an Omnibox, and drag it down. There you go and then we can edit that, get rid of the name. Now you have another quick way to get to your favorite sites; doesn't take up that much space on your bookmarks bar.
Moving on to the next tip I want to share with you, it's actually an extension is called Shortcuts for Google and this extension allows you to add any of the Google services that you want. It's just a quicker way to navigate around on Chrome and get easier access to all of the bookmarks and sites that you use, especially Google. And here's the Options page and you can see where this is all of the available Google services; you can just drag them over. Another option that I love about this extension is you can simply add a website. For example I added my Facebook page. So now I have easy access to go directly to my page right from Shortcuts for Google.
So now let's go over to our Power Tips and for those we're going to access the settings on Chrome. In the first section on “Start Up” this is where you gonna set the page that you always want whenever you open up Chrome. And for me it's going to be Basic Blog Tips which is my blog. You can also add additional pages that will open up every time you open your browser. So what we're going to do is we want to get access to those Apps very quickly so were gonna add the URL for the Apps. Come over to the Apps page, grab that URL, go back to our settings page, add it in. Now let's shut down the browser and open it back up and you'll see my homepage opened as well as that Apps page which I desperately wanna have access to as quickly as possible so I can go and check my email and any other sites that I wanna visit right away.
That's it for today guys hope you’re able to navigate your Google Chrome more efficiently, talk to you soon. Sign up for my newsletter that way you can stay on top of all the latest with blogging social media, YouTube, and podcasting. In order to sign up just go over to https://basicblogtips.com/tips And I'll chat with you soon.
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Hi Ileane,
Informative post yet again 🙂
Oh yes…I too don’t like changes like you, but I know sometimes they are for the better and Google does things in its own ways, doesn’t it?
I loved your tips and some of them I knew, but the others I would be trying out for sure just as you mentioned in your video. I think what’s working presently for me when I open my new tab is to get the list of sites I usually open or the most frequented ones – anything other than that I usually just have to start typing it, and it shows up in the URL on top, if it’s been visited earlier.
Thanks for sharing. Have a nice week ahead 🙂
Hi Harleena,
Yes Google does have a way of gently pushing us to do things. Google+ is forcing a lot of people to move over to Chrome in order to get a better experience and have access to all of the extensions that work with it. One reason I didn’t like this latest change is because they didn’t give people any options – or warning!
So I poked around until I found a way to get my apps page back and I decided to share it along with a few other tips. Glad you found them useful.
Thanks and you have a great week too.
Hi Ileane,
Thanks for sharing. I feel that this is a great write up since many people do not REALLY know about chrome. For them, it is just another browsing tool. Oh well, you nailed it my dear friend and take care!
Talk to you soon ya 😀
Reginald
Reginald, it’s so true. If I wasn’t into blogging I wouldn’t know a thing about Chrome either. I started off with IE back in the day and I never took the time to go beyond just visiting one or two websites. Using Chrome even helped me understand more about IE! lol Imagine that. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by and commenting. Have a great day.
Hi Ileane,
Great sharing,though some people are not like changes but Google is not ours:p.They do changes but they always try to give best to their users.Anyway nice tips you dig out.Thank you and keep sharing…!
Hi Sameer,
Thanks for stopping by. I hope Google keeps providing useful tools for us like Chrome.
I’m huge fan of Google and Chrome as well. But recent update in the Chrome really made me annoyed and still I’m not happy with one change. Thing is when I open a new tab, a local Google website of my country opens up and in the bookmark bar nothing shows at all. It becomes sometimes difficult to access bookmarked pages following shortcut ways. I don’t know why this is happening. Could you please explain how can I open up a blank tab where nothing will show up in Chrome??
Benjamin,
That sounds strange. Why would the bookmark bar be empty?
Do you think you can send me a screenshot? I’d like to take a look and give you a hand if I can.
Hello Ms Ileane,
Yes we are creatures of habit. I don’t like Google changes, especially because it happens so often. I am resistant to change.
That blank tab? For me it is very ugly and I do not use it.
Peggy’s method? I always worked that way. This is the first time I hear there are people who work differently.
I like the idea of explaining people about this type of changes and how it can affect you. It is a very useful material and I would like to see this kind of posts more and more often. Very good idea, indeed.
I can hardly wait for the next post. It is very useful.
Have a wonderful day
Hi Silviu,
You know it’s a funny thing – I thought I was already a Chrome Power User and I wasn’t even going to watch Peggy’s video all the way through. But I just love listening to her voice and I thought it would be nice to watch. After I saw her do the drag and drop – I sat there with my mouth opened for a few seconds. I still can’t believe I was doing it the long way all that time!
I’m going to see if I can find some more power tips to share, let me know if you can think of any that I missed!
Have you also started using Google+ comment system on BBT? Google chrome is my favorite browser now. Of course, I am yet to be a chrome power user (this comment is made from FF browser 😀 ). Informative post as usual.
Hi Krunal,
I keep going back and forth about what commenting system I want to use. I get really fed up with seeing spam everyday! G+ comments come with spam too so I’m at a loss for a solution to this right now. It’s here today but it might be gone tomorrow!
I’m a die hard Chrome fan and in fact I actually liked the blank new tab feature. I see my most used websites plus a handy search bar. I know, this might turn of many like you 🙂 And no, I don’t like all of the features that Google rolls out – I one I totally disliked in a few hours of using is the Gmail tabs 🙂
Thanks for the power user tips, Ileane 🙂
Hi Jane,
I didn’t know you were hooked on Chrome also. I thought you were using Firefox. My bad. lol
As the days go by I find more reason to like the new blank tab. One reason is because I added most of those sites that I have on the apps page to my bookmarks bar now.
I got rid of Gmail tabs from day one so I never even tried them. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by and for sharing the post Jane. Chat soon.
Very helpful post and video, Ileane – thanks so much. Not least of the outcomes is that I have now updated my Chrome browser – didn’t know how to do that before – cheers 🙂
HA! Some days those little things can mean so much 🙂
Thanks for your feedback Susan.
Hi Ileane mam,
Thanks for sharing an informative post about Google Chrome 🙂 Really, Google Chrome is a best and fastest browser. But, still i’m using Mozilla Firefox. Because, my OS is Ubuntu 13.04 and there is no Google Chrome, only Chromium browser, it didn’t works good like Google Chrome:)
Thanks Again…
Regards,
Abid Omar @ABCDBlogging.com
Hi Abid,
It’s funny but I never once laid my eyes on Ubuntu. Not that I’m aware of anyway.
Maybe one day you’ll get a different computer.
Thanks for commenting.
I snitched on Chrome few weeks ago, and it’s better that Firefox:)
Amen Robert.
Hello Ileane,
Google Chrome is a nice browser and I prefer it much than any other browser out there. But, Google always keeps updating and rolling out new features. It is not that they all are not so good, but sometimes we do not need a change or we do not like a change , as changing of New Tab page was not liked by me at all. It was very annoying, if one could wish to go to recently closed tab or any tab which was closed by mistaken, then he/she would have go to the top right corners besides extensions and then search for it.
Thanks for sharing the cool article, and yes, I do bookmarking very well 😛
Hi Ileane,
Learning much more about Chrome these days.
Thanks for the power packed share!
Ryan
My mind has been blown! (In a good way) I wish I would have known some of these tips sooner (especially the one where you drag and create a link from the omnibox). Thank you so much for this post! 🙂
Hey Ileane,
I’m patting myself on the back here because I already knew the majority of what you shared. Yay me!
Now when I open a new tab my most visited sites are Google (Gmail), my blog, Triberr, Facebook, Twitter, Aweber, Buffer and my cPanel. Yep, those are mine that I’m in pretty much ever single day.
Thanks for the video because I will admit that I much prefer Chrome over FireFox now. Once you get use to it most will feel the same way I believe.
~Adrienne
Hey Adrienne,
That’s pretty cool. I guess I need spend more time on AWeber so it will show up for me too. But we are both “social” people so I’m not surprised at all to see Triberr, Facebook and Twitter as part of your line up.
Thanks for stopping by Adrienne.
(btw – You’re mentioned in a video I posted this weekend about using bitly. When I clicked on the stats to see who shared a post, you showed up! Hope you get a chance to check it out soon.)
I love the Chrome and your tips made it super powerful. What I loved of the Chrome is that the bookmark bar is same throughout all of the computers I use once I log in to chrome. It really makes me feel at comfort when switching PCs.
I just like Chrome so much and Thanks for sharing such a fine knowledge article 🙂
Love the video you got here. Sometimes, Google Chrome’s update really surprises me.
Ileane been a while since I dropped by your blog.
Saw Adrienne tweet and decided that I should check out what you have to share.
At least with your tips I should become a power user myself
Google chrome is my one of the favorite browser now a days. Of course, I am yet to be a chrome power user. Informative and unique post as usual.
Same here Google chrome is what I am suing on my all gadgets even on my mobile phone and tablets too.
Google chrome is my one of the favorite browser now a days. Informative and unique article.
Great work very powerful tricks and google chrome is the best browser ever.
Hi Ileane,
Frankly saying I learn lots of new things from this blog post.
Before read this post I was don’t know what is the google chrome power. Even I listen this word for very first time.
Thanku so much for sharing a wonderful article . Keep writing 🙂
Very informative post although I’m used to work with Mozilla Firefox. Lately I get to work more and more with Chrome, only because its faster, but as I see in your post there are a lot of nice features to.
Thanks for sharing this article.
Hello Ileane,
nice post, Thanks for sharing this informtive post..I always prefer mozilla over chrome. now i am gonna change my choice.
Google chrome is my one of the favorite browser now a days. Of course, I am yet to be a chrome power user. Informative and unique post as usual.