Oh — hi there there. So, you want uncovering superior superior powers for your Android cellphone browser, do ya? You’ve completely explored all of the fastidiously hid settings for higher looking in the Chrome Android app from the opposite day, and also you’re again for much more already? My, you are a tenacious little monkey.
Well, you’ve got come to the fitting place, my fellow primate, for I additionally take pleasure in unearthing exceptionally fascinating out-of-sight settings. And I’ve been doing an terrible lot of digging in the Chrome Android browser as of late — a lot, in truth, that I’ve bought an entire different set of simply ignored treasures to transcend the browsing-centric batch we already introduced into our lives.
This collection of secret Chrome Android settings revolves round sharing — y’know, the timeless act of taking one thing you see on these right here interwebbular supernodes and sending it to a different human and/or amphibian (or possibly even simply into one other app on your cellphone for your personal private saving). I do not find out about you, however I discover myself doing that dance roughly 7,427 occasions a day, on common. And so I’m merely delighted to see some fascinating new methods to make it quicker, simpler, and much more efficient.
Before we resume our digital spelunking, let me provide you with my normal Chrome-on-Android explorer’s warning: The settings we’re about to excavate are all linked to Google’s Chrome flags system. That’s a spot for choices which are actively being labored on and are not technically meant for mainstream use — and as such, it has some effective superior choices that would actually screw stuff up if you happen to aren’t cautious. (It additionally evolves continuously, so it is completely potential a few of the settings we speak about right here may look completely different and even disappear completely down the street.)
As lengthy as you comply with my directions fastidiously and do not mess with anything you encounter, you will be tremendous! But prodding round past the precise steps we talk about right here isn’t one thing I might advise, because it may result in everlasting doom for all of humanity (insert dramatic bwah-hah-hah-style cackling right here). Or, um, y’know, simply your browser performing bizarre for some time.
Either manner, keep on this path, and beforehand unseen stupendous sharing treasures shall quickly be yours.
Shall we?
Chrome Android setting No. 1: The deep-link sharing machine
Regular readers of my Android Intelligence e-newsletter understand how a lot I am keen on Google’s awkwardly named Link to Text Fragment add-on for the Chrome desktop browser. With the extension in place, you possibly can spotlight textual content on any net web page you are viewing on a pc after which right-click to discover a spiffy new possibility for making a hyperlink to a selected part of textual content inside an online web page after which sending it to another person.
So if, for occasion, I wished to level you to the outline of my favourite setting from the primary a part of this collection, I may generate a hyperlink like this — and once you open it in Chrome or every other appropriate browser, you will be taken that precise half of the web page, possibly even with the textual content highlighted in yellow for emphasis (relying on what particular browser and kind of gadget you are utilizing).
Handy, correct? I positive assume so. But I’ve additionally all the time discovered myself annoyed with the truth that the identical operate is not accessible on Android — or so I assumed.
I used to be happy as a prickly pickle to find throughout my digging that there is really now a method to allow the identical setting in Chrome on the Android aspect. Here’s how:
- Start by typing chrome:flags into the handle bar in the Chrome Android app.
- Next, sort the phrase highlights into the search field on the display that comes up.
- See the road labeled “Chrome Share textual content highlights on Android”? Tap the field beneath it and alter its setting from “Default” to “Enabled.”
- And lastly, faucet the Relaunch button that exhibits up on the backside of the display.
And that, my pricey dingo, is all there may be to it. Now, simply open up any ol’ net web page you want — possibly even this one, if you happen to’re feeling particularly saucy — and contact and maintain your finger to some textual content to focus on it. Tap the “Share” command in the menu that comes up, and…shazam:
There, in that Chrome sharing menu, you will see a shiny new “Link to textual content” possibility. Tap it — faucet it with gusto, gersh dern it! — and the hyperlink to the precise textual content you chose will likely be created. You can then choose any different app the place you wish to ship it, and when you do, each the textual content you highlighted and the hyperlink to its precise a part of the web page will likely be pasted over.
JR And when anybody opens that hyperlink — nicely, my goodness, take a look at what occurs:
JR Enlightening, would not ya say?
Chrome Android setting No. 2: The smarter screenshot editor
Next up in our Chrome settings journey is a useful new method to seize and regulate screenshots from correct inside the Chrome Android browser. Normally, you’d have to make use of the common Android screenshot system to try this, and the modifying instruments instantly accessible in that interface might or might not meet your wants.
With this particular setting enabled, although, you will see a brand new “Screenshot” possibility correct inside the usual Chrome sharing interface — the little panel that pops up once you faucet the Share possibility inside the browser’s predominant menu.
See?
JR Pound your pinky down on that sucker, and you will be taken to a secret system you by no means knew existed — a standalone Chrome screenshot editor, the place you possibly can crop, annotate, and even add textual content onto any screenshot you seize.
JR Sweet sassy molassy, that is helpful!
To allow it in your personal browser:
- Once once more, sort chrome:flags into the Chrome handle bar.
- This time, sort screenshots in the search field on the display that comes up.
- Find the merchandise labeled “Chrome Share Screenshots,” faucet the field beneath it, and alter its setting from “Default” to “Enabled.”
- Tap the Relaunch button on the backside of the display.
All that is left is to faucet the Share command inside the principle Chrome Android menu — the menu you open by urgent the three-dot icon in the browser’s upper-right nook — after which look for the brand new “Screenshot” choice to get began.
Chrome Android setting No. 3: The unbelievable cross-device clipboard system
Let me put together you: This subsequent secret Chrome setting is fairly forkin’ unbelievable. It has the potential to critically prevent time and make your life simpler, particularly once you’re shifting between your cellphone and laptop throughout the day (as most of us are inclined to do!).
It’s a super-powerful shared clipboard system that allows you to copy textual content from anyplace on your cellphone after which ship it on to your laptop’s clipboard — so all you’ve got gotta do from there may be hit Ctrl-V (or Cmd-V, if you happen to’re a treasured Apple particular person) and the textual content you copied on your cellphone will magically seem anyplace you paste it on your laptop.
I’m trembling simply interested by it. Of course, it is roughly 1 diploma outdoors the place I’m correct now, so which may have one thing to do with my quivery nature. But both manner, that is thrilling.
And there’s really much more to it: In addition to sending textual content to your laptop’s clipboard, you possibly can beam hyperlinks correct over for simple opening. And the identical factor works in the opposite course, too — for sending textual content or hyperlinks from your laptop to your cellphone.
On the Android finish, the choice seems inside the usual Android sharing menu. So as an example, for occasion, you’ve gotten some textual content in an electronic mail that you simply wish to shoot over to your laptop. You’d simply press and maintain your finger to the phrases you need inside Gmail after which choose “Share” on the menu that exhibits up.
That’ll take you to that normal Android sharing panel, and there, you will discover a bit downward-facing arrow subsequent to the phrase “Chrome” in the listing of choices. (And a bonus tip: You may also pin that particular operate to the highest of the sharing menu for even simpler entry, if you happen to’re utilizing Android 11.)
JR Tap that icon, and…
JR Well, wowzers in my trousers. Wouldya take a look at that? Now, simply choose the awkwardly capitalized “Send textual content to Your Devices,” and…
JR Shabang.
If you had been doing this inside Chrome on your cellphone, by the way in which, you’d need to scroll all the way in which to the fitting on the listing of share choices that initially comes up when you choose and share textual content inside the browser, then choose “More” from there to get to the usual Android sharing interface. If you wished to share a hyperlink as an alternative of textual content, yow will discover an choice to do that inside the customized Chrome sharing interface that comes up once you hit the Share possibility in Chrome’s predominant menu. (Grumble, grumble, complicated inconsistencies and interface issues — imagine me, I do know.)
Things are a bit less complicated with sending from the desktop aspect. There, you simply spotlight any textual content on a web page or any hyperlink in the handle bar of the Chrome browser, then right-click to seek out the “Copy to your gadget” or “Send to your gadgets” possibility.
All correct, so let’s get this celebration began. First, on your cellphone:
- Type chrome:flags into the Chrome handle bar.
- Type clipboard into the search field on the prime of the display that comes up.
- Tap the field beneath “Enable shared clipboard characteristic indicators to be dealt with” and alter its setting to “Enabled.”
- Tap the Relaunch button on the backside of the display.
Now, take a deep breath, ‘trigger we have gotta regulate a pair settings on the pc aspect, too, earlier than this’ll work.
In Chrome on your laptop — whether or not it is a Windows PC, a Chromebook, or perhaps a $6,000 Mac with a $700 set of wheels connected:
- Type chrome:flags into the browser’s handle bar there.
- Type shared clipboard into the search field on the display that comes up.
- See the road labeled “Enable shared clipboard characteristic indicators to be dealt with”? Click the field subsequent to it and alter its setting to “Enabled.”
- Now click on again to the search field on the prime of the display, and this time, sort obtain messages into it.
- Click the field subsequent to “Enables the distant copy characteristic to obtain messages” and alter its setting to “Enabled.”
- Last however not least, click on the Relaunch button in the lower-right nook of the display.
And with that, you possibly can go fetch your self a cookie (browser-based or chocolate chip — your selection), for your clipboards are actually linked throughout your entire Chrome-running, Google-signed-in gadgets. Three cheers for simplicity, even when it is weirdly difficult to attain it!
Chrome Android setting No. 4: The customized sharing shunning
So, keep in mind all that stuff we had been simply speaking about with the Chrome customized sharing menu? Y’know, like 30 seconds in the past — about the way it’s clunky and complicated how the Chrome Android app makes use of its personal customized sharing system as an alternative of bringing you to the usual Android sharing interface?
JR Yeah — that is the one. I’ve fairly sturdy emotions about that apply, as you most likely know by now. And if you happen to discover it as irritating as I do, boy howdy, have I bought excellent news for you.
Turns out, there is a method to flip off that customized Chrome sharing interface completely. And when you do, anytime you share something from Chrome, you will be taken correct to the usual Android sharing setup — with out having to first scroll all the way in which throughout that foolish horizontal menu and faucet the “More” button to get there.
There’s only one caveat to this: Google has began constructing a few of its Chrome-specific options into that customized Chrome sharing menu — issues just like the deep-link sharing and in-browser screenshot modifying that we had been simply going over. So in order for you to have the ability to entry that stuff, you will need to suck it up and follow the customized Chrome sharing setup.
If you aren’t planning on utilizing these options and would moderately simply do away with that additional interface and go straight to the usual Android sharing menu everytime you share something from Chrome, although, here is how you are able to do it:
- Type chrome:flags into the Chrome Android app’s handle bar.
- Type sharing hub into the search field on the prime of the display that comes up.
- Tap the field beneath “Chrome Sharing Hub” and alter its setting to “Disabled.”
- Tap the Relaunch button on the backside of the display.
When your browser comes again, strive hitting the Share command inside the principle Chrome menu (or choosing some textual content and hitting “Share” from there) — and…
JR Hip, hip, hooray! You’re again to the Android normal menu, with all of your apps and sharing targets correct in entrance of you and straightforward to seek out. Thank Goog the choice is at the very least nonetheless accessible — for now.
Chrome Android setting No. 5: A extra handy Share command
With all this speak about sharing inside Chrome, it is powerful not to consider the truth that the browser’s Share command is tucked away inside the app’s predominant menu — which means you need to first press that three-dot icon earlier than yow will discover and use it.
I do not find out about you, however I share stuff from my browser consistently — whether or not it is sending a hyperlink to 1 service or one other for my very own private saving or sending a web page over to another person in an electronic mail. And all the time having to open up that predominant menu earlier than I can get to the Share command provides as much as plenty of wasted seconds all through my day.
You’d by no means realize it, however Chrome really has a setting that may repair that and concurrently enhance your effectivity — by bringing the Share command entrance and heart, correct into the handle bar, the place it is by no means greater than a single faucet away:
JR In truth, I’ve had it arrange that manner in the entire screenshots in this story. Major bonus factors if you happen to observed!
If you need your Share command to seem in Chrome’s handle bar like that for simpler entry, too, here is all you’ve got gotta do:
- Type chrome:flags in the browser’s handle bar (sure, once more!).
- Type share button into the search field on the highest of the display that comes up.
- Tap the field beneath “Share Button in Top Toolbar” and alter its setting to “Enabled.”
- Tap the Relaunch button on the backside of the display.
Say “Googledy, boogledy, bippity, doogledy” for good measure and/or an expedited path to madness, after which open your eyes to see your snazzy new Share button placement.
Chrome Android setting No. 6: An alternate top-button possibility
Okay, so this final secret setting is not precisely sharing–. But it is an fascinating various to the setting we simply went over, so I assumed it was value together with.
Because, hey — we’re all completely different. Maybe you do not share stuff from Chrome fairly so usually. Maybe utilizing that invaluable single-button precedence spot in the handle bar for the Share command would not make sense for you. And possibly there’s some different operate that would higher use that area in your Android Chrome browser.
Well, seems, you’ve got bought an alternative choice. You can swap out that handle bar Share button with a microphone icon as an alternative and provides your self an on-demand, one-tap method to begin a brand new voice search with a single faucet of your spectacular fingie.
JR Just contact your favourite phalange to the icon, and begin yappin’ away:
JR And even if you happen to’re insane sufficient to say one thing like “fishy fishy fishy” again and again (as solely a very deranged particular person would), you will end up dealing with a display stuffed with search outcomes a second later — no additional effort or pointless faucets required.
To give your self the one-tap handle bar search button:
- Type chrome:flags into the Chrome Android app’s handle bar.
- Type voice button into the search field on the display that comes up.
- Tap the button beneath “Voice button in prime toolbar” and alter its settled to “Enabled.” (Note that, for apparent causes, you will solely be capable of use this or the Share button setting. They will not each work collectively.)
- Tap the Restart button on the backside of the display.
All that is left is to faucet, faucet, faucet, after which yap, yap, yap. Ahh — if solely all issues in life might be really easy.
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