Android Intelligence Advice

6 secret settings for better browsing in Chrome on Android

Supercharge your smartphone browsing experience with these powerful however completely concealed options.

Hey. You. Yes, you at that place — the one with your overly moist eyeballs pointed at the screen. What if I were to tell you that that the browser you rely on for all of your web-based exploring on Android had oodles of extra features — pinnacle-secret settings that'd add awesome powers into your mobile browsing adventures and make wiggling your fashion around this wacky ol' web of ours meaningfully better?

Well, provided you're using Google's Chrome browser for Android, that'southward as true every bit true tin be. And best of all, information technology doesn't have much to uncover all of Chrome's carefully concealed treasures — if you lot know where to wait.

Continuing on our e'er-nowadays theme of digging up hidden features and out-of-sight fourth dimension-savers, I thought now would be a fine time to break out my metaphorical spelunker'south hat (which is quite some cap, lemme tell ya) and dive deep into Chrome's cloudiest corners. And good golly, are there some spectacular goodies just begging to be unearthed there.

The six settings on this folio will make your Android-based spider web browsing more powerful, more efficient, and generally just more pleasant. They're all only sitting there waiting to be plant, also — then really, why non take advantage of what they accept to offer?

Before we spelunk any further, though, i quick discussion of alarm: All of these settings are part of Chrome's flags system, which is a home for under-development options that are still actively being worked on and aren't technically intended for mainstream use. The flags organization is meant for good users and other similarly informed (and/or insane) folk who want to get an early look at avant-garde items. It too evolves pretty regularly, so it'due south entirely possible some of the settings mentioned here may await different from what I've described or even be gone entirely at some point in the not-so-distant future.

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What'southward more than, the flags system has loads of advanced options within it, some of which could potentially crusade websites to look weird, Chrome itself to become unstable, or even your ears to start spewing a delightfully minty steam. (Hey, you never know.) And then in other words: Proceed with caution, follow my instructions advisedly, and don't mess with anything else y'all meet in this area of the browser unless you actually empathise information technology and genuinely know what you're doing.

Got all that? Good. Now, let's requite your browser some spiffy new superpowers, shall we?

Chrome Android setting No. ane: The magic custom shortcut button

This commencement underground Chrome setting for Android is probably my favorite — 'cause information technology's just so darn useful, no matter how y'all tend to hop around the spider web on your phone.

It's an extra button that gets added into the top of the Android Chrome browser and and then gives you extra-easy access to whatever function y'all use the near: sharing, opening up a new tab, or launching a new spider web search with only the silky sound of your salamander voice.

If y'all really desire to get wild, y'all tin even permit Chrome clarify your usage for you and turn the push button into a dynamic command center where the browser automatically decides which of those buttons is most probable to be useful for you at whatsoever given moment and and then adjusts itself accordingly.

Still you approach it, y'all'll save yourself the stride of start tapping to open Chrome's main bill of fare and then clumsily pawing around to find the function you need. And if yous use some of these functions as frequently as I practice, all those saved seconds can really add up.

Then what are you lot waiting for? To get that extra selection in Chrome on your phone this instant:

  • Type chrome:flags into the browser's address bar.
  • Blazon the word adaptiveinto the search box at the summit of the screen that comes upward.
  • Look for the lines labeled "Adaptive button in top toolbar" and "Adaptive button in top toolbar customization." Tap the box below each of 'em and change its setting to "Enabled."
  • Tap the Relaunch push at the bottom of the screen.

And that'south it — y'all did it! (Get ahead and give yourself a quick pat on the back, y'all audacious explorer.) Once your Android Chrome app restarts itself, you tin tap the iii-dot carte du jour icon in the browser's upper-right corner and select "Settings," then look for the freshly added "Toolbar shortcut" selection to configure exactly how your fancy new button will work.

Chrome Android Settings: Button JR

Make that selection once, then enjoy having the push of your pick a single tap away for all of eternity (or, y'know, until Google mucks effectually with this once again).

Chrome Android setting No. 2: A better Chrome widget

Android'due south in the midst of a long-awaited widget revival, but one widget that's remained woefully underwhelming is the weary ol' widget for Chwome. (Whoops — got carried away in that location. Sowwy 'bout that.)

Chrome'due south widget selection has long consisted of the uninspired options for putting a browser-specific search bar or a bland box showing your bookmarks on your home screen, and that's it. But now, you can add two far more appealing browser control panels into that mix —if you know how to uncover 'em.

Thankfully, you're most to:

  • Once again, blazonchrome:flags into your browser's address bar.
  • This time, typewidget into the box on the screen that comes up.
  • See the line labeled "Quick Action Search Widget"? Tap the box beneath that bad male child and alter its setting to "Enabled."
  • Go take hold of yourself a basin of pretzels and/or cheese poofs. You deserve it.
  • Tap the Relaunch button at the bottom of the screen.

After Chrome restarts, wipe off your snack-encrusted fingies and caput back to your habitation screen. Long-press on whatever open area to observe your device'due south widget selector. Find and tap "Chrome" in the list of choices, and you lot oughta then detect yourself facing ii snazzy new options for your Android widget-using pleasure:

Chrome Android Settings: Widgets JR

Much more useful than those rusty erstwhile options, wouldn't ya say?

Chrome Android setting No. 3: A more sensible article-saving system

Google added a handy manner to save pages from Chrome into a browser-based read-it-later list a while back. Yippee, correct? Sure — information technology's a nice plenty concept in theory (though try to contain yourself, for cryin' out loud; we've got a means to get yet). The problem is that by default, the characteristic is strangely buried and difficult to employ on Android.

To wit: If yous want to save something into your Chrome reading list from your phone, the only way to exercise it is commonly to long-press on a linkwithin a page and and so look for the choice to add that link into your list.

That's fine and dandy, just what if y'all want to save thecurrent page you're actively viewing? Vexingly, the Chrome Android browser has no fashion to do it.

Unless, that is, you know this pull a fast one on:

  • Typechrome:flags into the browser'southward address bar (starting to feel familiar even so?).
  • Typeread into the box at the top of the screen that comes up.
  • Find the "Reading List" option, tap the box beneath it, and change its setting from "Default" to "Enabled (with app menu item)."
  • Tap the blue Relaunch push button at the bottom of the screen.

Now, anytime you want to salvage a folio you're viewing into your Chrome reading listing, all you've gotta do is tap the browser's 3-dot menu icon — and bam! Correct in that location in that main carte is the obvious-seeming pick to add that very commodity direct into your list.

Chrome Android Settings: Reading list JR

Almost painfully sensible, no?

Oh, and when you're ready to find the stuff yous've saved, just tap the three-dot menu icon in Chrome's upper-right corner, select "Bookmarks," and look for the "Reading list" choice there. (If you lot don't see it correct abroad, you might have to hitting a dorsum-facing arrow in the upper-left corner of the screen and/or hit your forehead forcefully to initiate a brain reset.)

And speaking of your browser's bookmarks...

Chrome Android setting No. 4: A more modern bookmarks interface

Chrome's bookmarks surface area on Android hasn't gotten much love as of belatedly. The interface has looked a bit blah, to employ the technical term, for quite a while now. But fearfulness not, for Google hasn't forgotten well-nigh information technology entirely.

You can fast-rails your Android phone into Chrome's new-and-improved bookmarks setup by making this quick tweak:

  • Typechrome:flags into the browser'due south address bar.
  • Typebookmarks into the search box on the screen that comes up.
  • Tap the line labeled "Bookmarks refresh" and alter its setting from "Disabled" to "Enabled (everything)."
  • Tap the Refresh button at the lesser of the screen.

After your browser restarts, tap the three-dot bill of fare icon in its upper-correct corner and tap "Bookmarks" in that master Chrome card. You'll be greeted with a freshened-up Android bookmark view that doesn't look like it was last touched in the prehistoric ages — and as an added perk, you'll also discover a new and less ambiguous option for adding a site into your bookmarks inside that main Chrome menu.

Chrome Android setting No. 5: A web-wide dark fashion

Android's had a organisation-wide Dark Theme choice since 2019's Android x release, simply you know what's weird? Even when your device is in its fully darkened land, pages in your phone's web browser are nevertheless as brilliant as twenty-four hour period (or, um, however bright they usually are).

As of now, y'see, Android'southward dark manner doesn't have any impact on the spider web as information technology appears within Chrome — only on the menus and other areas effectually the actual folio you're viewing. And that's a scrap of a bummer, since a big part of what you practise on your phone probably revolves around what'south within your browser's borders.

But look! Chrome actually does have a way to make the unabridged web responsive to Android's Night Theme. It simply isn't activated or available past default. Once y'all discover and flip the switch, though, whatsoever page you open up on the web will automatically transform itself whenever your phone's night mode is enabled. See?

Chrome Android Settings: Dark mode JR

(Insert wild oohing, ahhing, and optional (though generally not encouraged) undergarment throwing here.)

Here'south the pull a fast one on:

  • Bold you take Android ten or higher on your phone, open up Chrome and type chrome:flags into the browser'due south accost bar.
  • Type darken into the search box at the top of the screen that comes up.
  • See the item labeled "Darken websites checkbox in themes setting"? Tap the box beneath it and change it from "Default" to "Enabled."
  • Cackle once whilst thinking about darkness, only for good mensurate.
  • Tap the Relaunch push at the bottom of the screen.

In that location's simply 1 more step to finish. Once Chrome restarts itself, yous'll accept to go into the browser'south settings and actually enable the new option nosotros only uncovered:

  • Tap the iii-dot menu icon in the Chrome's upper-right corner and select Settings.
  • In the master Chrome settings menu, tap "Theme."
  • Under the "System default" option, you should see a new checkbox that says "Employ dark theme to sites, when possible." Bank check information technology!
  • Make your mode out of that carte and dorsum to the primary browser area.

And in that location ya have information technology: From here on out, anytime you activate your phone's Dark Theme, any pages y'all're viewing within Chrome will automatically follow suit.

Chrome Android setting No. 6: A more powerful Incognito way

This last Chrome Android tip is a bit more niche in nature, simply if yous've always felt the need effectually it, you'll absolutely appreciate its arrival.

Information technology's a elementary switch that removes Chrome'southward congenital-in policy of prohibiting screenshots while y'all're in the browser's Incognito mode — a somewhat puzzling rule that typically makes information technology impossible to capture anything within an Incognito tab in Chrome.

So say, for case, you're using Chrome's Incognito mode to look at something without being signed in. Or maybe you're relying on it to check on a certain search without having the term go connected to your Google browsing history. Or maybe you're using it for, erm, sure other undisclosed purposes.

Whatever the case, in that location are leap to be moments when you want to snap a screenshot of something in that sort of state. And now, you can.

Here's all there is to it:

  • 1 last time, typechrome:flags into your browser's address bar.
  • Typeincognitointo the search box on the screen that comes upwardly.
  • Discover the line labeled "Incognito Screenshot" and change its setting from "Default" to "Enabled."
  • Tap the Relaunch button at the bottom of the screen.

And that's information technology: Y'all can at present capture screenshots of Incognito windows whenever your privacy-browsing center desires.

Simply remember: If you snap something accidentally at an (ahem) inadvertent moment, information technology'due south up toyou to go find and delete information technology.

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Contributing Editor JR Raphael serves up tasty morsels virtually the human side of technology. Hungry for more? Join him on Twitter or sign up for his weekly newsletter to get fresh tips and insight in your inbox every Friday.

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