Love Chrome shortcuts? Wait around ’til you see this
I don’t know if you have noticed, but I’m loved by me some keyboard shortcuts. Anything that can conserve time and maintain my man-fingers from needing to move off my keyboard while I’m operating (or allegedly functioning, as is frequently the case) can only just be a positive thing in my mind. And when making use of those invisible commands can make me appear to be the world’s dorkiest wizard to any unsuspecting bystanders, hey, all of the better.
Well, my fellow efficiency-loving land-rover, grab your metaphorical wand – ’cause Google’s Chrome browser will be on the brink to getting a seriously superior new shortcut command system. It’s something known as Commander, and – dare I say it – it could just possess the potential to totally shake up how you get around the net.
The new system is in fact pretty similar in concept to the “command center” system popularized by the power-user-beloved (and powerfully pricey) Gmail app Superhuman . Among Superhuman’s key features, y’see, may be the capability to hit Ctrl-K or Cmd-K from in your inbox anywhere. Doing this pulls up a prompt into that you can then type a couple of letters to get and execute any command imaginable.
Chrome’s Commander interface is not any different, really – except that it uses the main element combo of Ctrl or Cmd as well as your spacebar to pull it up.
You press your greasy digits down on those keys once, a simple-looking box appears atop whatever website you’re viewing, prepared to become the spell-caster for the wizard-nerd magic. All you’ve gotta do will be enter a letter – any letterĀ – and hocus pocus: A listing of available browser-associated commands instantly arises. The more letters you type, the more the list narrows itself right down to help you discover the precise spell you’re looking to cast.
Now, it’s worth noting a large number of the commands included are actually associated with current Chrome shortcuts – ones you can pull up more directly making use of their own specific key sequences, like Ctrl-D for bookmarking a tab or Ctrl-Shift-T for reopening a recently closed tab.
But, well, let’s face it: At this stage, Chrome – like the majority of modern software products – comes with an awful large amount of keyboard and options shortcut possibilities. Due to that, it’s damn-near impossible for some mere mortals to keep in mind ’em all, when said mortals are awe-inspiring nerd-wizards like us even. This operational system places all those options at your fingers constantly, which makes it no problem finding whatever you need and can help you find out the direct commands for the shortcuts you utilize most often (because they’re plastered before you each time you start Commander).
Beyond that, the machine does likewise incorporate fast ‘n’ quick access for some Chrome-related commands that don’t possess their very own built-in shortcuts – things such as jumping directly into new Google Docs documents, Google Sheets spreadsheets, or Google Meet meetings as well as toggling Chrome’s developer tools on / off (whether you possess legitimate reason behind doing so or are simply searching for thumb-twiddling giggles).
You can use the brand new Chrome Commander system to bunny-hop the right path over in to the browser’s settings, too, or even to perform typically-mouse-requiring task such as for example pinning a tab.
With only three keystrokes – Ctrl-spacebar, u, Enter – you can use Chrome’s respect-commanding Commander to close all your unpinned tabs within a swoon-inducing swoop.
And you know very well what? Probably the most exciting part concerning this system isn’t even what it could perform now; it’s what it might grow into later on. Consider if Google had been to broaden the Commander interface and invite us web wizards the opportunity to include our own custom Chrome actions ( ahem ) straight into that on-demand menu – or higher broadly, wrap your squishy brain round the chance for this same type of system arriving at other Google apps (insert cautiously optimistic shudder here).
What if we’d a straightforward Ctrl-spacebar command-center menu within Docs, for example? It’d be like getting the Slack-style command line shortcuts we discussed another week, only even more powerful and simple to use. Or imagine if we had this type of operational system in Gmail, where the amount of available keyboard shortcuts would be to make even probably the most wizardly wizard dizzy enough? My goodness – we’re able to all be superhumans without needing to use any specific software even.
For now, the Chrome Commander system is early in its advancement still. In order to give it a try, you need to download the Chrome Developer channel desktop browser , that is designed for Windows, Mac, and Linux computers and can run as another program alongside your regular Chrome setup totally. (The choice doesn’t appear to be available within the Chrome OS yet,} unfortunately; sorry, Chromebook pals!)
You have the Chrome Dev program installed once, open it up, paste chrome:flags/#commander in to the browser’s address bar, then click on the box close to the line labeled “Commander” and change its setting to “Enabled.” Click on the Relaunch button in the lower-right corner of the screen – so when your browser comes home up, press Ctrl or Cmd and the spacebar and allow magic begin together.
All that’s left would be to summon up a good pointy hat to provide yourself that classic web wizard appearance.
Would like more Googley knowledge even? Join my weekly newsletter to obtain next-level tips and insight shipped right to your inbox.