More and more people are using Google Chrome as their primary browser on their computers, and also on their mobile devices. However, the version you're using may only be the generic one. In fact, customizing your Google Chrome browser is possible, not only to improve its aesthetics but also to optimize your productivity and browsing experience.
For example, you could opt for tab organization, add useful extensions… In reality, there are multiple ways to adapt Chrome to your needs and personalize it so it's more yours to get the most out of it. How about we give you some tips that might be helpful? Let's get started.
Group and organize your tabs
If you're like many people who, instead of one tab, have fifteen or twenty open at the same time, anyone who sees you will surely think it's a mess. In reality, to you, they're organized. But there's a problem: the browser can't display that many, and you end up wasting time, even if it's just seconds, trying to find the one you're looking for.
That's why one option your Google Chrome browser offers is the ability to group tabs to keep them organized. How do you do that? It's simple: just right-click on a tab and select "Add tab to new group." Furthermore, you can name each group you create and assign it a color. This way, when you need to open a specific page from among dozens of tabs, you can easily identify and access it. This will save you time searching for it among so many others.
Pin your favorite tabs
Another option you have to customize your Google Chrome browser is to pin tabs that you usually open or that are very important. The process is extremely simple. Just go to the tab, right-click on it, and select "Pin."
Don't be alarmed if you see them move to the far left; this is normal and they will take up less space , but they will remain open even after you restart your browser (and possibly if you turn your computer off and on again).
Customize the appearance of Chrome
Have you ever felt that Chrome's appearance isn't quite what you'd like? Well, don't worry, you don't have to settle. It's actually quite simple to customize your browser's look. First, go to the Chrome Web Store. There, find the themes section and pick one that suits your style. Once you've selected it, just click "Add to Chrome" to apply it.
You also have the option, especially if you spend long hours in front of the computer, to activate dark mode to reduce eye strain. If you work in low light, or for long hours, it's better for your eyes. To do this, the quickest way is to type chrome://flags in your browser. There, search for "Force Dark Mode for Web Contents." This option will allow you to enable dark mode for all websites, and your eyes will thank you for it.
Add useful and productive extensions
As you know, Chrome has tons of extensions you can use. Some are well-known, others less so. But, for example, there are extensions related to SEO, productivity, videos, ads, offer alerts, and more.
We recommend a few. For example, Momentum, which transforms your new tab page into a much cooler, personalized dashboard than what you see now. Another option is Flavr, which adds background images to your browser to make it more visually appealing. It gets these images from Unsplash. It also lets you customize some privacy settings.
Speaking of privacy, you have Privacy Badger, which blocks invisible trackers, or uBlock Origin, which will block ads and consume very few resources.
Customize the toolbar
Another way to customize your Google Chrome browser involves the toolbar. You can organize the extension icons for quick access. You can also rearrange them simply by dragging and dropping the icons.
This can be useful when you have a lot of extensions, although space is limited and you'll have to prioritize the ones you're most interested in having at the top. The rest will appear behind arrows at the bottom (on the right side) so you can list them all. Still, having them organized to your liking will make them easier to access.
Set up shortcuts
Is there a website you visit every day? Instead of searching for it in your bookmarks or entering the URL, you could place an icon in your browser so you can access it directly without having to search for it.
To do this, you need to pin it to the bookmarks bar. But be careful, because this is limited, at least in terms of visibility. You'll only be able to have about 9 on computers with larger screens. The rest will be hidden behind a double arrow next to the last one displayed.
Configure some of Chrome's privacy and security settings
Another option is to browse the internet more securely. To do this, go to chrome://flags and access the "password import" function . This allows you to import your passwords if you switch browsers.
So instead of having to copy and paste, you could opt for this option.
Another option is to block third-party cookies. This is quite helpful in reducing online tracking and will help you stay safer online.
Show full URLs
How many times have you suddenly found yourself unable to see the full URL of a page? If you don't like that, you can request that the full URL be displayed in the address bar. This is ideal if you share a lot, for example, via WhatsApp Web or Telegram, without having to search for the URL or wait for it to load completely.
As you can see, there are many options available for customizing the Google Chrome browser. Do you know of any other ways to make it feel more yours? We'll be in the comments.