Home Review 6 secret settings for smarter sharing in Chrome on Android

6 secret settings for smarter sharing in Chrome on Android

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6 secret settings for smarter sharing in Chrome on Android

Oh — good day there. So, you want uncovering superior superior powers on your Android telephone browser, do ya? You’ve completely explored all of the fastidiously hid settings for higher shopping within the Chrome Android app from the opposite day, and also you’re again for much more already? My, you’re a tenacious little monkey.Well, you’ve got come to the precise place, my fellow primate, for I additionally get pleasure from unearthing exceptionally fascinating out-of-sight settings. And I’ve been doing an terrible lot of digging within the Chrome Android browser as of late — a lot, in reality, that I’ve bought an entire different set of simply missed 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 in your telephone on your personal private saving). I do not learn 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 sooner, simpler, and much more efficient.Before we resume our digital spelunking, let me offer you my customary 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 can be actively being labored on and are not technically meant for mainstream use — and as such, it has some {powerful} superior choices that might actually screw stuff up when you aren’t cautious. (It additionally evolves incessantly, so it is fully potential a number of the settings we discuss right here may look completely different and even disappear fully down the highway.)As lengthy as you observe my directions fastidiously and do not mess with the rest you encounter, you will be nice! But prodding round past the precise steps we focus on right here just isn’t one thing I’d 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 machineRegular readers of my Android Intelligence publication know the way 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’ll be able to spotlight textual content on any internet web page you are viewing on a pc after which right-click to discover a spiffy new choice for making a hyperlink to a selected part of textual content inside an internet web page after which sending it to another person.So if, as an example, I needed 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 whenever you open it in Chrome or every other appropriate browser, you will be taken that precise a part of the web page, possibly even with the textual content highlighted in yellow for emphasis (relying on what particular browser and sort of machine you are utilizing).Handy, proper? I positive assume so. But I’ve additionally all the time discovered myself annoyed with the truth that the identical perform is not obtainable on Android — or so I believed.I used to be happy as a prickly pickle to find throughout my digging that there is truly now a strategy to allow the identical setting in Chrome on the Android facet. Here’s how:Start by typing chrome:flags into the tackle bar within 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 text highlights on Android”? Tap the field beneath it and alter its setting from “Default” to “Enabled.”
And lastly, faucet the Relaunch button that reveals 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’ internet web page you want — possibly even this one, when you’re feeling particularly saucy — and contact and maintain your finger to some textual content to spotlight it. Tap the “Share” command within the menu that comes up, and…shazam: JR There, in that Chrome sharing menu, you will see a shiny new “Link to text” choice. Tap it — faucet it with gusto, gersh dern it! — and the hyperlink to the precise textual content you chose will probably be created. You can then choose every other app the place you need 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 probably be pasted over.JR And when anybody opens that hyperlink — effectively, my goodness, take a look at what occurs:JR Enlightening, would not ya say?Chrome Android setting No. 2: The smarter screenshot editorNext up in our Chrome settings journey is a useful new strategy to seize and modify screenshots from proper throughout the Chrome Android browser. Normally, you’d have to make use of the common Android screenshot system to do this, and the modifying instruments instantly obtainable in that interface could or could not meet your wants.With this particular setting enabled, although, you will see a brand new “Screenshot” choice proper inside the usual Chrome sharing interface — the little panel that pops up whenever you faucet the Share choice throughout 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’ll be able to 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 tackle bar.
This time, sort screenshots within 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 within the browser’s upper-right nook — after which search for the brand new “Screenshot” choice to get began.Chrome Android setting No. 3: The unimaginable cross-device clipboard systemLet me put together you: This subsequent secret Chrome setting is fairly forkin’ unbelievable. It has the potential to significantly prevent time and make your life simpler, particularly whenever you’re shifting between your telephone and laptop through the day (as most of us are likely to do!).It’s a super-powerful shared clipboard system that allows you to copy textual content from wherever in your telephone 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, when you’re a valuable Apple particular person) and the textual content you copied in your telephone will magically seem wherever you paste it in your laptop.I’m trembling simply fascinated with it. Of course, it is roughly 1 diploma exterior the place I’m proper now, so that may have one thing to do with my quivery nature. But both manner, that is thrilling.And there’s truly much more to it: In addition to sending textual content to your laptop’s clipboard, you’ll be able to beam hyperlinks proper over for simple opening. And the identical factor works within the different course, too — for sending textual content or hyperlinks out of your laptop to your telephone.On the Android finish, the choice seems inside the usual Android sharing menu. So for example, as an example, you’ve some textual content in an electronic mail that you simply need 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 reveals up.That’ll take you to that customary Android sharing panel, and there, you will discover somewhat downward-facing arrow subsequent to the phrase “Chrome” within the checklist of choices. (And a bonus tip: You may pin that particular perform to the highest of the sharing menu for even simpler entry, when you’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 text to Your Devices,” and…JR Shabang.If you have been doing this inside Chrome in your telephone, by the best way, you’d need to scroll all the best way to the precise on the checklist of share choices that originally comes up when you choose and share textual content throughout the browser, then choose “More” from there to get to the usual Android sharing interface. If you needed to share a hyperlink as an alternative of textual content, you could find an choice to do this throughout the customized Chrome sharing interface that comes up whenever you hit the Share choice in Chrome’s predominant menu. (Grumble, grumble, complicated inconsistencies and interface problems — consider me, I do know.)Things are somewhat less complicated with sending from the desktop facet. There, you simply spotlight any textual content on a web page or any hyperlink within the tackle bar of the Chrome browser, then right-click to search out the “Copy to your device” or “Send to your devices” choice.All proper, so let’s get this social gathering began. First, in your telephone:Type chrome:flags into the Chrome tackle bar.
Type clipboard into the search field on the prime of the display that comes up.
Tap the field beneath “Enable shared clipboard feature signals to be handled” 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 modify a pair settings on the pc facet, too, earlier than this’ll work.In Chrome in 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 tackle bar there.
Type shared clipboard into the search field on the display that comes up.
See the road labeled “Enable shared clipboard feature signals to be handled”? 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 remote copy feature to receive messages” and alter its setting to “Enabled.”
Last however not least, click on the Relaunch button within the lower-right nook of the display.
And with that, you’ll be able to go fetch your self a cookie (browser-based or chocolate chip — your alternative), on your clipboards are actually linked throughout your whole Chrome-running, Google-signed-in gadgets. Three cheers for simplicity, even when it is weirdly difficult to realize it!Chrome Android setting No. 4: The customized sharing shunningSo, keep in mind all that stuff we have 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 follow, as you in all probability know by now. And when you discover it as irritating as I do, boy howdy, have I bought excellent news for you.Turns out, there is a strategy to flip off that customized Chrome sharing interface fully. And when you do, anytime you share something from Chrome, you will be taken proper to the usual Android sharing setup — with out having to first scroll all the best way 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 have been simply going over. So if you’d like to have the ability to entry that stuff, you will need to suck it up and keep on with the customized Chrome sharing setup.If you are not planning on utilizing these options and would quite simply eliminate that additional interface and go straight to the usual Android sharing menu everytime you share something from Chrome, although, this is how you are able to do it:Type chrome:flags into the Chrome Android app’s tackle 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, attempt hitting the Share command inside the principle Chrome menu (or deciding on some textual content and hitting “Share” from there) — and…JR Hip, hip, hooray! You’re again to the Android customary menu, with your whole apps and sharing targets proper in entrance of you and straightforward to search out. Thank Goog the choice is not less than nonetheless obtainable — for now.Chrome Android setting No. 5: A extra handy Share commandWith all this discuss sharing inside Chrome, it is powerful not to consider the truth that the browser’s Share command is tucked away throughout the app’s predominant menu — which means you must first press that three-dot icon earlier than you could find and use it.I do not learn about you, however I share stuff from my browser continually — 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 numerous wasted seconds all through my day.You’d by no means understand it, however Chrome truly has a setting that may repair that and concurrently enhance your effectivity — by bringing the Share command entrance and middle, proper into the tackle 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 all the screenshots on this story. Major bonus factors when you observed!If you need your Share command to look in Chrome’s tackle bar like that for simpler entry, too, this is all you’ve got gotta do:Type chrome:flags within the browser’s tackle 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 optionOkay, so this final secret setting is not precisely sharing-related. But it is an fascinating various to the setting we simply went over, so I believed it was value together with.Because, hey — we’re all completely different. Maybe you do not share stuff from Chrome fairly so typically. Maybe utilizing that invaluable single-button precedence spot within the tackle bar for the Share command would not make sense for you. And possibly there’s another perform that might higher use that area in your Android Chrome browser.Well, seems, you’ve got bought an alternative choice. You can swap out that tackle bar Share button with a microphone icon as an alternative and provides your self an on-demand, one-tap strategy 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 when you’re insane sufficient to say one thing like “fishy fishy fishy” again and again (as solely a really 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 tackle bar search button:Type chrome:flags into the Chrome Android app’s tackle bar.
Type voice button into the search field on the display that comes up.
Tap the button beneath “Voice button in top 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.Want much more Googley data? Sign up for my weekly publication to get next-level ideas and perception delivered on to your inbox.

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