Skip to main content

Chrome adds @tabs, @bookmarks, and @history search directly in the address bar

As Google works on an Omnibox redesign for Android, Chrome on desktops is getting a very handy shortcut that lets you quickly search your history and bookmarks right from the address bar.

Update 12/6: Google today is making @bookmarks, @history, and @tabs search in the address bar official, and it’s already rolled out with Chrome 108 for desktop. You can either press your space bar after entering one of those three shortcuts or press the corresponding pill-shaped button with your mouse.

  • “Try it out by typing in “@tabs” in the address bar, pressing the “search tabs” button and then typing the title to see matching suggestions.”
  • @bookmarks: “helps you find the bookmark you’re looking for among all your folders of bookmarks, right from the address bar.
  • @history: “lets you quickly search through your browsing history right from the address bar, to help you get back to the page you’re seeking.”

Original 9/27: If enabled — find the flag below, you can enter @history, @bookmarks, or @tabs in Chrome’s address bar followed by a space. The @-query then changes to a Search History, Bookmarks, or Tabs chip and you’re free to enter a term.

Results appear inline below the Omnibox for you to quickly navigate to using arrow keys or cursor. History and Bookmarks lets you press enter to be taken to the respective fullscreen page with your query pre-populated. Similarly, if there’s only one matching tab, enter takes you to that site immediately.

This is a rather useful and powerful expansion of Chrome Actions, which lets you quickly open key settings from the Omnibox. We’re seeing Chrome’s search shortcut for history, bookmarks, and tabs enabled in ChromeOS 106, which is currently in beta, but it’s otherwise not widely rolled out yet.

Enables showing the most repeated queries, from the device browsing history, organically among the most visited sites in the MV tiles. – Mac, Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, Android, Fuchsia, Lacros

However, you can enable it on macOS, Windows, Linux, and ChromeOS using the following flag:

chrome://flags/#omnibox-site-search-starter-pack

More on Chrome:

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Google — experts who break news about Google and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Google on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Comments

Author

Avatar for Abner Li Abner Li

Editor-in-chief. Interested in the minutiae of Google and Alphabet. Tips/talk: abner@9to5g.com

Manage push notifications

notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications
notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications