What Chrome shortcuts are and why you'd want them

Chrome shortcuts are clickable tiles that appear on your homepage — the page you see when you open a new tab. Instead of typing a web address or searching for a site you visit often, you click the tile and go straight there. Chrome creates these automatically for sites you visit frequently, but you can also add, remove, or rearrange them yourself.

The homepage shortcuts save a few seconds each time, which adds up if you visit the same five or ten sites every day. They also keep your most-used sites visible and organized the way you want them, rather than letting Chrome guess which ones matter to you. This is especially useful if you have a set of work sites, news sources, or tools you check every morning.

Key Takeaways

  • Chrome automatically shows shortcuts to sites you visit most, but you can add any site manually by right-clicking its tile or using the plus icon.
  • To add a shortcut manually, visit the site first, then right-click on the blank space below existing shortcuts and select "Add shortcut".
  • You can rename shortcuts to show whatever label you want instead of the site's actual name.
  • Removing a shortcut is as simple as right-clicking the tile and selecting "Remove".
  • You can drag and drop shortcuts to arrange them in any order that works for your workflow.

How to add a shortcut manually

Open a new tab in Chrome. You'll see your homepage with existing shortcuts (if any) and a plus sign icon in the upper left. The plus sign is the quickest way to add a new shortcut: click it, type the web address of the site you want, and click "Add".

Alternatively, visit the website first, then return to your homepage. Right-click on the empty space below your existing shortcuts and select "Add shortcut". Chrome will fill in the site's name and web address automatically. You can change the name to anything you want before clicking "Add".

Either method works equally well. The plus icon is faster if you know the web address already. Visiting the site first is easier if you're not sure of the exact URL or want to copy it directly from the address bar.

Renaming shortcuts to match your workflow

By default, Chrome names each shortcut after the website — so a shortcut to your email might say "Gmail" or "Outlook". If you want a different label, right-click the shortcut tile and select "Edit shortcut". A small window will open with the name field highlighted.

Type whatever name makes sense to you. Some people use shorter names ("Email" instead of "Gmail"), others use descriptive phrases ("Work Email" or "Project Tracker"). The name you choose appears under the shortcut's icon, so keep it brief enough to fit on the tile without wrapping to a second line.

Removing shortcuts you no longer need

Right-click any shortcut tile and select "Remove". The tile disappears immediately. This doesn't affect the website itself — you can still visit it by typing the address or searching for it. Removing a shortcut just clears it from your homepage.

If you remove a shortcut by accident, you can add it back the same way you added it the first time. Chrome doesn't prevent you from re-adding shortcuts you've removed, so there's no permanent consequence to deleting one.

Rearranging shortcuts to your preferred order

Click and drag any shortcut tile to move it to a different position on your homepage. You can arrange them in any order — alphabetical, by how often you use them, by category, or however makes sense for your workflow. The order you set stays the same until you move them again.

Chrome doesn't limit how many shortcuts you can add, but your homepage will only show a certain number before you have to scroll. Most people find that 8 to 12 shortcuts fit comfortably without scrolling, though this depends on your screen size and resolution.

Using Chrome's automatic shortcuts

Chrome watches which sites you visit most and creates shortcuts for them automatically. These appear on your homepage without you doing anything. If you don't like one of Chrome's automatic suggestions, you can remove it just like a manual shortcut — right-click and select "Remove".

The automatic shortcuts update over time as your browsing habits change. If you stop visiting a site regularly, Chrome may replace its shortcut with one for a site you visit more often. You can always override this by adding manual shortcuts for sites you want to keep visible, regardless of how often you visit them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a shortcut to a page inside a website instead of the homepage?

Yes. Visit the specific page you want (like a particular Gmail folder or a project management tool's dashboard), then right-click on your homepage and select "Add shortcut". Chrome will save that exact page's address, so clicking the shortcut takes you directly there instead of to the site's main page.

What happens to my shortcuts if I sign into a different Google account?

Your shortcuts are tied to your Google account. If you sign out and sign back in with the same account, your shortcuts stay. If you sign into a different Google account on the same computer, you'll see that account's shortcuts instead. Each Google account has its own set of homepage shortcuts.

Can I use custom images for my shortcut icons?

Chrome uses the website's icon automatically — you cannot upload a custom image. The icon comes from the site itself, so if a website changes its icon, your shortcut's icon updates to match.

Do shortcuts work the same way on Chrome mobile as on desktop?

Chrome on Android and iOS has a similar shortcuts feature, but the process is slightly different. On mobile, tap the plus icon on your homepage, enter the site address, and tap "Add". The shortcuts work the same way once they're created.