What a Chrome shortcut is and why you'd want one

A Chrome shortcut is a clickable tile on your homepage that takes you directly to a website you visit often. Instead of typing a web address or searching for a site every time, you click the tile and land there in one step. Chrome calls these tiles "shortcuts," though you might also hear them called "bookmarks" or "quick links" depending on what tool you're using.

The shortcuts appear on the page you see when you open a new tab — that blank page with a Google search box in the middle. Adding shortcuts there means the sites you use most are always visible and ready to click. You can rearrange them, delete them, or add as many as your screen will hold.

Key Takeaways

  • Chrome shortcuts are tiles on your new tab page that link to websites you visit often, and you create them by right-clicking any website and selecting "Add shortcut."
  • The shortcuts appear automatically on your new tab page once you create them, and you can drag them to reorder them or right-click to delete them.
  • Chrome syncs your shortcuts across all your devices if you are signed into the same Google account on each one.
  • You can also create shortcuts by visiting a website, clicking the star icon in the address bar, and choosing to save it to your shortcuts instead of your bookmarks.

The fastest way: right-click and add shortcut

Open any website in Chrome. Right-click on the page (or on the website's logo or name) and look for the option that says "Add shortcut." Click it. A small box will pop up asking what you want to call the shortcut — it usually fills in the website's name by default, but you can type something shorter or different if you want.

Click "Add" in that box, and you're done. The next time you open a new tab, the shortcut will be there as a tile on your homepage. You don't have to do anything else or restart Chrome.

Using the star icon in the address bar

Another way to create a shortcut is through the bookmark menu. When you're on a website you want to save, look at the address bar — the long box at the top where the website address appears. On the right side of that box, you'll see a star icon. Click it.

A menu will drop down asking where you want to save this site. By default, it saves to your "Bookmarks" folder. But if you look at the dropdown that says "Bookmarks," you can click it and choose "Other bookmarks" or look for a folder called "Shortcuts" or "Quick links" depending on your Chrome version. Some versions of Chrome let you save directly to the shortcuts section from here. If you don't see that option, use the right-click method instead — it's more direct.

Moving and deleting shortcuts on your new tab page

Once your shortcuts are on your new tab page, you can rearrange them by clicking and dragging. Click and hold on any tile, then drag it to a new spot. The other tiles will shift out of the way. This is useful if you want your most-used sites at the top left where you see them first.

To delete a shortcut, right-click on the tile itself and select "Remove." The tile disappears when ready, but the website still exists — you're only removing the shortcut, not deleting anything from the internet. You can add it back anytime using the same method.

Syncing shortcuts across your devices

If you use Chrome on more than one device — a laptop, a phone, or a tablet — and you're signed into the same Google account on all of them, your shortcuts sync automatically. That means if you add a shortcut on your laptop, it will appear on your phone's Chrome homepage too.

For this to work, you need to be signed into Chrome with your Google account. Look in the top right corner of Chrome and click your profile picture or initial. If it shows your Google account name and email, you're signed in. If it says "Sign in to Chrome," click that and follow the steps to sign in with your Google account. Once you're signed in, syncing happens in the background — you don't have to turn it on or check a box.

Organizing shortcuts into folders

If you add many shortcuts, your new tab page can get crowded. Chrome lets you put shortcuts into folders to keep them organized. Right-click on an empty area of your new tab page (not on a shortcut tile) and select "Manage shortcuts." A panel will open on the left side showing all your shortcuts.

In that panel, you can create a new folder by clicking the folder icon, give it a name like "Work" or "News," and then drag shortcuts into it. On your new tab page, the folder will appear as a single tile. Click the folder tile to see the shortcuts inside it. This keeps your homepage cleaner while still keeping all your sites within reach.

Troubleshooting shortcuts that don't appear

Sometimes you right-click a website and don't see the "Add shortcut" option. This usually means the website is blocking Chrome from creating shortcuts, or you're using an older version of Chrome. Try updating Chrome: click the three vertical dots in the top right corner, go to "Help," then "About Google Chrome." Chrome will check for updates and install them automatically.

If a shortcut you created isn't showing up on your new tab page, check whether you're signed into Chrome with your Google account. Open a new tab and look at the bottom right corner — you should see your profile picture or initial. If you see "Sign in" instead, click it and sign in. After you sign in, your shortcuts should appear within a few seconds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a shortcut to a specific page within a website, not just the homepage?

Yes. Navigate to the exact page you want — for example, your Gmail inbox or a specific folder in Google Drive — then right-click and add the shortcut. Chrome will save that specific page, so clicking the shortcut takes you directly there instead of to the main website.

What's the difference between a shortcut and a bookmark?

A shortcut is a tile on your new tab page that you see every time you open a new tab. A bookmark is a saved link stored in a menu you have to click to access. Shortcuts are for sites you visit constantly; bookmarks are for sites you want to save but don't need to see every day.

If I delete a shortcut, does it delete the website?

No. Deleting a shortcut only removes the tile from your new tab page. The website still exists on the internet, and you can add the shortcut back anytime. You're not deleting anything except the quick link you created.

Do my shortcuts sync if I use Chrome on my phone and my computer?

Yes, if you're signed into the same Google account on both devices. Shortcuts sync automatically in the background. If they're not syncing, check that you're signed into Chrome on both devices — not just signed into Google, but signed into Chrome itself.

Can I customize what the shortcut tile looks like?

Chrome uses the website's icon and name by default, and you can change the name when you create the shortcut. You cannot change the icon or the tile's appearance beyond that. If you want a different look, you would need to use a different browser or a custom homepage extension.