What Chrome shortcuts are and where they appear

Chrome shortcuts are quick links to websites that appear on a new tab page — the blank screen you see when you open a new tab. Instead of typing a web address or searching, you click a shortcut tile and go straight to that site. Chrome creates these automatically from sites you visit often, but you can add, remove, and rearrange them yourself.

When you open a new tab, you'll see a grid of shortcut tiles below the Google search box. Each tile shows the site's icon and name. Chrome starts by showing your most-visited sites, but you control which ones stay and which ones go. You can have as many shortcuts as fit on the page — typically 8 to 12 depending on your screen size.

Shortcuts save time if you visit the same handful of sites every day. Rather than type the address or search for the site, you see it right there when you open a new tab. They're different from bookmarks, which live in a folder you have to open. Shortcuts are always visible and take one click instead of two or three.

Key Takeaways

  • Add a shortcut by visiting the website, then clicking the star icon with a plus sign that appears in the address bar.
  • Remove unwanted shortcuts by right-clicking the tile on your new tab page and selecting "Remove".
  • Rearrange shortcuts by dragging and dropping them to the order you prefer.
  • Chrome automatically creates shortcuts from sites you visit frequently, but you can delete them and add your own instead.

How to add a shortcut from a website you're visiting

The fastest way to add a shortcut is while you're already on the website. Open the site in Chrome, then look at the right side of the address bar — the long field at the top where the web address appears. You'll see a star icon with a small plus sign inside it. Click that icon once.

A small box will pop up asking you to name the shortcut. Chrome suggests the site's name by default, but you can change it to anything you want. Keep the name short — three to five words works best so the text fits on the tile. When you're happy with the name, click the "Done" button or press Enter on your keyboard.

That's it. The next time you open a new tab, your shortcut will appear on the page. If you don't see it right away, scroll down — new shortcuts sometimes appear below the fold if you already have many tiles.

How to add a shortcut without visiting the website first

You can also add a shortcut directly from your new tab page without going to the website first. Open a new tab, then look for a plus sign icon in a circle at the bottom right of the shortcut grid. Click it, and a box will appear asking for the website's address and the name you want to give it.

Type the full web address in the first field — for example, www.example.com or just example.com. Chrome will accept either format. In the second field, type the name you want to see on the tile. Click "Done" when you're finished, and the shortcut will appear on your new tab page.

This method is useful if you want to add a site you don't visit often enough for Chrome to suggest it automatically, or if you want to set up shortcuts before you actually need them. You don't have to navigate to the site first.

How to remove shortcuts you don't use

Removing a shortcut takes one right-click. Go to your new tab page, find the shortcut tile you want to delete, and right-click it with your mouse. A small menu will appear with the option "Remove". Click that option, and the tile disappears when ready.

Removing a shortcut does not delete your browsing history or bookmarks — it only takes the tile off your new tab page. If you change your mind later, you can add it back using either method described above. Chrome doesn't prevent you from removing shortcuts, so you can clean up your new tab page whenever you want.

How to rearrange shortcuts in the order you want

Chrome lets you drag shortcuts to any position you prefer. Go to your new tab page, click and hold on the shortcut tile you want to move, then drag it to a new spot. The other tiles will shift out of the way as you drag. Release your mouse button when the tile is where you want it.

You can rearrange shortcuts as many times as you want, and Chrome will remember the order you set. This is useful if you want your most-used sites at the top left where they're easiest to see and click, or if you want to group related sites together — for example, all your work tools in one area and all your personal sites in another.

What to do if Chrome is showing shortcuts you didn't add

Chrome automatically creates shortcuts from sites you visit most often. If you see tiles for sites you don't want, you have two options: remove them one at a time using the right-click method above, or turn off automatic shortcuts entirely.

To turn off automatic shortcuts, open a new tab and look for a gear icon in the bottom right corner of the page. Click it to open the settings for your new tab page. You'll see an option for "Shortcuts" — toggle it off, and Chrome will stop creating automatic tiles. Your manually-added shortcuts will stay, but Chrome won't add new ones based on your browsing. You can turn this setting back on anytime by clicking the gear icon again.

Syncing shortcuts across devices

If you sign into Chrome with a Google account, your shortcuts sync automatically across all devices where you use that account. Add a shortcut on your laptop, and it appears on your phone or tablet the next time you open a new tab there. Remove a shortcut on one device, and it disappears from all of them.

This sync happens in the background — you don't have to do anything to turn it on. If you want to stop syncing, you can sign out of your Google account in Chrome, but that will also stop syncing your bookmarks, passwords, and browsing history. Most people leave syncing on because it keeps their shortcuts consistent everywhere they use Chrome.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a shortcut to a PDF file or a document instead of a website?

Yes. Navigate to the PDF or document in Chrome, then click the star-plus icon in the address bar just as you would for a website. Chrome treats the file's location as a web address and creates a shortcut to it. When you click the shortcut later, Chrome will open that file.

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

Shortcuts appear on your new tab page and take one click to reach. Bookmarks live in a folder you have to open first, usually from the bookmark bar or a menu. Use shortcuts for sites you visit every day, and bookmarks for sites you visit less often or want to organize into folders.

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

Yes. Navigate to the specific page you want — for example, your Gmail inbox or a particular project page — then click the star-plus icon. Chrome will create a shortcut to that exact page, not the site's home page. When you click the shortcut, it takes you directly there.

Why did my shortcuts disappear after I cleared my browsing data?

If you cleared your cache and cookies, your shortcuts should still be there. However, if you cleared "Cookies and other site data" and also cleared "Hosted app data," some shortcuts may have been removed. To avoid this, uncheck those options before clearing data, or manually re-add the shortcuts afterward.

Can I share my shortcuts with someone else?

Not directly. Shortcuts are personal to your Chrome account and don't have a built-in share feature. However, you can tell someone the websites you use and they can add the same shortcuts to their own Chrome account by visiting each site and clicking the star-plus icon.