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Writer's pictureDawie Otto

10 Useful Google Chrome Flags

Google Chrome is a widely used browser and loaded with tons of useful features. They have this Chrome Flags, an experimental feature hidden in the browser where a bunch of interesting and useful feature can be activated and tweak for better browsing experience.



10 Useful Google Chrome Flags


How to Access Chrome Flags?

To enable Google Chrome Flags:

  • Type in chrome://flags/ in the address bar of your Chrome browser.

  • Hit 'Enter' to open the Chrome flags page.

  • A warning from Google Chrome Flags will show up.

WARNING: EXPERIMENTAL FEATURES AHEAD! By enabling these features, you could lose browser data or compromise your security or privacy. Enabled features apply to all users of this browser.

10 Useful Google Chrome Flags


1. CONTROL AUTOPLAY

Having a mini heart attack when loud audio or video suddenly play when you open some sites?

  • Autoplay policy is used when deciding if audio or video is allowed to autoplay.

How to control autoplay?

  1. Find "Autoplay policy" or just type in chrome://flags/# autoplay-policy in the address bar.

  2. Set to Document user activation is required.


2. SPEED UP DOWNLOADS

A specific feature that speeds up downloads and the whole process.

  • Parallel downloading accelerate the download speed.

How to speed up downloads?

  1. Type “Parallel downloading” or chrome://flags/# enable-parallel-downloading in the address bar.

  2. Click “Default” when it appears in the list

  3. Then click “Enable”.


3. DISABLE INCOGNITO MODE DETECTION

  • Enable Filesystem API in incognito mode.

How to disable incognito mode detection?

  1. Find Filesystem API in Incognito or chrome://flags/# enable-filesystem-in-incognito in address bar.

  2. Change the setting to Enabled.


4. KEEP TRACK OF HOW MANY INCOGNITO WINDOWS YOU HAVE OPEN

If you make a lot of use of incognito mode, this feature is for you. The number of windows is shown in a panel next to the address bar.


How to keep track of how many incognito windows you have open?

  1. Find Incognito Window Counter or chrome://flags/# enable-incognito-window-counter in your browser.

  2. Set to Enabled.


5. TAB HOVER CARDS

Enables a popup containing tab information to be visible when hovering over a tab. This will replace tooltips for tabs.


How to replace the tooltips that pop up over tabs?

  1. Find Tab Hover Cards or chrome://flags/# tab-hover-cards in your browser.

  2. Change the setting to Enabled.


6. ENABLE PASSWORD IMPORTING

If you want to control the import functionality in password settings into the browser, you can enable this setting.

How to enable password importing?

  1. Go to Password import or chrome://flags/# PasswordImport

  2. Switch to Enabled.


7. PREVENT REDIRECTION SPAM

Want to prevent annoying redirection when you clicked a link that brings on several pages?


How to prevent redirection spam?

  1. Head over to Framebusting requires same-origin or a user gesture or chrome://flags/# enable-framebusting-needs-sameorigin-or-usergesture

  2. Set to Enabled.


8. STOP WEBSITES TO KEEP YOU LOCK IN WITH YOUR HISTORY

Visited a website and decide to back out of it only to have the page reload when you hit the back button? Require a user gesture to add a history entry.


How to stop websites fiddling with your history?

  1. Finding New history entries require a user gesture or chrome://flags/ # enable-history-entry-requires-user-gesture

  2. Change the setting to Enabled.


9. SAVING PDF FORM DATA

Filling a lot of PDF forms? Having the ability to save the forms with the data from within Google Chrome will be a time saver.


How save the PDF forms within Google Chrome?

  1. Find Save PDF Forms chrome://flags/# pdf-form-save

  2. Set this to Enabled.


10. SHOW SEARCH QUERY IN ADDRESS BAR

Only display search query in the address bar when viewing a search results page as opposed to the URL.


How to

  1. Head over to Query in Omnibox or chrome://flags/# enable-query-in-omnibox

  2. Set to Enabled.


Got some more of your favourite tips? Share it with us!

 

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