Chrome tips
Translate any website on Chrome for Android
Chrome for Android has Google Translate integrated, and it can be used on any website written in one of the many supported languages.
- Open Chrome.
- Go to your website of choice.
- Press the three-dot menu button.
- Select Translate.
- A bar will appear at the bottom. Hit the three-dot menu and select More languages to add the languages you know. This menu also has more options you should consider.
- Go back to the bar and select the language you want to see the website in.
Change text size on Chrome for Android
Having trouble reading tiny text? Maybe the text is too big and occupies all your screen space. Here’s how to fix the problem.
- Open Chrome.
- Tap on the 3-dot menu button on the top-right corner.
- Select Settings.
- Select Accessibility.
- Under Text scaling, drag the swiper left or right to change font size.
Request a desktop site on Chrome for Android
Mobile sites are best on Chrome for Android only when they are properly designed. Bad mobile websites are common, and many don’t offer all features available in their desktop counterparts. You can ask Chrome for Android for a desktop site at any time by following the steps below.
- Open Chrome.
- Go to your website of choice.
- Press the three-dot menu button.
- Check the box next to Desktop site.
Swipe down to refresh a website
This Chrome for Android tip may seem mundane to many, but it is a neat trick not all people know. Reloading a page can be done in multiple ways, but the simplest and fastest one is to simply perform a long swipe from top to bottom.
Move the toolbar to the bottom of the screen
We are used to seeing the home button, tab switcher, and three-dot menu button next to the address bar, but this doesn’t have to be the case. Chrome for Android makes it possible to bring those tools to the bottom of the screen, where they can be more easily reached. Because this gives the toolbar more room, they also add search and sharing buttons to the experience. It may take some of your screen real estate, but having those shortcuts handy is mighty convenient.
- Open Chrome.
- Type Chrome://flags into the address bar and press enter.
- Search for “Chrome duet”.
- When the option shows up, tap on the drop-down menu and select Enabled.
- Tap on Relaunch.
Use Reader Mode to speed up Chrome for Android
Reader mode will simplify a website and provide a cleaner experience for those who want to focus on text. Images, videos, font variations, and other unnecessary elements will be slashed. This mode can be forced on in the Chrome flags settings.
- Open Chrome.
- Type Chrome://flags into the address bar and press enter.
- Search for “Reader mode triggering”.
- When the option shows up, tap on the drop-down menu and select Always.
Add a website shortcut to your home screen
Some websites don’t have apps, or maybe you would rather not use them. Pages and web apps can often work better and a shortcut in your home screen would be the ideal solution. Chrome for Android makes this possible with a few taps.
- Open Chrome.
- Go to your website of choice.
- Hit the three-dot menu button.
- Select Add to Home screen.
- Type name (or leave the default one) and select Add.
- You can drag and drop the icon where you wish. Alternatively, select Add automatically to let Android do the work.
Speed up downloads with Parallel Downloading
This Chrome for Android trick can be useful when downloading large files. Parallel downloading essentially divides the file in multiple parts for simultaneous downloading. This technique increases overall speeds, making your life less stressful.
- Open Chrome.
- Type Chrome://flags into the address bar and press enter.
- Search for “Parallel downloading”.
- When the option shows up, tap on the drop-down menu and select Enabled. Also read: Best Android browsers
Kill auto-playing videos and audio
Autoplay can get annoying, especially if what you want is peace. Those of us who frequent libraries and other quiet places know the struggle. Thankfully, there is something you can do about it with Chrome for Android. Follow the steps below to disable autoplay.
- Open Chrome.
- Tap on the 3-dot menu button on the top-right corner.
- Select Settings.
- Select Site settings.
- Select Media.
- Select Autoplay.
- Disable the feature.
Zoom all the pages
Zooming in and out of websites is not always an option with mobile-optimized pages. This can be an issue if you are dealing with a badly designed website, want to look at something up close, or have vision problems. Chrome for Android makes it possible to force zooming on all pages which prevent this action. Follow these steps and zoom to your heart’s content.
- Open Chrome.
- Tap on the 3-dot menu button on the top-right corner.
- Select Settings.
- Select Accessibility.
- Check the Force enable zoom box.