If you're a die-hard Chrome user, you probably already know about Chrome URLs, but if you're just a basic user, you may have never heard of them. Chrome URLs are a set of URLs that you can type in Chrome's address bar that, like a shortcut, jump you immediately to that part of Chrome you want to access.

For example, I need to jump into Chrome's settings area quite often as I am testing out all kinds of different things. I could click the menu button, and choose settings or press Cmd + , on my MacBook (the latter would probably be fastest), but instead I just type chrome://settings in the address bar and hit the enter key.

There are many other Chrome URLs; a list of them can be found by typing chrome://chrome-urls in the address bar and hitting the enter key. A few that are worth knowing off the top of your head, besides the one for settings just mentioned, are:

  • chrome://bookmarks — opens your bookmarks manager
  • chrome://cache (or chrome://view-http-cache) —displays a list of URLs to cached Web pages (clicking a link shows you the cached data, which most people, frankly, won't understand)
  • chrome://crashes — shows the log of pages that crashed when viewing them with Chrome (clicking the "file bug" link gives even more data about the crash, and a way to submit the issue)
  • chrome://downloads — opens the download manager
  • chrome://history — opens your browser history manager (including a way to clear that history)
  • chrome://extensions — opens a list of all the extensions you have installed in Chrome (and a way to disable them)
  • chrome://plugins — opens a list of all the plug-ins you have installed in Chrome (and a way to disable them)
  • chrome://terms — opens Google's Terms of Service page
  • chrome://version — displays pretty much everything anyone would need to know about the version of Chrome s/he is running

Again, most people do not need to know these URLs, but in the event you find yourself dealing with Tech Support and they need to know something like, say, your browser version or, perhaps, details about a page crash, these may come in handy. And, if you're a nerd/geek like me, it's just fun to type them in, hit enter, and see what cool stuff you uncover! :)

Here's a list of Chrome URLs on Chrome Browser for Android: