Using Google Chrome Shortcuts for Small Business

Preach What We Practice

The fourth installment of our new blog series, “Preach what we Practice” where we’ll give fellow small business owners a back-stage pass to how we do business. This week I’m digging into Google Chrome.

– Nate –

Background: Google Chrome Shortcut Keys

Windows Button

In the age of ‘cloud computing’ the internet browser has become as (if not more) important as your operating system. In the 90’s I remember the measure of computer prowess was how fast you can barrel through common DOS commands (dir /p), then in Windows it was the Start button shortcuts (Windows-E), and now it’s the myriad of shortcut keys in Google Chrome.

Package / Cost / Setup

We just use the latest version of Google Chrome – Version 29.0.1547.76 m at the writing of this post.

There’s no need to install anything to use Google Chrome’s shortcut keys (though Gmail may require keyboard commands to be enabled).

Which Google Chrome Shortcuts does our business use:

Here’s my personal list … some are just basic system shortcuts, but some are Chrome specific: (Mac users would replace Ctrl with Cmd).

• System Commands that work in Chrome (they work in most software and apps)
  • Ctrl + C – COPY
  • Ctrl + X – CUT
  • Ctrl + V – PASTE
  • Ctrl + A – SELECT ALL
  • Ctrl + P – PRINT (for printing to PDF, see my post on CutePDF).
  • Shift+Arrow Keys – HIGHLIGHT BY CHARACTER
  • Ctrl + Shift + Arrow Keys – HIGHLIGHT BY WORD
  • Alt + Tab – Switch Windows
• Google Chrome Specific Shortcut Keys
  • Ctrl + T – NEW TAB
  • Ctrl + Page Up – NEXT TAB
  • Ctrl + Page Down – PREVIOUS TAB
  • Ctrl + N – NEW WINDOW
  • Ctrl + D – BOOKMARK
  • Here’s the full list

What we *DON’T* use Google Chrome Shortcuts for:

For the sake of running a highly productive operation, we avoid going crazy with tabs. Most office productivity experts recommend the “touch only once policy” – the only tabs that should be open are the ones you are currently working on. And if you agree that multi-tasking is a fallacy like me, then the idiom translates into a diet low in tabs. Right now I have three tabs open – the Google Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet and Basecamp (where I’ll cross this post off my list when I publish it).

Bonus Tips:

• Training / Troubleshooting – most tech support outfits ask for a screenshot of a problem to expedite troubleshooting … my shortcut key string that I use to grab a Google Chrome Screenshot is this::
  • Alt-PrtScr – COPIES THE ACTIVE WINDOW
  • Windows Button + R – OPENS THE RUN DIALOG
  • mspaint > Enter – OPENS MICROSOFT PAINT
  • Ctrl-V – PASTES THE SCREENSHOT TO MS PAINT
  • Edit the image … I’ll usually crop it, and add some rounded red rectangles around the problem areas, and maybe a giant arrow or two.
  • Alt > F > A (do not hold down at once … hit the key, let go, then the next key, etc…) – SAVE FILE AS DIALOG
  • Type in the file name & select where you want to save it
  • Tab > J > Enter –  CHANGES FILETYPE TO JPG AND SAVES IT.
• New Tab => New Window … If you drag a tab to below the header anywhere, it will open up the tab in its own window. Recently this shortcut has resulted in some serious time savings when handling research projects (like chasing down influencers for our Roadmaps). 

Starting this Fall, we’ll be sharing our favorite templates, check-lists, tutorials, etc… to our email subscribers. That includes everything from marketing checklists to finance spreadsheets to comprehensive how-to guides for tools such as CutePDF, and sales funnels.

Launches in early October 2013. Sign-up here to be notified of the release date and details.