How to open extensions with a keyboard shortcut in any browser
If you regularly use extensions and need quick access to your regulars, setting up a hotkey might be a good idea. Here’s how to do it in any browser.
From URL shorteners to crypto wallets, there are plenty of browser extensions that we use on a daily basis. But is there a quick way to access it if you want to avoid cluttering your browser’s toolbar?
Instead of opening the extensions menu every time, we’ll walk you through the process of setting up a hotkey for your extensions in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Brave.
How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut for a Chrome Extension
We are going to start this guide by showing how to open a browser extension with a keyboard shortcut in Google Chrome, as it is one of the most popular browsers. Luckily, you don’t need to install a third-party app to set a hotkey, as you can do it with the browser’s built-in functionality.
Follow these steps to set keyboard shortcuts for your extensions:
- Click it three points menu in the upper right corner of the browser.
- From More tools list, open Extensions.
- Click it three lines menu in the upper left corner.
- To select Keyboard shortcuts.
- Click it Edit icon under extensions.
- Enter the key combination that will open the extension in the Type a shortcut field. Keep in mind that the key combination must include the CTRL Where Other key.
If you have installed the same extensions on multiple browsers, we recommend setting the same hotkey.
How to set a keyboard shortcut for a Firefox extension
If you recently switched to Mozilla Firefox and are looking for a way to personalize your browsing experience, setting up a keyboard shortcut for your Firefox extensions is a good place to start.
Follow these steps to manage your extensions’ keyboard shortcuts:
- Move towards about:preferences.
- In the left menu, open Extensions and Themes.
- Click it Settings icon at the top of the page and select Manage extension shortcut.
- Enter a shortcut containing the CTRL Where Other key.
To note: When setting a new keyboard shortcut, Firefox will notify you if the shortcut is already in use by another browser extension.
How to Set a Keyboard Shortcut for an Edge Extension
If you’ve upgraded to Windows 11, you might want to set Edge as your default browser. Microsoft Edge has definitely caught up with the browser competition, so it’s no surprise that you can set hotkeys to trigger browser extensions.
- In the browser toolbar, click the Extensions icon and select Manage extensions.
- Click on Keyboard shortcuts.
- Use the Type a shortcut next to each extension to define a new keyboard shortcut.
- To remove a shortcut, just click X.
To note: If you set the same keyboard combination for multiple extensions, Edge will not notify you that the same combination is already in use by a different extension.
How to set a hotkey for a Brave extension
Brave is more than just a privacy-focused browser, as it comes with Brave Rewards system and video call feature. However, the Brave developers haven’t neglected the customization options, so you can also set a hotkey for a Brave extension.
- Move towards brave://parameters.
- From the menu in the left pane, select Extensions.
- Scroll down and click Keyboard shortcuts.
- Click it Edit icon and enter the key combination containing the icon CTRL Where Other key.
To note: A few extensions, such as MetaMask, may have a keyboard shortcut set as default. Nevertheless, you can easily change it as shown above.
Easily access extensions on your favorite browser
Now you know how to set a keyboard shortcut for extensions in your favorite browser. However, there are other tips and tricks you can use to make browsing more efficient.
Also, this can be a good opportunity to take a look at your installed extensions or add-ons and remove any that you no longer need or are unsure of.
Read more
About the Author