How to Make Chrome Desktop Shortcuts Open New Tabs Instead of Windows?
Asked by
TechSavvyDude42
Hey everyone, I'm a bit late to the Windows 11 party—I just upgraded last night! I'm trying to get used to it, especially since I used to rely on the taskbar being on the left side in Windows 10. As part of my adjustment, I'm focusing on using desktop icons more effectively.
Here's my issue: I want to create a desktop shortcut for Chrome that, when clicked, opens a new tab in the existing Chrome window rather than launching a whole new window. I've accidentally ended up with eight Chrome windows open in just an hour, when all I want is one window with multiple tabs.
Is there a way to do this? I'd appreciate any guidance. Thanks!
Answers
Why not just add your shortcut as a bookmark instead of having a desktop icon? It's less clutter and you can manage your tabs better.
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Honestly, I think the simpler route would be to just click that + sign in Chrome to get a new tab instead of messing with shortcut setups. That way, you keep everything organized in one window!
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I'm kinda puzzled about why you're going for desktop icons at all. Most of my stuff is on the taskbar or bookmarks, so I rarely need to use desktop icons. Maybe you could try setting up a bookmarks bar in Chrome? Then you can click around without needing to open multiple windows.
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You know, instead of trying to deal with shortcuts, you could just hit Ctrl+T to open a new tab in your current window. It's a quick fix and saves you a lot of hassle!
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If you want to open a link in a new tab instead of opening a new window, just middle-click the link. It's super handy! But for the desktop shortcut situation, adding bookmarks might be the way to go too.
TechSavvyDude42: Good point! I’ll try that middle-click method.
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TechSavvyDude42: Right? I’ll give that a shot!