How To Open And Use Chrome Settings

If you’re a fan and/or an avid user of the Chrome browser, there are ways you can make your browsing experience even better. From an array of simple to advanced settings, there are many helpful ones that benefit your needs, like privacy, aesthetics, security, accessibility, and more. Below is a list of only the settings we consider “essentials” along with additional tips.  

How to Open and Use Chrome Settings?

To directly visit Chrome settings, you can click on the three dots in the top-right corner. From the drop-down list, go to Settings. Alternatively, you can also paste this URL “chrome://settings” on your address bar. 

On the left panel, you can view the list of all the primary settings, such as Autofill, Privacy and Security, Appearance, and more. Now, here is a complete walkthrough of all the modifications that Chrome has to offer:

Chrome Personalization Settings

Let’s begin with the basics yet most fun part of Chrome, which is making Chrome your own. This includes setting up your favorite theme, customizing your browser, and importing your saved bookmarks. 

Choose a Theme 

1. From the menus on the left of the Settings page, click on Appearance. 
2. To change or set a specific theme, click on Theme. 
   
3. You’ll now be redirected to the Chrome Web Store. Make sure to select Themes from the menu on the left. 
   
4. Finally, all you need to do is select a theme of choice from the variety of options. 
5. Click on any theme and then click on the Add to Chrome option. 
   

Set Custom Background and Theme

If you want to customize your theme or your homepage, you can pick a specific color but not an image. Follow these methods to do so:

1. Open a new tab. 
2. Click on the little pen icon in the bottom-right corner. When you hover over it, it says ‘Customize This Page.’
3. In the first Background option, you can choose an existing background. Alternatively, you can pick an image of your choice using the Upload from Device option. 
   
4. Next, click on Color and Theme. Here, select a preset or customize your own color using the color picker. 
5. Once you’re done, click on Done. 

Import Bookmarks 

If you’re switching from another browser to Chrome, there’s a simple setting that allows you to directly import your bookmarks. 

1. Click on the You and Google setting from the left panel. 
2. Select Import Bookmarks and Settings. 
   
3. Choose your previous browser from the given option. Alternatively, if you have a saved HTML file of your bookmarks, you can select that as well. 
   
4. Below the option, you can also select other items like browsing history and search engines. 
5. Once you’ve selected your desired items, click on Import. 

Password Manager Settings

One very handy tool that Chrome provides is the free Password Manager. Although it may not be up to par like some premium tools in terms of security, it’s decent in performance. Here’s how you can try out its password managing tool:

1. From the left panel, click on Autofill. 
2. Click on Password Manager.
3. Next, switch the toggle to turn on the option Offer to save passwords. Doing so will make Chrome ask you to save a password every time you enter a new one. 
4. Below that option, click on Auto Sign-in. This option will automatically sign you into websites with saved passwords. 
   
5. If you already have a few saved passwords, you can check that section below the options mentioned above. Here, you can manage your passwords with options, like Copy Password, Edit Password, or Remove. 
6. If you want to manually add a new password to the list, click on the Add button next to Saved Passwords. 

Privacy Settings

Chrome has several settings you can use to optimize it as per your privacy needs. Let’s take a look: 

Clear Browsing Cache 

Whenever there’s a technical error with Chrome, one of the effective solutions is to clear your browsing cache. This is also helpful if you don’t want Chrome to have your user data or suggest irrelevant ads. 

1. From the left panel, click on Privacy and Security. Then, click on Clear Browsing Data. 
   
2. Here, select items you want to delete, like Browsing history, cookies and site data, or cached images and files. You can also select the time range of these files from the option at the top of the window. 
   
3. After you’ve selected them, click on Clear Data. 
4. If you click on the Advanced tab in the same window, you can also delete other items, like Passwords, Autofill data, Site Settings, and Hosted app data. 
   

Security Settings 

Chrome has some decent security settings that promise to make your browsing experience safer from unwanted malicious attacks or data breaches. Essentially, there are three modes you can choose from. They are No Protection, Standard Protection, and Enhanced Protection. 

We recommend opting for the Enhanced Protection. This mode gives you perks, like early warnings of threats, improves safety on other Google apps, data breach information, and verifies the integrity of websites. Here’s how to apply it:

1. On the same page as Privacy and Security, click on Security. 
   
2. Select a Safe Browsing mode you prefer. 
   
3. If you scroll down, you can find other advanced settings as well. You can turn on the option that says Always Use Secure Connections and Use Secure DNS.

Browsing Content Settings 

There are several ways to modify how you view content on Chrome. You can block unwanted cookies, pop-ups, and ads. Here’s how to do it:

Block Cookies/Pop-ups 

1. From the same Privacy and Security page, click on Site Settings. 
2. Scroll down to the Content section. 
3. Click on Pop-ups and redirects. 
   
4. Select the option that says Don’t allow sites to send pop-ups or use redirects. 

Block Ads 

Chrome’s Ad-blocker tool doesn’t block all ads but only the ones that may be inappropriate. 

1. Go back to the Content section and then scroll down to Additional Content Settings. 
2. Then, click on Ads. 
   
3. Select the option that says Block ads on sites that show intrusive or misleading ads. 
   

Block Insecure Content

You can also manually add websites to make Chrome block some inappropriate embeds or content. 

1. Go back to the Additional Content Settings page. 
2. Click on the Insecure Content option. 
   
3. Next to the option ‘Not allowed to show insecure content’, click on the Add option. 
   

Proxy Settings

For better security, you can also use a manual proxy server for Chrome. This option will help you to hide your active IP address and mask it with another one. 

1. Click on System settings below Accessibility.  
2. Then, navigate to Open your computer’s proxy settings. 
   
3. This option will now open the Network & Internet > Proxy window on your PC. Turn off the option Automatically detect settings.
4. From the Manual Proxy Setup option below, click on the Set up option next to Use a Proxy Server. 
   
5. Switch the toggle for Use a Proxy Server. Then, enter details for Proxy IP Address and Port. 
   
6. Lastly, click on Save. 

Reset Settings

Finally, if you don’t like some settings you altered, you can go back and reset your Chrome. Applying these settings will restore all settings back to default. 

1. Click on Reset and Clean Up from the left panel. 
2. Then, select the option Restore Settings to their original defaults. 
   
3. Click on Reset Settings.