Did you know you can search your Google Drive from the Chrome address bar?
That’s right! With this one little trick, you can search right from the search box (aka the Omnibox) in Google Chrome.
If you are anything like me, you store EVERYTHING in Google Drive.
I use Google Drive to backup all of my files so I can get to my stuff from anywhere at any time.
But, as you may have read in my previous post: 8 Fantastic Ways to Find Anything in Google Drive, I am not so great at keeping my files organized and rely deeply on the searching functionality within Google Drive.
So take the power of Google Drive search and combine it with the ability to customize your search engine shortcuts in Google Chrome, and you’ve got a winner!
In this post, I will show you how to create custom search engines in Google Chrome so you can search Drive and Gmail in one location!
This is soooooooo easy, and a great time saver! We all need that!
Google Chrome
Google Chrome is a powerful browser!
I often refer to Chrome as the learning environment for all things Google because Google works best with Google.
So if you have not made the switch, I highly recommend making Google Chrome your default browser.
The Google Chrome address bar is that white text field at the top of the screen where you type the web address or enter your search terms to use Google’s search engine.
Google calls this the Omnibox because it does much more than you probably realize.
Create Custom Search Engines
You probably know that Google Chrome makes it easy to use Google as your primary search engine.
But, did you know that you can customize your very own search engines?
Even better you can create a shorthand of keywords to trigger your favorite searches in the Chrome Omnibox, and you can use this to search Google Drive and Gmail!
How to Create Your Chrome Custom Search Engines:
1 – Right-click on the Omnibox, and select, “Edit Search Engines.” This will open your search engine settings in Google Chrome.
2 – From here, scroll down to the “Other search engines,” section and click on “Add.”
3 – Name your search engine.
4 – Then choose the keyword you want to use. It doesn’t even have to be a full word.
5 – Then just copy and paste the search URL. (Try this one for Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/#search?q=%s)
6 – Click “Add.”
Now test it out!
Type your new keyword in the Omnibox and then click the tab button on your keyboard to activate your search engine.
Then enter your search terms!
Search Gmail from Chrome
You can also create a search for your Gmail account.
Repeat the directions above, choose a new keyword, and use the drive URL: https://mail.google.com/mail/ca/u/0/#apps/%s.
How awesome is that?
Now you can create and edit other search engines that you use frequently. (I use “am,” to search Amazon since I’m a frequent flyer.)
Below is a list of common searches you may want to try and some suggested keywords.
Other Custom Searches to Try
| Name | Keyword (or choose your own) |
URL |
| Google Drive | drive | https://drive.google.com/drive/search?q=%s |
| Gmail | https://mail.google.com/mail/ca/u/0/#search/%s | |
| Google Maps | maps | https://www.google.com/maps/search/%s?hl=en&source=opensearch |
| YouTube | YT | https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%s&page={startPage?}&utm_source=opensearch |
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The drive search worked just fine but the gmail search did not. Can you check the URL for the gmail search?
After several tries, it is working now as published. I must have been using reserved keywords (g, gm). Using ‘gmail’ now as keyword and works as advertised! Thanks again for your always useful posts!
Glad you got it working! Sorry for the delayed response. This has been my craziest summer yet! Take care!