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Mastering Browser Efficiency: Custom Search Engine Shortcuts

tags: BrowserProductivityCustomization

To set "yt" as a shortcut for quickly accessing YouTube in your browser, you can use the custom search engine feature available in most modern browsers. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

Google Chrome:

  1. Open Chrome Settings: Click on the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of your Chrome browser window and select "Settings" from the dropdown menu.

  2. Manage Search Engines: Scroll down to the "Search engine" section and click on "Manage search engines."

  3. Add New Search Engine: Under the "Other search engines" section, click on "Add" to add a new search engine.

  4. Enter Search Engine Details: In the "Search engine" field, enter a name for your custom search engine, such as "YouTube." In the "Keyword" field, enter your desired shortcut, such as "yt." For the "URL with %s in place of query" field, enter the following URL:

    https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%s

  5. Save Changes: Click "Add" to save the new search engine.

  6. Set as Default (Optional): If you want to make this your default search engine, hover over the newly added search engine and click on the three-dot menu icon that appears. Then, select "Make default."

Now, whenever you type "yt" followed by a space in the address bar of your Chrome browser, you'll be able to search YouTube directly.

Microsoft Edge:

  1. Open Edge Settings: Click on the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of your Edge browser window and select "Settings" from the dropdown menu.

  2. Manage Search Engines: In the Settings menu, navigate to the "Privacy, search, and services" section. Under "Services," click on "Address bar and search."

  3. Add New Search Engine: Scroll down to the "Manage search engines" section and click on "Add" to add a new search engine.

  4. Enter Search Engine Details: Enter a name for your custom search engine, such as "YouTube," and your desired shortcut, such as "yt." For the "Search engine URL" field, enter the following URL:

    https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%s

  5. Save Changes: Click "Add" to save the new search engine.

  6. Set as Default (Optional): If you want to make this your default search engine, hover over the newly added search engine and click on "Make default."

Now, you can simply type "yt" followed by a space in the address bar of your Edge browser to search YouTube directly.

By setting up this custom search engine shortcut, you can quickly access YouTube without needing to visit the site manually or perform a web search first.