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The world of artificial intelligence is changing how we search, write, and interact online. With the rise of AI chatbots such as Google Gemini, ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity AI, users can now get instant answers, summaries, and creative assistance without visiting multiple websites. What if you could chat with your favorite AI chatbot directly from your browser’s address bar?
Thanks to a clever Chrome feature, you can now start AI conversations right from the omnibox — that is, the search/address bar at the top of your browser. This small but powerful trick makes chatting with AI faster, more natural, and easily accessible from anywhere on the web.
In this blog, you’ll learn how to chat faster with AI chatbots from Chrome’s address bar, set up shortcuts, and make your browser your personal AI hub.
The Chrome address bar, also known as the omnibox, is the space where you type website addresses or search queries. Normally, it sends your query to Google Search or your default search engine. But Chrome also allows you to use custom site search shortcuts, meaning you can type a special keyword like @chatgpt or @gemini and start chatting with your chosen AI instantly.
This feature saves you time — no need to open new tabs or bookmark pages. You can start a chat in just seconds.
There are several benefits to using Chrome’s address bar to chat with AI:
Speed and Convenience
You can start chatting instantly by typing a keyword in the address bar — no need to visit the chatbot’s website first.
Multitasking Made Easy
You can start an AI conversation while browsing other websites. For example, while reading an article, type @gemini summarize this page, and get results in another tab.
Universal Access
The setup works on Windows, macOS, Linux, and ChromeOS — as long as you’re using the Chrome browser.
Customizable Shortcuts
You can create separate shortcuts for different chatbots such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, or Claude.
Chrome’s site search feature allows you to set a keyword that triggers a specific website’s search or chat function. By assigning a keyword to each AI chatbot’s URL, you can communicate with them directly from the omnibox.
For example, typing @gemini followed by a space will open Google Gemini’s chat interface in a new tab, ready for your query.
Follow these simple steps to add your favorite AI chatbots to Chrome’s address bar.
Open Google Chrome on your desktop or laptop.
Click the three dots (menu) in the top-right corner.
Select Settings.
In the left sidebar, click on Search engine.
Then click Manage search engines and site search.
This is where you can view or add custom search shortcuts for specific sites.
You can create shortcuts for any chatbot you use frequently.
Here’s how to add one manually:
Scroll down to the Site Search section.
Click Add.
Fill in the fields as follows:
Search engine: Google Gemini
Shortcut: gemini
URL with %s in place of query: https://gemini.google.com/app?hl=en&q=%s
Click Save.
Now, whenever you type @gemini in the Chrome address bar and press the spacebar, you’ll be able to type your question directly. Press Enter, and Chrome will instantly open Gemini with your query ready.
You can repeat the process for other AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity.
For ChatGPT
Search engine: ChatGPT
Shortcut: chatgpt
URL: https://chat.openai.com/?q=%s
For Claude (Anthropic)
Search engine: Claude
Shortcut: claude
URL: https://claude.ai/chat?q=%s
For Perplexity AI
Search engine: Perplexity
Shortcut: perplexity
URL: https://www.perplexity.ai/search?q=%s
For Microsoft Copilot
Search engine: Copilot
Shortcut: copilot
URL: https://copilot.microsoft.com/?q=%s
Once you add these, Chrome will automatically recognize the shortcuts.
Now that your shortcuts are set up, you can start chatting directly:
Type @gemini + space + your question → Press Enter
Type @chatgpt + space + your prompt → Press Enter
Type @perplexity + space + topic → Press Enter
Chrome will open a new tab and load your chosen AI chatbot, ready to answer instantly.
Example:
Typing @gemini write a summary of the latest Apple event will open Google Gemini and automatically generate the summary for you.
You can even combine Chrome’s shortcuts with your workflow:
While reading a page, type @perplexity explain this page.
While writing an email, type @chatgpt improve this message.
When researching, type @claude summarize AI in education.
This turns your browser into a universal AI assistant — without extra extensions or apps.
If Chrome doesn’t recognize your shortcut, ensure the keyword starts with @ and that you press the spacebar after typing it.
If the chatbot doesn’t open, check that the URL you entered in the settings includes %s for the query.
If your Chrome is outdated, update it to the latest version to ensure compatibility with the Omnibox feature.
Many browser extensions promise quick AI access, but they often slow down your browser or require additional permissions. Chrome’s built-in site search shortcut feature is lightweight, secure, and does not require installing anything.
It’s simple, effective, and works with any AI chatbot that has a web-based interface.
By adding a few simple site shortcuts in Chrome, you can chat faster with AI chatbots directly from your browser’s address bar. Whether you prefer Google Gemini for creative tasks, ChatGPT for coding, or Perplexity for real-time answers, Chrome’s omnibox puts AI power right at your fingertips.
This small trick can save you countless clicks and seconds every day, making your browsing experience smoother and more intelligent.
Set it up once, and from then on, whenever inspiration strikes, just type @gemini or @chatgpt in Chrome’s address bar — and start chatting instantly.
With Chrome’s address bar shortcuts, your favorite AI chatbot is only a few keystrokes away.