I used to keep dozens of tabs open until I discovered this Chrome feature
by Anu Joy · Android PoliceI used to send links to myself all the time. If I found an article on my computer that I wanted to read later on my phone, I would message it to myself, leave it open in a tab, or save it to a note-taking app.
The same thing happened in reverse when I wanted to revisit something from my phone on my computer.
The problem was that they felt like extra steps for something I did several times a day.
That's why I was surprised by Chrome's Send to your devices feature. Instead of copying links between apps or relying on messaging myself, I could send a page directly from one device to another with a couple of clicks.
The feature has existed in Chrome for years, but I had mostly ignored it until recently.
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This Chrome feature is easy to miss
Chrome's Send to your devices feature has been around for years, but it's surprisingly easy to overlook.
It doesn't appear prominently in the interface, and most people can use Chrome every day without ever realizing it exists.
On the desktop browser, the option appears when you right-click a tab or anywhere on a website.
Alternatively, you can find it by clicking the three-dot menu icon, and selecting Cast, save, and share.
On Android, it's available through the browser's share sheet. Tap the three-dot menu icon, tap Share, and select Send to devices.
As long as you stay signed in to the same Google account on both devices, Chrome can send the page directly to another phone, tablet, or computer.
The link arrives as a notification on the other device, and tapping it immediately opens the page in Chrome.
There's no need to copy the URL, paste it into a messaging app, or leave the tab open until you remember to come back to it later.
If your devices aren't appearing, click your profile icon in the Chrome browser, and verify that Sync is on. Also, make sure you are logged in to the same Google account.
I stopped using messaging apps as a bookmarking service
Before I started using Chrome's sharing tool, I had developed a habit of sending links to myself.
Sometimes it was a message on WhatsApp, and occasionally I'd even email myself an article I wanted to read later.
The problem is that most of these links only need to move from one device to another once. I don't necessarily want to bookmark them forever or save them in a note-taking app.
Chrome's Send to your devices feature handles exactly that.
For example, if I'm heading out and want directions on my phone, I'll send the map from my laptop before leaving.
If I'm researching a product on my computer and want to check it again while shopping, I can send the page to my phone instead of keeping dozens of tabs open.
The same applies to restaurant websites, event tickets, travel bookings, recipes, and articles that I plan to read later.
I keep fewer tabs open now
One unexpected benefit of using this feature is that I've stopped treating browser tabs as reminders.
I used to leave articles, product pages, and videos open because I knew I would want them later on another device.
A tab on my desktop might stay open all day because I planned to read it on my phone, while something on my phone would remain untouched until I sat down at my computer.
Over time, those temporary tabs started piling up. Some eventually became bookmarks, but most stayed open because closing them felt like losing the information.
Now, if I know I'll need something on another device, I send it there and close the tab. The page shows up where I intend to use it, and I don't have to rely on dozens of open tabs as a reminder system.
It hasn't completely cured my tab hoarding habits, but it has reduced the number of tabs I keep open "just in case."
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It is not a replacement for bookmarks or reading apps
One thing I realized is that this feature is not trying to replace bookmarks, read-later apps, or note-taking tools.
Bookmarks are useful for websites I know I will return to repeatedly. Read-later apps are great for long articles I want to save for the weekend, and note-taking apps help me organize information that I want to keep permanently.
Chrome's sharing feature solves a much smaller problem: moving something from one device to another.
If I find a recipe on my laptop that I want to open in the kitchen, I do not need to bookmark it forever. The same goes for directions, tickets, product pages, or anything I will use once.