Chrome can search specific websites directly from the address bar. After you create a site search shortcut, type the keyword, press Tab or Space when Chrome prompts, enter the search term, and Chrome sends the search to that site instead of your default engine.
Does this affect you?
Use this for Google Chrome on Windows, Mac, or Chromebook when you want shortcuts such as yt, amazon, docs, or help to search one site directly from the address bar.
Add a keyword shortcut manually
This works for any site with a predictable search URL.
- Click the three-dot menu and open Settings.
- Choose Search engine.
- Open Manage search engines and site search.
- Next to Site search, click Add.
- Enter a search engine name you will recognize.
- Enter the shortcut keyword you want to type.
- Enter the search URL with %s where the query should go, such as https://www.amazon.com/s?k=%s.
- Click Add.
To use it, type the shortcut in the address bar, press Tab when Chrome switches to site search, type the search, and press Enter.
Edit or remove a shortcut Chrome created automatically
Chrome often creates site shortcuts after you search on a website once, but the keyword may be too long.
- Open Settings > Search engine > Manage search engines and site search.
- Scroll to Site search.
- Find the site entry.
- Click the three-dot menu beside it.
- Choose Edit to shorten the shortcut, or Delete to remove it.
More control
Build the URL from a real search
Search the site manually, then copy the resulting address and replace your actual search term with %s. A YouTube search URL, for example, can become youtube.com/results?search_query=%s.
Pick high-value shortcuts
Good candidates include shopping sites, documentation, help centers, internal work tools, recipe sites, and video sites you search repeatedly.
Sync depends on your profile
Site search shortcuts are stored in the Chrome profile and can sync when Chrome sync is enabled. If a shortcut appears on only one computer, check sync for that profile.
Bookmark keywords are different
A bookmark keyword opens one saved page. A site search keyword runs a search with a changing query term.
Sources
- Google Chrome Help – Manage search engines and site search in Chrome (2025)
- Google Chrome Help – Search from the address bar (2025)
- Google Chrome Help – Search the web in Chrome (2025)