Is Chrome Copying Edge? ‘Omnibox Tools’ Bring Edge-Style Address Bar Shortcuts

Google is experimenting with a new Chrome feature called “Omnibox Toolbelt”, and it looks a lot like something Microsoft Edge already does. This upcoming feature adds a row of helpful buttons below the address bar when you start typing.

If you use Microsoft Edge, this might seem familiar. Edge already offers shortcuts below the address bar to filter searches by History, Favorites, or Tabs. It’s a small but useful feature that many users overlook—until they need it.

Chrome Mimics Edge with New Address Bar Shortcuts

Now, Google is testing a similar approach in Chrome. When typing in Chrome’s address bar—known as the Omnibox—the browser will display a row of buttons at the bottom called Your Tools, featuring shortcuts like

• Search Bookmarks
• Search Tabs
• Search History.

SEE also: Chrome Tests Material You-Inspired Redesign for Google Lens Overlay

By selecting any of these, users can quickly search their history, bookmarks, or tabs directly from the address bar. This feature isn’t entirely new—Chrome already allows searches via keyword commands like @history, @tabs, and @bookmarks. However, those require manual input, whereas Omnibox Tools aim to make feature discovery easier with visible shortcuts for Bookmarks, History, and Tabs.

Feature name: Omnibox toolbelt

What it does: Adds a row of buttons at the bottom of the Omnibox

Also SEE: Chrome Could Soon Get Google’s AI Mode: First Look

This feature is currently being developed. We managed to trigger it, but it is not yet available as a Chrome flag. Google may eventually roll it out for testing in the Canary behind a flag.

Since Microsoft is a major contributor to the Chromium project, it’s no surprise that Chrome and Edge frequently borrow ideas from each other. That said, Chrome’s latest experimental feature feels inspired by Edge’s address bar search filters.