Close Chrome’s Download Strip With A Keyboard Shortcut


One thing I really missed when I shifted from Firefox to Chrome was a keyboard-friendly download manager. You can get rid of Firefox’s download window simply by hitting the Esc key, but Chrome wastes vertical space by putting file downloads under the main window in a strip you can only close by clicking the close box with your mouse. Fortunately, there is a workaround.

If you don’t want that annoying download bar cluttering up your view, simply type Control-J followed by Control-W. Control-J opens Chrome’s full download listing in a new tab, and when that happens, the strip is automatically closed. Control-W closes that tab, leaving you back where you were but with the full screen at your disposal. I’m annoyed at myself for not thinking of this months ago. I’d still prefer a one-key shortcut baked into the browser, but this will do for now.


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