GoKawiilMishaal Rahman / Android Authority
TL;DR Google is reportedly testing a floating Chrome search bar that can be summoned with a keyboard shortcut, letting users search the web without opening the browser first.
The interface includes Google’s AI Mode, support for file and image uploads, and even AI image generation from the same window.
The feature is currently an early Chrome Canary prototype, so there’s no guarantee it will ever reach the stable version of Chrome.
Google Chrome could soon let you search the web without opening Chrome first. Most of us interact with Google Search in Chrome the same way: open the browser, type a query in the address bar, and wait for the results page to load. Google may be exploring a shortcut that skips several of those steps altogether.
According to Windows Report (and previously spotted by tipster Leopeva64), Google is experimenting with a new floating search interface for Chrome that can be summoned from anywhere on your desktop. The feature was reportedly spotted in Chrome Canary, Google’s experimental testing build, where it can be launched using the Ctrl + Shift + Space keyboard shortcut on Windows.
Instead of opening a browser window, the shortcut brings up a compact search box in the middle of the screen. It’s similar to Apple’s Spotlight Search on macOS or Microsoft’s PowerToys Run utility on Windows.
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What’s particularly interesting is that Google appears to be building AI capabilities directly into the experience. The floating search panel reportedly includes an AI Mode, allowing users to interact with Google’s AI tools from the same interface used for traditional searches.
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