7 Best Keyboard Shortcut Extensions for Chrome (2026)

The best keyboard shortcut extension for Chrome is Vimium if you want to click links and scroll without a mouse, and Shortkeys if you want to bind your own keys to browser actions. If your shortcuts should open saved things (a set of work tabs, a note, a reply), a command tool like SuperCommands fits better. All seven install in Edge and Brave from the Chrome Web Store.

What kind of shortcut extension do you need?

Pick the category first; most disappointment comes from installing the wrong one.

• Modal (Vim-style): Vimium turns single letters into commands. Press f, every link gets a badge, type the badge to click it.
• Shortcut mappers: Shortkeys lets you choose which combination does what.
• Command and tab tools: SuperCommands, QuicKey and Tabli open things by name: one key, a few letters, and you land on a tab, page or action.

The 7 best keyboard shortcut extensions, compared

We checked each listing on October 21, 2026. User counts and ratings will drift.

Vimium

Best for: clicking links without a mouse, zero setup.

Vimium is the reference tool, with 27,000+ stars on GitHub; updated March 2026.

• Scenario: f shows link hints, j/k scroll, T searches open tabs, x closes a tab and X restores it.
• Skip it if: you live on the New Tab page or the Web Store, where Chrome blocks it; letter keys can clash with Gmail and GitHub.
• Price: free, MIT.

Vimium C

Best for: Vimium users who hit its limits.

Vimium C keeps every Vimium command and adds per-site mappings, eight global shortcuts, a v omnibox keyword and a PDF viewer (README).

• Key fact: Chrome and Edge 102+, Firefox 101+; last Chrome update April 2025.
• Skip it if: you dislike dense settings; docs are partly in Chinese.
• Price: free, Apache-2.0.

Surfingkeys

Best for: scripting your browser.

Surfingkeys is Vim-style, but every setting is JavaScript; updated October 2026.

• Scenario: t opens an omnibar, ZZ saves a tab session and ZR restores it, I edits a text box Vim-style (GitHub).
• Skip it if: you do not want to edit a config file.
• Price: free, MIT.

Shortkeys

Best for: choosing your own keys.

Shortkeys maps any keys to 125+ built-in actions, sequences like g i, macros of up to 10 actions, custom JavaScript and per-site filters.

• Key fact: 25 ready-made scripts; updated March 2026.
• Skip it if: you need reliability without testing; its 3.2 rating is the lowest here.
• Price: free, MIT.

SuperCommands

Best for: shortcuts that open saved work. This is our extension.

SuperCommands gives hotkeys and typed commands to links, tab sets, notes and snippets.

• Scenario: type c, Space, standup in the address bar to open six meeting tabs; c/followup in a text field inserts a saved reply; Alt + 1 opens a note (keyboard shortcuts docs).
• Skip it if: you want link hints; it does not replace Vimium. Chrome, Edge and Brave only.
• Price: free and open source; the local version is 100% free, forever.

QuicKey

Best for: jumping back to recent tabs.

QuicKey adds Alt + Tab behavior: hold Alt, tap Q to cycle recent tabs (Ctrl + W on Mac); Alt + Z flips between the last two.

• Key fact: lists 25 recently closed tabs; cannot read page content.
• Skip it if: you want active development; last update October 2024.
• Price: free.

Tabli

Best for: one searchable list across several windows.

Tabli shows every window and tab in a popup you navigate with arrow keys, and can save and restore windows.

• Key fact: the listing says it makes no outbound network connections; updated October 2026.
• Skip it if: you need page-level keys like link hints.
• Price: free.

Can you change Chrome's built-in shortcuts without an extension?

Mostly no. Chrome only lets you remap extension shortcuts, at chrome://extensions/shortcuts, where each can work "In Chrome" or globally.

• Brave: edits its own shortcuts under Settings, System, Shortcuts.
• Edge: uses edge://extensions/shortcuts.
• Defaults to learn first: Ctrl + L address bar, Ctrl + 1 to Ctrl + 8 tabs, Ctrl + Shift + A tab search, F7 caret browsing. See how to browse the web without a mouse.

Which one should you pick?

• Pick Vimium first; within a day you will know if modal keys suit you.
• Pick Vimium C or Surfingkeys if you like modal keys and want more control.
• Pick Shortkeys if letter keys feel wrong and you repeat a handful of actions.
• Pick SuperCommands alongside either for hotkeys to specific pages and tab sets. See SuperCommands vs Vimium and creating keyboard shortcuts for any website.

FAQ

What is the best keyboard shortcut extension for Chrome?

Vimium for general browsing: 600,000 users, a 4.8 rating and no configuration. Shortkeys is the most capable free option for custom bindings.

Is cVim still available?

Not on the Chrome Web Store as of October 2026. Vimium C and Surfingkeys are the closest maintained replacements.

How do I change an extension's keyboard shortcut in Chrome?

Open chrome://extensions/shortcuts, click the pencil next to the command and press the new keys. You can also make it work globally.

Why don't Vimium keys work on the New Tab page?

Chrome blocks extensions on its own pages, including New Tab and the Web Store. Open new tabs with Vimium's t key or its companion New Tab extension.