Fast, flexible and ready for the modern web.
Google Chrome is one of the most widely used web browsers in the world.
It is used for shopping, banking, email, education, social media, streaming, research, work portals, online meetings, cloud services, document editing and almost every other kind of web-based task. Many services are designed and tested with Chrome in mind, and some web sites work best when opened in Chrome or another Chromium-based browser.
For JAWS for Windows users, Chrome is not simply another program on the computer.
It is one of the main gateways to the modern web.
That is why confidence matters.
If you know how to use Chrome well, you can move through web pages more quickly, manage downloads more easily, keep important sites close at hand, handle forms more effectively, understand browser settings, work with tabs, manage privacy and site permissions, use extensions, understand the newer AI features, and make better decisions about how JAWS should behave on different web sites.
If you do not know how Chrome works, the web can feel more difficult than it needs to be.
Chrome Plated has been designed to solve that problem.
This new 2026 edition is a complete text-based training book showing JAWS for Windows users how to work with Google Chrome in a practical, efficient and confident way.
It is based on the original Chrome Plated audio course from 2017, but it is not simply a transcript of that course.
Chrome has changed. JAWS has changed. Web sites have changed. The way people use the internet has changed.
This new edition brings the training fully up to date for 2026.
Why a New Chrome Course?
When Chrome Plated was first taught in 2017, many people were still moving away from Internet Explorer.
The question then was often, "Can I really use Chrome with JAWS?"
Today the question is different.
Chrome is no longer the future browser people might eventually need to learn.
For many people, it is the browser they already use every day.
But daily use is not the same as confident use.
Many people know how to open Chrome, type an address, perform a search and activate links. That is a start, but it is not the whole story.
Chrome contains many features which can save time, reduce frustration and improve safety if they are understood properly.
JAWS also contains many features which make Chrome more efficient, but those features are not always obvious.
There are Quick Navigation keys, lists of links and headings, table navigation commands, forms options, Smart Navigation, PlaceMarkers, Personalised Web Settings, Quick Settings, speech and verbosity choices, commands for selecting text, Page Explorer, and many other tools which can make a difficult page more manageable.
The purpose of Chrome Plated is to bring these two worlds together.
It is not only a book about Chrome.
It is a book about using Chrome with JAWS.
That distinction matters.
A sighted person can often glance at a page and make decisions based on layout. A screen reader user needs reliable strategies. How do you find the main content? How do you work out whether a page is structured well? How do you move through headings, links, forms, tables and regions? How do you know when Chrome itself has focus and when the web page has focus? What is the best way to download a file? Where did that file go? Why did a keyboard shortcut behave differently on one site than another?
Those are practical questions.
This book is designed to answer them.
Who Is the Course For?
This course is ideal for:
- JAWS for Windows users who want to use Google Chrome with more confidence.
- People who already use Chrome but feel they are only using the basics.
- Users who previously learned Chrome through older training and want a fully updated 2026 guide.
- Anyone who has moved from another browser and wants to understand how Chrome thinks.
- People who want to improve their web browsing efficiency with JAWS.
- Users who want a clear explanation of Chrome settings, tabs, downloads, bookmarks, history, forms, extensions and privacy options.
- Trainers, support workers and technology instructors who need a structured guide for teaching Chrome to screen reader users.
- Anyone who wants to understand not only which keys to press, but why a particular technique is useful.
- Users who want to understand how newer AI tools in and around Chrome may help with web pages, research and inaccessible content.
You do not need to be an advanced user.
You should have a basic understanding of using JAWS and browsing web pages, but the course will explain the Chrome-specific concepts carefully and in plain language.
How the Training is Delivered.
When you purchase the course, you will receive access to a secure area of our web site where the training is provided as a downloadable text book in Microsoft Word and HTML formats with no audio.
This is the same approach used for our newer training books.
It has several advantages.
You can read the material at your own pace.
You can search the text.
You can return to a topic whenever you need it.
You can copy a keystroke or instruction into your own notes.
The material can be updated more easily if Chrome or JAWS changes.
New sections can be added if particular features or workflows need attention in future.
The course is written in practical, step-by-step language. It does not assume that the user can see the screen. It describes how to reach features, what JAWS is likely to report, what the controls are for, and which techniques are most efficient.
What Makes Chrome Plated Different?
There are many web browsing tutorials on the internet.
Very few are written specifically for JAWS users.
Fewer still explain how Chrome and JAWS work together in daily situations.
Chrome Plated is not a list of Chrome features copied from a help page.
It is a practical guide to using Chrome when speech and keyboard access are your primary ways of working.
The book will not only tell you that Chrome has tabs. It will explain how to open them, move among them, close them, reopen a recently closed tab, understand when a page opens in a new tab or window, and develop sensible habits so that multiple pages do not become confusing.
It will not only tell you that Chrome has downloads. It will explain different ways of downloading files, how to choose where a file is saved, how to open the download manager, how to review downloaded files, how to change the download location, and how to avoid losing track of what has just been downloaded.
It will not only tell you that Chrome has bookmarks. It will explain how to create, open, organise, rename, move, import and export them, and how to decide when a bookmark, history entry, desktop shortcut or other method is the best way back to a page.
It will not only tell you how JAWS works web pages. It will explain how Quick Navigation keys help on real pages, when to use lists of links or headings, how to approach forms and tables, and how to adjust JAWS settings if a site is too verbose or not verbose enough.
That is the aim of the course:
Practical web browsing.
Efficient JAWS use.
Clear explanations.
Less guesswork.
More confidence.
AI, Codex and the Modern Web.
There is another reason why Chrome Plated needs to be updated for 2026.
Artificial intelligence is becoming part of the browsing experience.
Google describes AI Mode in Chrome as a way of asking more complex questions while keeping the conversation open alongside your tabs. It can also use context such as tabs, files and images when formulating an answer.
There is also Gemini in Chrome, which can help users ask questions, compare information and get help with open tabs in the browser. Some task-related features may depend on location, account type or subscription, so the course will be careful to explain what is available, what may vary, and how to approach these features sensibly.
For blind users, this is worth understanding.
AI tools can sometimes help summarise difficult pages, explain unfamiliar information, compare material from more than one source, or help you decide where to go next.
But there is an even more significant development.
Chrome can now work with Codex from OpenAI through a Chrome extension.
This means Codex can use Chrome, with the user's permission, when a task needs browser context. It can work with signed-in web sites when authorised, use the contents of pages as context, and help carry out browser-based tasks under user control.
For blind people, this has enormous potential.
There are still web pages which are poorly designed, confusing, difficult to navigate, or inaccessible. A screen reader user may technically be able to reach a page, but still struggle to understand its layout, locate the right control, or complete a workflow.
With Codex and Chrome working together, the user may be able to ask questions such as:
What is on this page?
Where is the button I need?
Can you summarise this form?
Can you explain why I cannot find the next step?
Can you help me carry out this task?
Codex should ask before interacting with new web sites, and the user remains in control of whether access is allowed or declined.
That permission-based approach matters, especially because browser content may be sensitive.
Chrome Plated will not pretend that AI solves every accessibility problem.
It will, however, explain why these tools are becoming important and how they may fit into a modern web browsing strategy for JAWS users.
What the Course Covers.
The course is expected to include the following sections:
- Introduction from the Author
- Before We Begin
- What You Need
- How to Use This Book
- Keeping Chrome and JAWS Up to Date
- A Word About Browser Choice
- Why Chrome Matters in 2026
- Chrome as a Modern Web Browser
- Why Many Sites Work Well in Chrome
- Chrome, Edge and Other Chromium-Based Browsers
- When More Than One Browser Can Still Be Useful
- Installing and Starting Chrome
- Downloading and Installing Chrome
- Starting Chrome from Windows
- Making Chrome the Default Browser
- Understanding Chrome Updates
- The Chrome Window
- The Address Bar or Omnibox
- The Web Page Area
- Chrome Menus
- Toolbars and Buttons
- Full Screen Mode
- Understanding Where Focus Is
- The Omnibox
- Typing Web Addresses
- Searching from the Omnibox
- Search Suggestions
- Autocomplete
- Opening a Search in a New Tab
- Using Site Search Shortcuts
- Editing Search Engines and Site Search Entries
- Tabs and Windows
- Opening a New Tab
- Opening a New Window
- Moving Among Tabs
- Closing Tabs and Windows
- Reopening Recently Closed Tabs
- Pinning Tabs
- Incognito Windows
- Knowing When Too Many Tabs Are Open
- Essential Chrome Settings
- Opening Settings
- Settings as Web Pages
- Startup Settings
- Home Page and New Tab Behaviour
- Appearance Settings
- Search Engine Settings
- Downloads Settings
- Privacy and Security Settings
- Site Settings
- Resetting Settings if Things Go Wrong
- JAWS Settings for Chrome
- JAWS Quick Settings
- Smart Navigation
- Forms Mode
- Virtual Cursor Behaviour
- Verbosity
- Heading and Link Options
- Table Options
- Personalised Web Settings
- Allowing Web Application Reserved Keystrokes
- Reading Web Pages Efficiently
- Say All
- Reading by Line, Sentence and Paragraph
- Moving by Headings
- Moving by Links
- Moving by Lists, Tables, Regions and Frames
- Skipping Repeated Content
- Finding Text on a Page
- Knowing When a Page Has Finished Loading
- Links, Buttons and Page Controls
- Unvisited and Visited Links
- Same Element Navigation
- The JAWS Links List
- Buttons and Clickable Items
- Menus on Web Pages
- Web Page Notifications
- Forms
- Forms Mode
- Auto Forms Mode
- Edit Fields
- Combo Boxes
- Radio Buttons
- Checkboxes
- Buttons
- The JAWS Forms List
- Strategies for Difficult Forms
- Tables
- Layout Tables and Data Tables
- Navigating Tables
- Reading the Current Cell
- Row and Column Headers
- Layered Table Navigation
- Jumping to a Specific Cell
- Selecting and Copying Table Contents
- Selecting, Copying and Saving Information
- Standard Copy and Paste Commands
- Selecting Text on Web Pages
- Temporary PlaceMarkers
- FS Clipboard
- Copying Page Addresses
- Saving Pages and Information for Later
- Bookmarks and Favourites
- Creating a Bookmark
- Opening a Bookmark
- The Bookmarks Bar
- Bookmark Folders
- Chrome Bookmarks Manager
- Renaming, Moving and Deleting Bookmarks
- Importing and Exporting Bookmarks
- Importing from Another Browser
- History
- Navigating Back and Forward
- Recently Closed Tabs
- Chrome History
- Searching History
- Deleting Individual History Items
- Clearing Browsing Data
- Understanding What History Does and Does Not Mean
- Downloads
- Downloading Documents and Files
- Choosing Save Link As
- Chrome Download Manager
- Opening Downloaded Files
- Finding the Downloads Folder
- Changing the Download Location
- Asking Where to Save Each File
- Handling Download Warnings Carefully
- Passwords, Autofill and Payment Information
- Chrome Password Saving
- When to Use or Avoid Browser Password Saving
- Working Alongside 1Password or Another Password Manager
- Autofill for Addresses and Payment Details
- Turning Autofill Features On or Off
- Privacy and Safety Considerations
- Profiles, Sync and Google Accounts
- What a Chrome Profile Is
- Signing Into Chrome
- Syncing Bookmarks, History, Extensions and Settings
- When Sync Is Useful
- When You May Not Want Sync
- Managing More Than One Profile
- Privacy, Security and Site Permissions
- Cookies
- Camera and Microphone Permissions
- Location Permissions
- Notifications
- Pop-ups and Redirects
- Unsafe Site Warnings
- Permissions for Individual Sites
- Reviewing What a Site Is Allowed to Do
- Extensions
- What Extensions Are
- The Chrome Web Store
- Searching for Extensions
- Installing an Extension
- Managing and Removing Extensions
- Extension Keyboard Shortcuts
- Allowing Extensions in Incognito
- Being Careful About Extension Permissions
- Working With Web Apps
- Why Some Sites Behave Like Applications
- When Chrome or the Web App Uses the Keyboard
- Allowing Reserved Keystrokes
- Handling Alerts, Dialogs and Dynamic Updates
- Strategies for Sites Such as Email, Cloud Storage and Online Editors
- AI in Chrome, Codex and Assisted Browsing
- What AI Mode in Chrome is
- How AI Mode differs from ordinary search
- Gemini in Chrome
- Asking questions about open tabs and web content
- Adding context such as tabs, files and images where available
- Understanding availability, account and subscription differences
- Using AI carefully and checking important answers
- What the Codex Chrome extension can do
- Allowing or declining web site access
- Asking Codex about difficult or inaccessible pages
- Asking Codex to help with browser-based tasks
- Privacy, permission and safety considerations
- Useful Chrome Pages and Internal Commands
- Chrome Settings
- Chrome Downloads
- Chrome History
- Chrome Extensions
- Chrome Help and Updates
- When Internal Chrome Pages Are the Fastest Route
- Troubleshooting
- When a Page Does Not Load Correctly
- When a Shortcut Does Something Unexpected
- When JAWS Reads Too Much
- When JAWS Reads Too Little
- When Forms Do Not Behave
- When Downloads Are Hard to Find
- When a Site Works Better in Another Browser
- Everyday Web Browsing Strategies
- A Sensible Starting Routine
- How to Approach an Unfamiliar Page
- How to Decide Whether to Use Headings, Links, Search or Forms Navigation
- How to Keep Important Pages Close
- How to Keep Chrome Tidy
- How to Build Confidence Over Time
- When AI assistance may be useful
- When to rely on your own browser and JAWS knowledge
- Appendix A. Chrome Keystrokes Mentioned in This Book
- Appendix B. JAWS Keystrokes Mentioned in This Book
- Appendix C. Suggested Chrome and JAWS Settings to Review
Why This Course Matters.
The web is not optional.
Almost everything now has a web component. Banking, shopping, healthcare, government services, email, travel, entertainment, learning, work and communication all depend on web access.
For JAWS users, learning a browser well is therefore one of the most valuable technology skills you can build.
Chrome Plated is designed to help you move beyond basic browsing.
It will show you how to use Chrome efficiently, how to make sense of its settings, how to manage common tasks, and how to use JAWS features which make web pages easier to understand.
It will also introduce the newer AI features around Chrome, including AI Mode and Codex browser assistance, so users understand where these tools can help and where judgement is still needed.
It will also encourage good judgement.
Sometimes Chrome is the right browser.
Sometimes another browser may be worth trying.
Sometimes a web page is badly designed.
Sometimes a JAWS setting can make the page easier.
Sometimes the best solution is not a new command, but a better strategy.
This course aims to teach those strategies.
It is not only about pressing keys.
It is about knowing what to do when the web behaves as expected, and what to try when it does not.
Price and Availability.
The cost of the training course is £60 or $80 US.
Scheduled for release in August 2026.
You can also send an Email to brian@hartgenconsultancy.com and an invoice can be sent to you.
Conclusion.
Chrome Plated is for JAWS for Windows users who want to browse the web with more confidence, speed and understanding.
Whether you are new to Chrome, returning to it after some time, or using it every day without feeling fully in control, this course will give you a structured route through the browser and the JAWS tools which support it.
The original Chrome Plated helped people make the move into a new browsing world.
The 2026 edition is designed for the web we use now.
Learn Chrome properly.
Use JAWS more efficiently.
Make the modern web feel less uncertain and more manageable.
Chrome Plated is back, fully revised, text-based, and ready for 2026.