Bookmarklets allow you to always keep your common tasks on a web page just a click away. This article tells you what bookmarklets are, and explains how to install and use them.
Table of Contents
What do bookmarklets do?
A bookmarklet is a "one-click" tool which adds functionality to the browser, such as modifying the appearance of a web page, querying a search engine with search terms provided by previously selected text, or submitting the current page to a translation or blogging service.
How bookmarklets are different from extensions?
- They do basic tasks on clicking.
- They are universal, i.e. they usually work on any browser, not just Firefox, and whatever the platform, mobile or desktop.
- They are managed as any bookmarks. For more information, see Bookmarks in Firefox.
How do I install a bookmarklet?
To install a bookmarklet, simply:
- Show the Bookmarks Toolbar by right-clickingcontrol-clicking on an empty section of the Tab Strip and checking Bookmarks Toolbar in the pop-up menu.
- Drag the bookmarklet from the page to your Bookmarks Toolbar. It should appear on the toolbar.
That's all there is to it!
The process is very similar for other browsers; usually the only hard part is figuring out how to show your browser's Bookmarks Toolbar – but once that's taken care of, you're good to go!
How do I use a bookmarklet?
All you have to do is:
- Navigate to the page where you want your bookmarklet to apply to.
- Click the bookmarklet on your Bookmarks Toolbar.
Where do I find bookmarklets?
Now that you know what bookmarklets are and how to install and use them, here are some cool bookmarklets to start your own collection:
- Readability removes crufty sidebars from web pages and enlarges text to make it easier to read.
- Microsoft Translator Bookmarklet detects the original language of a web page and translates it to your own language. This bookmarklet doesn't work on secure (https://) websites.
You can find more at http://marklets.com/.
