ChatGPT Search v2.0.1 is live on the Chrome Web Store. This release repurposes the extension around what actually works in Chromium browsers today: auto-send when ChatGPT opens with a ?prompt= URL, quick search from the popup, and a one-time setup guide so you can type c in the address bar and jump straight into ChatGPT.
Repo: github.com/jovylle/add-as-search-engine
What changed in v2
Earlier versions leaned on omnibox APIs and redirect tricks. Browsers block extensions from adding search engines programmatically — that is a malware vector — and omnibox-only flows do not cover every Chromium browser. v2 strips that complexity and focuses on three things that ship cleanly and stay store-safe:
- Auto-send — open
https://chatgpt.com/?prompt=your+question and the extension clicks Send for you (toggle in the popup)
- Quick search — type a prompt in the popup and go
- Setup guide — copy-paste values to add ChatGPT as a site search engine once (Name:
ChatGPT, Shortcut: c, URL: https://chatgpt.com/?prompt=%s)
Removed in v2: omnibox API, chrome_settings_overrides, background service worker, and any owned redirect server. Queries go directly to ChatGPT.
How to use it
- Install from the Chrome Web Store (works in Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera, and Vivaldi)
- Open the extension popup and follow the one-time setup for your browser
- Type
c, press Tab, enter your question, press Enter
- ChatGPT opens with your prompt; auto-send fires if you left it on
Or skip the shortcut and use Quick search in the popup whenever you want.
Permissions (and why they are minimal)
| Permission | Purpose |
|---|
storage | Saves auto-send on/off locally — no telemetry |
chatgpt.com host + content script | Clicks Send when the page loads with ?prompt= |
No analytics, no middleman server, no default search engine override.
What it is not
- Does not replace your default search engine
- Does not add the search engine for you — you paste values once in browser settings
- Not affiliated with OpenAI or ChatGPT
Why manual setup beats magic
Chromium only lets users register site search engines. Extensions cannot do it on your behalf. Rather than fight that with redirect domains or browser-specific APIs, v2 gives you exact copy-paste values and a popup that walks Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera, and Vivaldi through the same three fields. After that, c + Tab behaves like a native shortcut everywhere the manual entry works.
Side-project ship log. If you want ChatGPT in the address bar without a redirect server, grab v2.0.1 from the store or load unpacked from the repo.