LinkSlinger Support

Get help with LinkSlinger - the keyboard-activated multi-link selector for Chrome

Quick Start Guide

Getting Started in 30 Seconds

  1. Install LinkSlinger from the Chrome Web Store
  2. Visit any webpage with multiple links (try a Google search)
  3. Hold Z key on your keyboard
  4. Click and drag to create a selection box over links
  5. Release Z key to execute your chosen action (default: open in new tabs)

That's it! You're now selecting multiple links faster than ever.

Install LinkSlinger for Chrome

How to Use LinkSlinger

Basic Usage

Step 1: Activate Selection Mode

  • Press and hold the Z key (or your custom activation key)
  • Your cursor will change to a crosshair
  • The page is now in selection mode

Step 2: Select Links

  • Click and drag your mouse to create a selection box
  • The box will appear in blue with a border
  • A tooltip will show how many links you've selected

Step 3: Execute Action

  • Release the Z key
  • Your chosen action will execute immediately
  • Default action is "Open in New Tabs"

Available Actions

Open in New Tabs (Default)

  • Opens all selected links in new background tabs
  • Tabs open sequentially after your current tab
  • Focus remains on your current page

Open in New Window

  • Opens all selected links in a new browser window
  • All links load simultaneously
  • New window receives focus

Copy to Clipboard

  • Copies all selected links to your clipboard
  • Choose format: Plain Text, HTML, or Markdown
  • Paste anywhere (email, document, notes app)

Bookmark Links

  • Creates a bookmark folder with today's date
  • Saves all selected links as bookmarks
  • Folder name: "LinkSlinger - YYYY-MM-DD"

Keyboard Shortcuts

Key Action
Z (hold) Activate selection mode (default)
Z (release) Execute action on selected links
ESC Cancel selection (if in selection mode)
Alt+Shift+L Open LinkSlinger popup

All shortcuts are customizable in settings

Settings & Customization

Accessing Settings

Method 1: Extension Popup

  1. Click the LinkSlinger icon in your toolbar
  2. Click the ⚙️ Settings icon in the popup

Method 2: Right-Click Menu

  1. Right-click the LinkSlinger icon
  2. Select "Options"

Method 3: Chrome Extensions Page

  1. Go to chrome://extensions/
  2. Find LinkSlinger
  3. Click "Details"
  4. Click "Extension options"

Settings Options

General Settings

Activation Key

  • Default: Z key
  • Options: Any letter key (A-Z)
  • Recommendation: Choose a key you don't use often
  • Example: Z, X, or Q work well

Default Action

  • What happens when you release the activation key
  • Options:
    • Open in new tabs (recommended for most users)
    • Open in new window (good for research sessions)
    • Copy to clipboard (for saving/sharing links)
    • Bookmark links (for long-term storage)
ℹ️

Smart Selection

When enabled, automatically filters out non-relevant links including navigation menus, footer links, social media share buttons, JavaScript links, and mailto:/tel: links.

Advanced Settings

Domain Blocklist

Exclude specific domains from selection. Format: One domain per line.

facebook.com
twitter.com
ads.example.com

Clipboard Format

Choose how links are formatted when copied:

Plain Text: One URL per line

https://example.com/page1
https://example.com/page2

HTML: Formatted as HTML links

<a href="https://example.com/page1">Page Title</a>
<a href="https://example.com/page2">Page Title</a>

Markdown: Formatted for Markdown documents

[Page Title](https://example.com/page1)
[Page Title](https://example.com/page2)

Restoring Defaults

To reset all settings to defaults:

  1. Open Settings/Options
  2. Scroll to bottom
  3. Click "Restore Default Settings"
  4. Confirm the action

Troubleshooting

Selection Box Doesn't Appear

▼

Possible Causes & Solutions:

1. Z key not held down

  • Solution: Make sure you're holding the Z key before dragging
  • Check: Cursor should change to crosshair when Z is pressed

2. Typing in an input field

  • Solution: Click outside the input field first
  • Reason: LinkSlinger disables in text fields to avoid interfering with typing

3. Extension not enabled

  • Solution: Go to chrome://extensions/ and ensure LinkSlinger is enabled
  • Check: Toggle switch should be blue/on

4. Page hasn't loaded completely

  • Solution: Wait for page to finish loading
  • Check: Loading spinner in tab should stop

5. Content Security Policy blocking

  • Solution: Some sites (like Chrome Web Store) block extensions for security
  • Workaround: This is expected behavior and cannot be bypassed

Links Don't Open

▼

Possible Causes & Solutions:

1. Pop-up blocker active

  • Solution: Allow pop-ups for the site
  • Chrome will show a notification with "Pop-up blocked"
  • Click the notification and select "Always allow"

2. Too many links selected

  • Issue: Chrome limits the number of tabs you can open at once
  • Solution: Select fewer links (recommended max: 50 tabs)
  • Alternative: Use "Open in New Window" action instead

3. Invalid URLs

  • Issue: Some links may be javascript: or mailto: links
  • Solution: Enable "Smart Selection" to filter these automatically
  • Check: Hover over links to see if they're valid URLs

4. Extension permissions

  • Solution: Verify LinkSlinger has the "tabs" permission
  • Check: Go to chrome://extensions/ → LinkSlinger → Details

Copy to Clipboard Doesn't Work

▼

Possible Causes & Solutions:

1. Clipboard permission denied

  • Solution: Check that "clipboardWrite" permission is granted
  • Location: chrome://extensions/ → LinkSlinger → Permissions

2. Offscreen document failed to load

  • Solution: Check browser console for errors
  • Fix: Reinstall the extension
  • Steps: Remove extension, restart browser, reinstall

3. No links selected

  • Issue: Selection box may not have captured any links
  • Solution: Make sure links are within the selection box
  • Visual: Tooltip should show "X links selected"

4. Clipboard already in use

  • Issue: Another application may have locked the clipboard
  • Solution: Try again after a moment
  • Workaround: Close clipboard manager applications

Z Key Doesn't Work

▼

Possible Causes & Solutions:

1. Wrong activation key set

  • Solution: Check your settings - you may have changed the activation key
  • Location: Settings → General → Activation Key

2. Keyboard layout issue

  • Issue: Non-QWERTY keyboard layouts may map Z differently
  • Solution: Change activation key to a different letter
  • Recommendation: Try X, Q, or another accessible key

3. Another extension intercepting

  • Issue: Another extension may be using the Z key
  • Solution: Disable other extensions temporarily to test
  • Find conflict: Go to chrome://extensions/ and disable one by one

4. Operating system shortcut

  • Issue: OS-level shortcuts may override
  • Solution: Check your operating system's keyboard shortcuts
  • Windows: Settings → Keyboard
  • Mac: System Preferences → Keyboard → Shortcuts

Performance Issues

▼

Symptoms:

  • Selection box lags or stutters
  • Browser becomes slow when selecting many links
  • Extension freezes

Solutions:

1. Too many links on page

  • Issue: Pages with 1000+ links may cause slowdown
  • Solution: Select smaller regions at a time
  • Alternative: Enable "Smart Selection" to reduce processing

2. Insufficient system resources

  • Issue: Low RAM or CPU
  • Solution: Close other tabs/applications
  • Check: Chrome Task Manager (Shift+Esc)

3. Browser cache full

  • Solution: Clear browser cache
  • Steps: Settings → Privacy → Clear browsing data

4. Outdated browser

  • Solution: Update Chrome to the latest version
  • Check: Chrome menu → Help → About Google Chrome

Extension Not Working on Specific Sites

▼

Expected Behavior:

LinkSlinger will not work on:

  • chrome:// pages (Chrome internal pages)
  • Chrome Web Store pages
  • chrome-extension:// pages
  • Some banking/financial sites (security restriction)

This is a Chrome security feature and cannot be bypassed.

Unexpected Behavior:

If LinkSlinger doesn't work on regular websites:

  1. Check if site has strict Content Security Policy
  2. Try refreshing the page (F5)
  3. Check browser console for errors (F12)
  4. Report the site URL in our GitHub Issues

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Q: Is LinkSlinger free?

▼

A: Yes, completely free and open source. No paid tiers, no ads, no tracking.

Q: Does LinkSlinger work on mobile?

▼

A: No, it's a desktop Chrome extension only. Mobile Chrome doesn't support extensions with this functionality.

Q: Does LinkSlinger work on other browsers?

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A: Currently Chrome only. Chromium-based browsers (Edge, Brave, Opera) may work but are not officially supported. Firefox version is under consideration.

Q: Why Z key instead of mouse buttons like the original LinkClump?

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A: Keyboard activation is more intuitive and doesn't conflict with normal browsing. It also prevents accidental activations.

Q: Can I change the activation key?

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A: Yes! Go to Settings → General → Activation Key and choose any letter (A-Z).

Q: How many links can I select at once?

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A: Technically unlimited, but Chrome may limit tab opening. We recommend 50-100 links maximum for best performance.

Q: Does LinkSlinger work with keyboard navigation?

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A: The selection requires mouse dragging. Keyboard-only operation is not currently supported.

Privacy & Security

Q: Does LinkSlinger track my browsing?

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A: No. Zero tracking. Zero data collection. Everything happens locally on your device. See our Privacy Policy for details.

Q: Can LinkSlinger read my passwords or personal data?

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A: No. LinkSlinger only identifies <a> elements (links) when you activate selection mode. It cannot read form data, passwords, or page content.

Q: Where are my settings stored?

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A: In Chrome's local storage using chrome.storage.sync. This may sync across your Chrome browsers if you're signed into Chrome. We never see this data.

Q: Is my clipboard data secure?

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A: Yes. Clipboard operations happen entirely locally. LinkSlinger only writes to your clipboard (never reads), and only when you explicitly choose the "Copy" action.

Comparison Questions

Q: How is LinkSlinger different from LinkClump?

▼

A: LinkSlinger is a modernized fork with:

  • Keyboard activation (Z key) instead of mouse modifiers
  • Manifest V3 compliance (better security/performance)
  • Modern UI with dark theme
  • Active development and updates
  • Enhanced privacy (zero tracking)

Q: Why should I switch from LinkClump?

▼

A: LinkClump uses deprecated Manifest V2, which Chrome will soon stop supporting. LinkSlinger is the modern replacement with the same core functionality.

Q: Can I use both LinkClump and LinkSlinger?

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A: Yes, but they may conflict if both are enabled. We recommend choosing one.

Technical Questions

Q: What are the system requirements?

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A:

  • Chrome version 109 or later
  • Any operating system (Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS)
  • Sufficient RAM for your typical browsing (no extra requirements)

Q: How do I update LinkSlinger?

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A: Chrome automatically updates extensions. You can also:

  1. Go to chrome://extensions/
  2. Enable "Developer mode" (top right)
  3. Click "Update" button

Q: Can I use LinkSlinger with other extensions?

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A: Yes, LinkSlinger is designed to coexist peacefully with other extensions. Rare conflicts may occur with extensions that also use keyboard shortcuts.

Q: Does LinkSlinger slow down my browser?

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A: No. LinkSlinger uses a service worker that only runs when needed. Zero performance impact during normal browsing.

Q: Is the source code available?

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A: Yes! Fully open source on GitHub: https://github.com/DontPokeMe/linkslinger

Known Issues

We're aware of the following issues and are working on fixes:

⚠️

Issue 1: Chrome Tab Limit Expected Behavior

Problem: Chrome limits bulk tab opening to prevent malicious behavior

Impact: May not open all selected links if selecting 100+ links

Workaround: Select fewer links or use "Open in New Window"

Status: Cannot fix (Chrome limitation)

⚠️

Issue 2: Some Sites Block Extensions Expected Behavior

Problem: Banking, government, and high-security sites may block extensions

Impact: LinkSlinger may not work on these sites

Workaround: None (intentional security feature)

Status: Expected behavior

⚠️

Issue 3: Dynamic Content Websites Investigating

Problem: Single-page apps (React, Vue, Angular) that load content dynamically

Impact: Links may not be detected if loaded after selection starts

Workaround: Wait for content to load before activating selection

Status: Investigating improvements

⚠️

Issue 4: Iframe Content Under Investigation

Problem: Links inside iframes may not be selectable

Impact: Some embedded content links won't be captured

Workaround: Open iframe content in new tab first

Status: Under investigation

Fixed in Recent Updates

✅
  • Service worker crashes - Fixed in v3.0.1
  • Clipboard permission issues - Fixed in v3.0.0
  • Selection box z-index conflicts - Fixed in v3.0.0

See full changelog: https://github.com/DontPokeMe/linkslinger/releases

Feature Requests

Coming Soon

Features we're actively working on:

  • 🔨 Customizable selection box color
  • 🔨 Keyboard-only operation mode
  • 🔨 Link preview before action
  • 🔨 Export selected links to file
  • 🔨 Firefox version

Most Requested

Features requested by users (vote on GitHub):

  • ⭐ Regex-based link filtering
  • ⭐ Multiple activation keys for different actions
  • ⭐ Link deduplication options
  • ⭐ Integration with read-it-later services
  • ⭐ Custom link transformations

How to Request a Feature

  1. Check existing requests: https://github.com/DontPokeMe/linkslinger/issues
  2. If not found, create a new issue
  3. Use template: "Feature Request: [Your Feature]"
  4. Describe:
    • What you want to do
    • Why it would be useful
    • How you envision it working

Community votes help us prioritize features!

Contact Support

Before Contacting Support

Please try:

  1. Reading this support page (you're here!)
  2. Checking Troubleshooting
  3. Reviewing FAQ
  4. Searching GitHub Issues

How to Get Help

For Bugs & Technical Issues:

For General Questions:

For Privacy/Security Concerns:

For Everything Else:

Response Times

  • Security issues: Within 24 hours
  • Bugs: Within 3-5 business days
  • Feature requests: We'll acknowledge and track in GitHub
  • General questions: Community may respond faster than us!

What to Include in Bug Reports

Essential Information:

Chrome Version: (chrome://version/)
OS: (Windows/Mac/Linux)
LinkSlinger Version: (chrome://extensions/)
Problem: (What happened vs. what should happen)
Steps to Reproduce:
1. Go to...
2. Press Z key...
3. See error...

Helpful Extras:

  • Screenshot or video
  • Browser console errors (F12 → Console)
  • Site URL where issue occurs
  • Other extensions you're using

Additional Resources

Documentation

Credits

LinkSlinger is built on the foundation of the original LinkClump by Ben Black.

We're grateful to the original developer and the open-source community.

Still need help? Contact us at [email protected]

LinkSlinger - Built for privacy. Built for you.