Manage tabs in Chrome

    You can open multiple tabs in Chrome. You can also check and switch between all your tabs. When you open a new tab, Chrome opens a personalized New Tab page.

    Some of the ways you can customize your New Tab page content are with:

    • Different themes
    • Your shortcuts
    Learn how to customize your New Tab page .

    Open a new tab or window

    Open a new tab
    At the top of your Google Chrome window, next to the last tab on the right, click New tab. Or, use a keyboard shortcut :
    • Windows and Linux: Ctrl+ t
    • Mac: Command ⌘+ t
    • Chromebook: Ctrl+ t
    Open a tab in a new window

    Click and drag the tab outside the Google Chrome window.

    To open a new window, use a keyboard shortcut:

    • Windows and Linux: Ctrl+ n
    • Mac: Command ⌘+ n
    • Chromebook: Ctrl+ n
    Open a file in a new tab
    From your computer's desktop or folder, drag the file into a Google Chrome tab. If the action is successful, your cursor will display Add.

    Browse and select the file from your computer. Open a new tab, then use a keyboard shortcut:

    • Windows and Linux: Ctrl+ o
    • Mac: Command ⌘+ o
    • Chromebook: Ctrl+ o
    Open a link in a new tab
    • Windows and Linux: Ctrl+ click a link
    • Mac: Command ⌘+ click a link
    • Chromebook:Drag the link to a blank area on the tab strip

    Organize your tabs and windows

    Arrange tabs
    To change the order of your tabs, drag a tab along the top of the browser window.

    Pin a tab:Right-click the tab and select Pin. Pinned tabs are smaller and only show the site's icon.

    Unpin a tab:Right-click the tab and select Unpin.

    Move a tab to a different window:

    1. Make sure both windows are signed in to the same profile.
    2. Right-click the tab you want to move.
    3. Scroll to "Move tab to another window."
    4. Select the window you want to move the tab to.
    Group your tabs
    When browsing history and tabs are synced with your Google Account, changes to tab groups are automatically saved and synced across all of your devices.
    1. On your computer, open Chrome.
    2. Select New tab.
    3. Right-click a tab.
    4. Select Add tab to groupand then New groupor an existing group.
      • To edit your tab group:Right-click the colored circle or name to the left. You can:
        • Name your group.
        • Select the tab group color.
        • Add more tabs to the group.
        • Remove the group.
      • To add a tab to an existing group:Drag the tab into the group.
      • To remove a tab from a group:Right-click the tab, then select Remove from group.
      • To close a tab group in the tab strip:
        1. Right-click a tab group.
        2. Select Close group.
          • A closed group isn't deleted and is saved in the bookmarks bar or in the menu. You can open a closed group again.
      • To open a tab group:
        • From the bookmarks bar:Select GridGrid viewand then [Tab group name].
        • From the menu:
          1. Select Moreand then Tab groups.
          2. Select a tab group.
    Tips:
    • To find tab groups in the bookmarks bar, in Settings, under “Appearance,” turn on Show tab groups in bookmarks bar.
    • To automatically pin new tab groups to the bookmarks bar, in Settings, under “Appearance,” turn on Automatically pin new tab groups to the bookmarks bar.
      • This will also pin new tab groups created from your other devices using the same Google Account.
    Delete a tab group

    Important:When you delete a tab group, it'll be removed on your device and other devices that use the same Google Account.

    1. On your computer, open Chrome.
    2. Right-click a tab group.
    3. Select Delete group.
    4. Confirm Delete group.

    Tip:You can also delete a tab group:

    • From the bookmarks bar:Select GridGrid viewand then [Tab group name]and then Delete group.
    • From the menu:
      1. Select Moreand then Tab groups.
      2. Right-click a tab group.
      3. Select Delete group.
    Ungroup your tabs

    Important:When you ungroup tabs, it'll leave the tabs open on your device. However, it'll also delete the group on your device and other devices that use the same Google Account.

    1. On your computer, open Chrome.
    2. Right-click a tab group.
    3. Select Ungroup.
    4. Confirm Ungroup.
    Collapse and expand tab groups

    You can collapse your tab groups so only the group's name or colored circle shows in your tab strip. 

    1. Create a tab group.
    2. To expand or collapse the group, select its name or colored circle.
    Search open tabs with Tab Search

    When you have multiple tabs open in Chrome, you can find the specific tab you want.

    1. On your computer, open Chrome.
    2. From the toolbar, select Tab Search.
    3. Enter keywords for the site you want to find.
    4. In the list of open tabs:
      • To open a tab,find the tab you want and select it.
      • To close a tab,find the tab you want and on the right, select Close.

    Tips:

    • By default, Tab Search is on and is automatically pinned in the toolbar. If you choose not to use this feature, you can unpin this:
      1. From the toolbar, right-click Tab Search.
      2. Select Unpin.
    • You can also open Tab Search with the following keyboard shortcuts:
      • Windows and Linux: Ctrl+ Shift+ a
      • Mac: Command ⌘+ Shift+ a
    Search open tabs from the address bar
    1. On your computer, open Chrome.
    2. In the address bar, enter @tabs .
    3. Press tabor space. You can also select Search tabs in the suggestions.
    4. Enter keywords for the tab you want to find.
    5. Select the tab from the list.
    Organize your windows
    To organize your open windows, you can name each one. Your computer displays this name when you:
    • Point to the minimized window with your cursor.
    • Press Alt + Tabto move between windows.
    • Right-click on a tab and select Move tab to another window.

    To name a window:

    1. Go to the window you want to name or open a new window.
    2. At the top, right-click the empty space next to New Tab, then select Name window.
      • Alternatively, at the top right, select Moreand then More toolsand then Name window.
    3. Enter a name for your window.
    Show images in tab hover preview card

    Important:These steps only apply for Windows, Linux, and ChromeOS.

    1. On your computer, open Chrome.
    2. At the top right, select Moreand then Settings.
    3. On the left, select Appearance.
    4. Under “Tab hover preview card,” turn Show tab preview imageson or off.

    Use split view for multitasking

    You can display 2 websites simultaneously within a single Chrome window. One view is always active and inactive in split view. You can use split view to compare information, reference different sources, copy and paste content, or multitask with different web pages open at once.

    • Active view:This view is visually distinct with a thicker border. Items in the toolbar such as back, forward, home buttons, or address bar apply to the active view only.
      • All tab-specific features, like Translate, Print, and Reading mode, work on the active view of split view but not on both.
    • Inactive view:This view will appear with a lighter border. You can scroll in the inactive view without making it active. If you click the inactive view, it'll become the active view.
      • At the bottom right, you can find the website of the inactive view.
    • Side panels:
      • Side panels, like Bookmarks or History, remain open when switching between views.
      • Tab-specific side panels, like Reading mode, will collapse when switching between views.
    • Split view icon:When split view is active, the split view icon indicates which is the active view.
      • Left view is active:Split left view
      • Right view is active:Split right view
    • Managing views:You can close individual views, swap their positions, or separate them.
    Open tabs and links in split view
    1. On your computer, open Chrome.
    2. On an opened tab, you can:
      • Open tabs in split view:
        • Inactive tab:
          1. Right-click the inactive tab.
          2. Select New split view with current tab.
        • Active tab:
          1. Right-click the active tab.
          2. Select Add tab to new split view.
        • Drag-and-drop:Drag-and-drop the tab to the right or left.
      • Open links in split view:
        • Right-click:
          1. To open in split view, right-click on the link that you want.
          2. Select Open link in split view.
        • Drag-and-drop:Drag-and-drop the link to the right or left.

    Tip:By default, drag-and-drop of tabs are turned on. To manage this in the settings:

    1. On your computer, open Chrome.
    2. At the top right, select Moreand then Settings.
    3. On the left, select Appearance.
    4. Turn Allow split view drag-and-drop on left or right edge of windowon or off.
    Pin the split view icon

    When split view is active, you can find its icon on the left of your address bar.

    1. On your computer, open Chrome.
    2. Open a tab or link in split view.
    3. On the left of your address bar, right-click Split viewSplit right view.
      • The split view icon depends on your active view.
    4. Select Pin.
    Open split view from the toolbar

    Once the split view icon is pinned, you can open split view from the toolbar.

    1. On your computer, open Chrome.
    2. Go to a website.
    3. On the left of the address bar, select Split viewSplit view.
    4. Choose the other tab to add to the split view.
    Manage split views

    From the toolbar

    1. On your computer, open Chrome.
    2. Go to a website.
    3. On the left of the address bar, select Split viewSplit right view.
      • The split view icon depends on your active view.
    4. You can either:
      • Separate split view:This will have your tabs in separate views and return as regular tabs.
      • Close left or right view:Close the selected view.
      • Reverse position:Change active view from left to right or right to left.

    From the menu

    1. On your computer, open Chrome.
    2. Open a tab or link in split view.
    3. At the bottom right of either of the views, to close the view, select CloseClose.
    Open split view with a keyboard shortcut

    To open split view in the active tab:

    • Windows and Linux: Shift + Alt + N
    • Mac: Cmd + Option + N
    • Chromebook: Ctrl + Alt + N

    Close a tab or window

    Close a tab

    At the top right of the tab, click CloseClose. Or, use a keyboard shortcut:

    • Windows and Linux: Ctrl+ w
    • Mac: Command ⌘+ w
    Close a window
    • Close all tabs in the window.
    • At the top corner of the window, click CloseClose.
      • Windows and Linux:At the top right.
      • Mac:At the top left.

      You can also use the keyboard shortcuts to close a window:

      • Windows and Linux: Alt+ F4
      • Mac: Command ⌘+ Shift+ w
    Close Google Chrome

    You can close Google Chrome entirely.

    1. Open the Chrome menu.
      • Windows and Linux:On the top menu bar, click More.
      • Mac:On the top menu bar, click Chrome.
    1. Close Google Chrome.
    • Windows and Linux:Click Exit.
    • Mac:Click Quit Google Chrome.

    You can also use the keyboard shortcut to close Google Chrome:

    • Windows and Linux: Alt+ fthen x
    • Mac: Command ⌘+ q
    Bring back a tab or window

    If you accidentally close a tab or window, you can open it again using a keyboard shortcut:

    • Windows and Linux: Ctrl+ Shift+ t
    • Mac: Command ⌘+ Shift+ t
    Force a page or app to close

    If a tab, window, or extension doesn't work, you can force it closed with Chrome's task manager. 

    1. At the top right, click More.
    2. Click More toolsand then Task manager.
    3. Select the page, extension, or app you'd like to close.
    4. Click End process.

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