In late August 2020, Google released a new feature to its popular browser, Chrome, that is destined to make work more organized. Dubbed tab groups, this new improvement lets you group several tabs together under a label so you know where to go if looking for a specific tab page. This is great news for tab hoarders.
The new feature is relatively intuitive, although not all users can figure it out right on the first try. There is quite a learning curve when it comes to using and understanding tab groups.
But, lucky for you. This article will cover a lot of stuff around the feature and by the end of it, you should be able to use tab groups like a pro!
Alright, let’s get started with the basics.
Table of Contents
How to create a new tab group
1. Open a web page that you want to assign the first group.
2. Then, right-click on the tab and select Add to new group.
3. You can name the new group label with something descriptive.
4. Also add a theme color to make the group easier to distinguish.
5. Congratulations. You have created the first tab group. If you look closely, the grouped tab will have the theme color around the edges. This will come in handy later. Now, onto the next guide.
How to add more tabs to a group
Of course, the goal of making a group is to create a nest for multiple tabs together so they are easier to manage and reach. In the following guide, you will learn how to add more members to the group.
1. Open a web page on a new tab.
2. Right-click on its tab. Then, hover over Add tab group and select the group you have created.
3. The tab is now assigned to a group. You can repeat the process for adding more tabs.
4. Alternatively, you may drag a tab into the group area to assign it automatically.
5. Or if you want to be fancy, you can right-click on the group label and select New tab in group. This will open a new labeled tab.
How to ungroup a tab
If a tab is no longer in use, it’s better to close it to save memory and perhaps make your browser feel more spacious. To detach a tab from its group, right-click on the tab and select Remove from group.
A faster way to do that is just by dragging out the tab from the group area.
Closing the tab would also ditch it from the group. Interestingly, reopening the tab using a specific shortcut will put the tab into its previous group again.
How to collapse and expand group tabs
The reason we have groups is so we can manage a number of tabs all at once instead of handling them individually. One trick that would make your browser tidier is by collapsing the tabs and expanding them when needed.
All you need to do is just click on the group label to quickly tuck in multiple tabs instantly. The same action is also used to reveal them.
Don’t worry, collapsed tabs are not closed. They would be still open and running normally. But they are still subject to the automatic tab refresh protocol unless you disable the feature.
Final words
I’m pretty sure I have covered the most important elements of the new tab groups system on Google Chrome. You can add as many groups as you need as long as your computer has enough memory for them.
But it’s worth mentioning that these groups are not like a pinned tab where it would reopen when you start the browser. For now, you can only reopen them manually or use a shortcut Ctrl+Shift+T to quickly restore them. Let’s hope Chrome would add a better solution in the near future.
