Remember those days when you had tens of apps open on your computer? Well, that has changed, and we have tens of browser tabs open instead, and it is equally frustrating. However, if you use Google Chrome, you can solve the problem by creating tab groups. In this guide, I will tell you how to group tabs in Google Chrome and get the best out of this feature.
Using Tab Groups in Google Chrome
You can start using tab groups in Google Chrome using the right-click menu of an existing tab. You can edit and manage these tab groups by dragging tabs inside or outside. Chrome also lets you save tab groups that you can open later.
What is Tab Group?
True to its name, a tab group on Google Chrome is a group of tabs. This feature lets you conveniently manage multiple tabs on your browser window by putting tabs into multiple groups.
Let’s say you have 15 tabs open on Google Chrome right now. Instead of checking each tab to know what it is about, you can create 2 or 3 tab groups, such as Work, Entertainment, or Chats. But these are just basic examples of what you can do with tab groups.
Depending on your workflow and the number of tabs open, you can use many related features to manage your tab groups on Google Chrome.
- For instance, you can rename tab groups and color-code them for convenient access.
- You can also move tabs between groups; I use this when I have multiple tasks open on each tab.
- Chrome also lets you save these tab groups for later use. This is convenient if your work spans over a few days.
Many of these features were available through third-party Chrome extensions, but there were concerns over privacy and security. Now, tab grouping is built into Google Chrome, and you can get the best out of it.
How I Use Tab Groups on Google Chrome
Between research, writing, and entertainment, I have at least 20 tabs on my browser at any time. Before tab grouping, I used to have multiple windows for each purpose. But, in addition to resource concerns, this is a hassle.
Also, I felt that my huge external display was going to waste. Now, however, on a single window, I set up two or three tab groups on Chrome. Sometimes, they are based on general purpose. But, when I have to juggle between multiple projects, I create custom tab groups per project.
Overall, it’s a super-convenient way to ensure that you don’t get stuck between multiple Chrome tabs.
How to Use Tab Groups
Here are the simple steps to use tab groups on Google Chrome.
Creating a Tab Group
To create a tab group on Chrome,
- Open Google Chrome on your computer and make sure that at least two tabs are open.
- Right-click on a tab and choose Add Tab to New Group from the options
- Now, Chrome will ask you to name the tab group and choose a color code for it.
- In a second, you can see the tab group with the selected color code
That’s it. You have created a tab group on Google Chrome. You can repeat these steps however times you want to create as many tab groups as you need.
Customizing Tab Groups
As of now, your tab group will have only one tab, and you need to change this. Here are a few things you can do to customize Chrome tab groups.
First, you can add more tabs to the tab group by dragging a tab into the space between an existing tab and the tab group name.
In a second, the tab will become a part of the tab group.
If you feel like changing the name or color of the tab group, you can always use the right-click menu.
This menu will help you change the name and color code, ungroup tabs, delete the tab group, and move the tab group to a new Chrome window. You can also start a new tab within the Chrome tab group. It would be a convenient option if you do not want to rearrange tabs later.
Managing Tab Groups
When used correctly, you can manage tab groups for enhanced productivity. Here are a few ways to do it.
How to Hide Tab Groups in Chrome
You can always minimize a tab group to save space. For instance, if you do not want to see the entire Play tab group, you can click the name, and it will be minimized. You can click it again to reopen all the tabs.
How to Delete Tab Groups in Chrome
You also get the option to close and delete the group if you want to clear all the tabs in the group. I do this once I am done with a specific project.
Save Tab Group
What if you want to access your tab groups at a later time? Well, you have an option right there.
Steps to Save and Restore Tab Groups
To save a tab group on Chrome,
- Right-click the tab group name to see the menu
- Toggle the button that says Save Group.
- In a second, the saved tab group will appear on the bookmarks bar at the leftmost corner.
The next time you want to open all the tabs from that group, you can click the saved group button. You can use this method to save as many tab groups as you want.
Saving tab groups can help you save a lot of time. Instead of opening all those project tabs individually, you can open everything in a single click.
I used to have a dedicated extension called Session Buddy, which lets me save entire sessions. It can be overkill at times, but saving Chrome tab groups is the right option.
Creating and Managing Tab Groups on Android Devices
Google Chrome for Android also lets you create and manage tab groups. However, the steps are not obvious.
To create a tab group on Chrome for Android,
- Tap and hold the link that you want to open in a group
- Now, tap Open in new tab in group from the option
- Go to the tab management option
- Choose the group, and you can rename it or add more tabs.
As you can see, the tab grouping interface in Chrome for Android is not as powerful as the desktop version. Yet, if you feel like you have too many tabs all over the place, this feature will surely help.
Frequently Asked Questions
You don’t have to activate tab groups in Chrome. This feature is available in the latest versions of Chrome for PC and Mac. But, if you can’t find the feature, you should go to Settings > About Chrome to see if an update is available.
Typically, when you quit Chrome or there is a system crash, Chrome restores all the open tabs. But it may not work due to some custom settings or an internal error.
To unhide and expand a group in Chrome, you can click the tab group icon once. It will expand all tabs from that group, and you can use them as usual.
Tab groups on Google Chrome are not synchronized with the user account. However, if you save a tab group, it will be available the next time you open Google Chrome. Alternatively, you can create a bookmark if you want a link to be available on all devices.
Conclusion
As you can see, grouping tabs in Google Chrome is easier than ever. Now that it is a built-in feature, you no longer have to worry about resource consumption, either.
I have been using tab groups on Chrome since the feature was made available. I haven’t noticed any drop in performance, either.
So, even if you keep only a few tabs open, you may want to see how tab grouping can help.
2 Comments
Interesting article. I’ve started using tab groups in Chrome a little while back, and honestly, it’s been a game-changer for organizing my endless sea of tabs for work projects and personal browsing. The customization options are something I haven’t played around with much, so your breakdown on that was particularly enlightening. I’m curious to experiment more with it, especially after seeing how it can further streamline my tab management. The part about saving and restoring tab groups was a feature I wasn’t even aware existed, so thanks for the tip! Definitely going to save me from those moments of panic when Chrome decides to crash.
Samantha, if you think the save feature is a lifesaver, wait until you start playing with the grouping by color. It’s not just about aesthetics; it actually helps a lot with quick visual cues. Definitely, give it a shot!