What tab groups are and why to use them

Tab groups let you bundle related tabs together and collapse them into a single labeled bar. Instead of having 15 open tabs scattered across your browser, you can group them by project, topic, or task — then hide the ones you're not using right now. Chrome displays each group as a colored bar with a name you choose, and you can expand or collapse the group with one click.

This is useful if you work on multiple projects at once, research different topics in parallel, or simply want to reduce visual clutter. Grouping tabs also makes it easier to close related tabs all at once when you're done with a project.

Key Takeaways

  • Right-click any tab, select "Add tab to new group," name it, and pick a color to create your first group.
  • Drag tabs into an existing group by dragging them onto the group's colored bar.
  • Click the collapse arrow on a group's bar to hide all tabs in that group without closing them.
  • Edit a group's name or color by right-clicking the group bar and choosing "Edit group."
  • Tab groups exist only in the current window — closing the window closes the groups, though Chrome can restore them when you reopen the window.

Creating your first tab group

Start with any tab you want to group. Right-click on the tab itself (not the page inside it), and a menu will appear. Select "Add tab to new group." Chrome will open a small dialog box asking you to name the group and choose a color.

Type a name that describes what the tabs are for — "Work Project," "Recipe Research," "Flight Booking," or anything that makes sense to you. Then click one of the colored circles to assign a color to the group. The color helps you spot the group quickly among other open tabs. Click "Create" or press Enter, and Chrome will move that tab into the new group and display it as a colored bar at the top of your tab bar.

Adding more tabs to an existing group

Once you have a group, adding tabs to it is straightforward. You can drag any open tab onto the group's colored bar, and it will join that group. Alternatively, right-click any tab and select "Add tab to group," then choose which existing group you want it to join from the submenu.

You can also open a new tab while a group is active. If you click the plus icon that appears on a group's bar (or right-click the group and select "Open new tab in group"), Chrome will open a blank tab directly inside that group.

Collapsing and expanding groups

Each group bar has a small arrow or chevron on its left side. Click it to collapse the group — all tabs in that group will hide, but they stay open and unsaved. The group bar shrinks to show just the group name and color. Click the arrow again to expand the group and see all its tabs.

Collapsing is different from closing. A collapsed tab is still there; you just can't see it. This is useful when you want to focus on one project but keep other research or work tabs ready to go without losing them.

Renaming and recoloring groups

Right-click on any group's colored bar and select "Edit group." A dialog will open where you can change the group's name and pick a new color. This is helpful if your project name changes, or if you want to use colors to represent priority or category — for example, red for urgent work, blue for research, green for personal tasks.

You can also ungroup tabs from this menu. Select "Ungroup" to remove all tabs from the group and scatter them back into your main tab bar. The tabs themselves are not closed; they just return to being individual tabs.

Moving tabs between groups

Drag any tab from one group onto another group's colored bar to move it. The tab will leave its original group and join the new one. If you want to move a tab out of a group entirely, drag it onto the main tab bar area outside any group bar.

You can also right-click a tab, select "Add tab to group," and choose a different group from the submenu. This is sometimes easier than dragging if your groups are far apart or if you have many tabs open.

What happens to tab groups when you close Chrome

Tab groups exist only in the current window. If you close the window, the groups close with it. However, Chrome's tab restore feature usually remembers your groups. When you reopen Chrome, it will offer to restore your previous session, including the groups you had open.

If you close individual tabs within a group, those tabs are gone — but the group itself remains. If you close all tabs in a group, the group bar disappears. Tab groups are not saved to your Chrome account or synced across devices the way bookmarks are, so they're specific to each computer and browser window.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I save a tab group so it opens automatically every time I start Chrome?

Not directly through tab groups alone. However, you can bookmark all tabs in a group by right-clicking the group bar and selecting "Bookmark all tabs," then restore them later. Alternatively, set your homepage or startup pages to open specific URLs, which will load those pages automatically when Chrome starts.

Can I share a tab group with someone else?

Tab groups are local to your browser and cannot be shared directly. To share multiple related links with someone, right-click the group bar, select "Bookmark all tabs," and then share the bookmark folder. You can also manually copy and paste the URLs to a document or message.

What's the difference between tab groups and bookmarks?

Tab groups are temporary and visible only while you're browsing — they help organize open tabs. Bookmarks are permanent and saved to your account, so you can access them later from any device. Use tab groups for active work sessions and bookmarks for links you want to keep long-term.

Can I have a tab in more than one group?

No. Each tab can belong to only one group at a time. If you move a tab to a different group, it leaves the first group. If you need the same link in multiple places, open it in separate tabs and put each copy in a different group.

Do tab groups work on Chrome mobile?

Tab groups are a desktop feature only. Chrome on Android and iOS do not support tab groups. On mobile, you can only see a list of open tabs without grouping them.