The fastest way to reopen a closed tab

If you just closed a tab in Chrome and want it back, press Ctrl+Shift+T on Windows or Cmd+Shift+T on Mac. That keyboard shortcut reopens your most recently closed tab instantly, in the same position it was before you closed it.

You can press this combination multiple times in a row to reopen tabs in reverse order — the most recent closed tab comes back first, then the one before that, and so on. Chrome remembers closed tabs from your current session, so this works as long as you haven't fully closed the browser.

If you prefer using your mouse instead of a keyboard shortcut, right-click on an empty area of your tab bar (the gray space next to your open tabs) and select "Reopen closed tab" from the menu that appears. This does the same thing as the keyboard shortcut.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Ctrl+Shift+T (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+T (Mac) to instantly reopen your most recently closed tab.
  • You can press the shortcut multiple times to reopen tabs in reverse order of when you closed them.
  • Right-clicking the empty tab bar space and selecting "Reopen closed tab" does the same thing if you prefer your mouse.
  • Chrome only remembers closed tabs from your current session — closing and reopening the browser clears the list.
  • If you closed a tab hours ago and have since closed the browser, you cannot reopen it with this method.

Using the Chrome menu if the keyboard shortcut doesn't work

If the keyboard shortcut isn't working on your computer, you can reopen a closed tab through Chrome's menu. Click the three vertical dots in the top right corner of your Chrome window to open the main menu.

Look for an option that says "Reopen closed tab" — it usually appears near the top of the menu. Click it to bring back your most recently closed tab. If you don't see this option, it means Chrome has no closed tabs to reopen, usually because you've already reopened them all or closed the browser since closing the tab.

What happens when you close and reopen Chrome completely

Chrome's closed tab memory only lasts during your current browser session. If you close all your Chrome windows and then reopen the browser, the list of closed tabs disappears. The keyboard shortcut and menu option will no longer work for tabs you closed before shutting down Chrome.

If you need to get back to a website you closed hours or days ago, you have other options. Check your browser history by pressing Ctrl+H (Windows) or Cmd+Y (Mac), then search for the site by name or look through the dates listed. You can also check your Google account's browsing history if you're signed into Chrome, which syncs across devices and persists longer than your closed tabs list.

Recovering tabs from a browser crash

If Chrome crashes or closes unexpectedly, it usually offers to restore your tabs when you reopen it. A message appears at the top of the window asking if you want to restore your previous session. Click "Restore" to bring back all the tabs that were open when the crash happened.

If you dismiss this message or it doesn't appear, you can still recover those tabs. Press Ctrl+Shift+T (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+T (Mac) — Chrome treats a crash the same as a normal close and will reopen your tabs in reverse order. This works even if you've opened new tabs since the crash, as long as you haven't fully closed the browser again.

Finding a specific closed tab when you've closed many

If you've closed several tabs and need to reopen a specific one that isn't the most recent, pressing Ctrl+Shift+T repeatedly will cycle through them. Each press brings back the next-most-recent closed tab. Keep pressing until you see the one you want.

If you've closed so many tabs that cycling through them is slow, your browser history is a faster option. Press Ctrl+H (Windows) or Cmd+Y (Mac) to open the history page, then search for the website by name or look through "Today" or "Yesterday" depending on when you closed it. Click the result to open that page again.

Why Chrome sometimes won't reopen a tab

Chrome can only reopen tabs from your current session. If you closed a tab, then closed all Chrome windows, then opened Chrome again, that tab is gone from the reopen list. The same thing happens if you restart your computer or if Chrome updates and restarts itself.

Some tabs also can't be reopened the same way they were closed. Tabs that required you to log in will reopen to the login page, not to the page you were viewing. Tabs with forms you were filling out will reopen empty — Chrome doesn't save the text you typed into forms. In these cases, you'll need to log back in or refill the form yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I reopen a tab I closed yesterday?

No, not with the Ctrl+Shift+T shortcut. Chrome only remembers closed tabs from your current session. Once you close and reopen the browser, that list is gone. Use your browser history instead — press Ctrl+H (Windows) or Cmd+Y (Mac) and search for the site by name.

What if I closed the wrong tab and want to undo that?

Press Ctrl+Shift+T (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+T (Mac) immediately. This brings back the most recently closed tab. If you've already opened other tabs since then, keep pressing the shortcut to cycle backward through your closed tabs until you find the one you need.

Does this work on Chrome mobile?

Chrome on Android and iPhone doesn't have a keyboard shortcut for reopening tabs. Instead, tap the tab switcher icon (the overlapping squares at the bottom right on Android, or at the bottom center on iPhone), then look for a "Reopen closed tab" option or swipe left to see recently closed tabs.

Will reopening a tab reload the page or show what I was looking at?

Chrome reopens the tab with the same URL, but it reloads the page from the internet. You'll see the current version of that website, not a frozen version of what you were viewing before. If the page has changed or requires login, you may need to log in again or navigate to where you were.

Can I reopen multiple tabs at once?

No, the keyboard shortcut and menu option reopen one tab at a time. Press Ctrl+Shift+T multiple times to bring back several tabs in sequence. If you want to restore many tabs at once, use the history page or wait for Chrome to offer to restore your session after a crash.