Google has recently confirmed that the next major update for Google Chrome browser will include tab groups for all supported desktop platforms.
A new press release explains that the functionality will allow users to right-click any tab and create a group for it (adding new tabs to an existing group works the same way). By clicking on the small gray dot to the left of the group, you’ll be prompted to select a name and color for it. According to Google, this feature is intended to help both tab minimalists and “tab collectors” better organize their browsing experience.
Customize your tab group however you like, using words or emoji for the group name. The best part might be that groups are saved when you close and reopen Chrome, saving you the step of digging through your browser history to find just the website you’re looking for.
“We’ve been testing out tab groups for several months now (as have some of you), and we’re finding new ways to stay organized. Through our own usage and early user research, we’ve found that some people like to group their Chrome tabs by topic. For instance, it helps if you’re working on several projects, or looking through multiple shopping and review sites,” Edward Jung, UX Engineer for Chrome, explains in today’s announcement.
While tab organizers aren’t a new concept — services such as OneTab, Cluster, and Toby offer Chrome extensions for this purpose, for example — this is the first time Google is offering its own.
The feature, which Google has been testing for months, is currently only available on Chrome’s beta version. The company will add it to the new version of Chrome starting next week, rolling it out gradually to avoid impacting the browser’s “stability and performance.”
Tab groups will be available on all supported desktop platforms, including Windows, Linux, Mac, and Chrome OS. The Android version of Chrome isn’t yet getting such capabilities.
Most likely, tab groups will also make its way to other Chromium-based browsers in the coming weeks. These include Microsoft Edge, the new default browser in Windows 10 which is now running on Chromium, with Microsoft becoming one of the biggest contributors to the development of this engine.
