Google Vertical Tabs: Google Chrome has added vertical tabs, a feature that Firefox and Microsoft Edge have had for years. The rollout began Tuesday for all Chrome users, though it may take a little time before it shows up on your browser. The update changes how your open pages are displayed, moving them from the top of the screen to a sidebar on the left.
This makes it easier to manage multiple tabs without losing track of what is open, and lets you see full page titles at a glance.
Why Vertical Tabs Are A Useful Addition To Chrome
Instead of squeezing all your open pages into a row at the top, vertical tabs line them up in a sidebar. This gives you more room to work and makes it easier to find a specific page without clicking through a cluttered tab bar.
The feature also works well with tab groups, which allow you to organise related pages together. When tab groups sit at the top of the browser, they take up space and can feel cramped. With a sidebar layout, you can open a group and clearly see all the pages inside it without things feeling squeezed.
Microsoft Edge introduced vertical tabs back in 2021, and Firefox followed a year ago. Browsers like Arc, Vivaldi, and Brave have also offered the feature. Chrome users could previously access it through the Canary version, a special flag, or a third-party extension, but now it is available to everyone without any extra steps.
How To Turn On Vertical Tabs In Google Chrome
Getting started is simple. Right-click on any Chrome window and select “Show Tabs Vertically.” Your tabs will move to the left sidebar straight away.
From there, you can click a tab to switch pages, drag and drop tabs to reorder them, and move the border between the sidebar and the main screen.
To collapse the sidebar, click the Collapse tab button at the top. To bring it back, click the Expand tab button. If you want to go back to the standard layout, click any open tab and select “Tabs at top.”
