Table of Contents
How to restore closed tabs on any web browser
Closing tabs accidentally can be frustrating, especially when you have important information or websites open.
Fortunately, most modern browsers have options to restore closed tabs, allowing you to recover lost information without having to dig through your Internet history. Here’s how to restore closed tabs on any browser. These ways can be used for different types of web browsers.
1. Use keyboard shortcuts:
Most browsers have keyboard shortcuts that allow you to restore closed tabs quickly. For example, in Google Chrome, you can use the “CTRL + shift + T” shortcut to reopen closed tabs. Similarly, in Mozilla Firefox, you can press “CTRL + shift + T” to open recently closed tabs.
In shorts:
For Windows users:
1. Press “Ctrl” + “Shift” + “T” on your keyboard.
2. The last closed tab will be reopened.
For Mac users:
1. Press “Command” + “Shift” + “T” on your keyboard.
2. The last closed tab will be reopened.
2. Use the ‘Previous Session’ option:
If you closed your browser accidentally, most browsers have an option to restore your previous session automatically. This option can be found in the browser settings or in an option that pops up when you reopen the browser.
3. Use the ‘Recently Closed Tabs’ option:
Most browsers have an option to access recently closed tabs from the menu bars. In Google Chrome, you can click on the three dots in the top right corner, go to ‘History,’ and then select ‘Recently Closed.’ In Firefox, you can click on the three lines in the top right corner, go to ‘History,’ and then select ‘Recently Closed Tabs.’
Here’s how you can do it for some popular browsers:
Google Chrome:
1. Right-click on any open tab at the top of the browser.
2. From the drop-down menu, select “Reopen closed tab”.
3. The last closed tab will be reopened.
Firefox:
1. Click on the “History” menu in the menu bar.
2. Select “Recently Closed Tabs”.
3. The last closed tab will be reopened.
Safari:
1. Click on the “History” menu in the menu bar.
2. Select “Recently Closed Tabs”.
3. The last closed tab will be reopened.
Microsoft Edge:
1. Right-click on any open tab at the top of the browser.
2. From the drop-down menu, select “Reopen closed tab”.
3. The last closed tab will be reopened.
4. Use the browser’s history:
If the above options fail, you can always use your browser’s history to find the closed tab. This option allows you to browse through all the websites you have opened in chronological order, even those that you have closed recently.
Follow these steps to access it with Chrome:
1. Click on the three vertical dots in the upper-right corner of the Chrome window.
2. Select “History” from the drop-down menu.
3. Click on “History” again in the submenu that opens.
4. Locate the closed tab that you want to reopen from the list of browsing history.
5. Click on the link to restore the tab.
5. Use extensions:
Some browsers have extensions that you can install to help restore closed tabs. These extensions work by saving your browsing sessions or providing quick access to recently closed tabs.
One of the most popular extensions for restoring closed tabs in Chrome is “Tab Mix Plus.” This extension works by saving your browsing session when you close your browser, allowing you to reopen closed tabs quickly. To use this extension, simply install it from the Chrome Web Store and click on the “Tab Mix Plus” icon in your browser toolbar. From there, you can access your browsing session history and restore any closed tabs with just a few clicks.
Another extension that can help you restore closed tabs in Chrome is “Session Buddy.” This extension is similar to Tab Mix Plus, but with a few added features, such as the ability to group your tabs together into sessions and save them for later use. This feature is particularly useful if you find yourself regularly working on multiple projects at once and need to switch between tabs frequently.
If you prefer a simpler solution, you might consider “Undo Closed Tabs Button.” This lightweight extension adds a button to your Chrome toolbar that allows you to quickly undo the last tab you closed. This is a great option for those who only need to restore tabs occasionally and don’t want to install a more feature-heavy extension.
6. Reopen in the Incognito Mode
If you’ve accidentally closed a tab in Incognito mode, don’t worry; you can still restore it. Follow these steps:
1. Open a new Incognito window in Chrome.
2. Press “Ctrl” + “Shift” + “T” on a Windows PC or “Command” + “Shift” + “T” on a Mac to restore the closed tab.
Cheatsheet to reopen closed tabs on popular web browsers
If you just want to find ways to reopen tabs for one browser only, we can give you tips for separate browsers.
Chrome:
1. Keyboard Shortcuts: The easiest way to restore a recently closed tab on Chrome is to use the keyboard shortcut – Control + Shift + T (Windows) or Command + Shift + T (Mac). Simply press these keys together and watch as your last closed tab reopens automatically.
2. Previous Session: If multiple tabs were open when the browser crashed, you can restore the entire browsing session by clicking on the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner of the Chrome window. From the drop-down menu, select “History” and then “History” again. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Control + H (Windows) or Command + Y (Mac) to open the History tab. From there, click on “Recently Closed” and “X Tabs” to restore the previous browsing session.
3. Restore Tabs from the Browser Window: If you closed a tab accidentally, you can restore it by right-clicking on an empty space in the tabs bar within the browser window. From the drop-down menu, select “Reopen closed tab” to restore the recently closed tab.
4. Chrome History: If your browser crashed, and you can’t restore the previous session using the method described above, you can also restore tabs from your Chrome History. Simply click on the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner of the Chrome window, select “History,” and then click on “Tabs from other devices.” This feature allows you to restore tabs from other devices that are synced with your Google account.
Firefox:
1. Keyboard Shortcut: Just like in Chrome, you can use a keyboard shortcut to restore a closed tab in Firefox. The shortcut is Control + Shift + T (Windows) or Command + Shift + T (Mac).
2. Previous Session: If Firefox crashes, or you close the browser accidentally, you can restore the previous session by clicking on the three horizontal lines icon in the top-right corner of the Firefox window. From the drop-down menu, select “History” and then “Restore Previous Session.”
3. Recently Closed Tabs: If you only closed one or a few tabs accidentally, you can restore them individually by clicking on the three horizontal lines icon in the top-right corner of the Firefox window. From there, select “History” and then “Recently Closed Tabs.” Click on the tab you want to restore and it’ll open in a new tab.
Safari:
1. Keyboard Shortcut: To restore a recently closed tab in Safari, use the keyboard shortcut Command + Z.
2. Reopen Last Closed Window: If you accidentally closed the entire browser window, you can reopen it by using the keyboard shortcut Command + Shift + T or by clicking on “History” in the menu bar and selecting “Reopen Last Closed Window.”
3. View browsing history
Safari automatically saves your browsing history, making it possible to restore tabs that were closed accidentally. To access your browsing history, go to the “History” menu in the menu bar or use the keyboard shortcut “Command + Y.” This will open the History window, where you can see a list of all the sites you have visited. Look for the site you want to reopen and click on it to restore the tab.
4. Use iCloud Tabs
If you have more than one Apple device, you can use iCloud Tabs to restore closed tabs. This feature syncs your browsing history across all your Apple devices, allowing you to access any recently closed tabs from any of them. To use iCloud Tabs, make sure you are signed in to your iCloud account on all devices. Then, go to the “View” menu and select “Show iCloud Tabs.” This will open a drop-down menu that shows all the devices with open tabs. Select the device with the closed tab you want to reopen, and it will appear on your current device.
Edge:
1. Keyboard Shortcut: Like other browsers, you can restore a closed tab in Edge by using the shortcut Control + Shift + T (Windows) or Command + Shift + T (Mac).
2. Reopen Last Closed Window: If you accidentally closed the entire browser window, you can reopen it by using the keyboard shortcut Control + Shift + T or by clicking on the three horizontal lines icon in the top-right corner of the Edge window and selecting “Reopen closed tab.”
How to Reopen tabs on Android and iPhone
Android and iPhone are two of the most popular mobile operating systems in the world.
If you surf the web using either your iPhone or Android device, you still need to use some popular browsers like Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge.
Ways to reopen tabs can be a bit different when you use your desktops or laptops. But there are ways that are still applicable.
You can view the history of your web history to find the webpage you just closed. Or you can view “Recent tabs” if you use Chrome.
In general, opening your web history is the easiest and quickest way to reopen a tab using your smartphone devices.
Conclusion
Web browsing can be unpredictable, and accidents happen. But with these simple steps, you can restore tabs and browsing sessions in your browser of choice with ease. Whether you’re using Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge, these quick fixes will save you time and frustration, ensuring that you never lose your browsing progress again.