How do I reopen a tab I just closed in Chrome?

Press Ctrl+Shift+T on Windows or Linux, or Cmd+Shift+T on a Mac. Chrome reopens the most recently closed tab. Press it again to keep reopening earlier tabs in order.

Can I reopen a whole closed window?

Yes. The same Ctrl+Shift+T or Cmd+Shift+T shortcut also restores a closed window with its tabs. You can also open the History menu and pick the window under Recently closed.

Where is the list of recently closed tabs?

Open the Chrome menu, go to History, and look under Recently closed. You can also right-click the tab bar and choose Reopen closed tab.

Can I get my tabs back after Chrome crashed?

Often yes. When Chrome reopens after a crash it usually offers a Restore option to bring back the previous session. You can also set On startup to 'Continue where you left off' so your tabs return automatically.

Can I recover tabs after restarting my computer?

If Chrome is set to 'Continue where you left off', your tabs reopen on the next launch. Otherwise, use Ctrl+Shift+T or the Recently closed list, or search your browsing history for the pages you need.

How do I stop losing important tabs in the first place?

For pages you do not need open right now but must not lose, snooze them instead of leaving them open. TabLater closes a tab now and reopens it automatically at a time you choose, stored locally on your device.

How to Recover Lost Browser Tabs in Chrome

1. Reopen the last closed tab

Press Ctrl+Shift+T on Windows or Linux, or Cmd+Shift+T on a Mac. Chrome reopens the tab you closed most recently. Keep pressing it to reopen earlier tabs in order. This also restores a closed window with its tabs.

2. Use the Recently closed list

Open the Chrome menu, go to History, and look under Recently closed. Closed tabs and whole closed windows are listed there, so you can pick exactly what you need. You can also right-click the tab bar and choose Reopen closed tab.

3. Restore the previous session after a crash

If Chrome closed unexpectedly, it usually offers a Restore button when it reopens, which brings back your previous session. To make this automatic, go to Settings → On startup and choose Continue where you left off. Then your tabs reopen on every launch.

4. Search your browsing history

If a tab is older or no longer in the recently closed list, open History (or press Ctrl+H / Cmd+Y) and search for the page title or a keyword you remember. Your history holds pages you visited even after the tab is gone, unless you were browsing in Incognito or have cleared it.

Move fast on Incognito

Incognito windows do not save history or a recently closed list. If you lost an Incognito tab, Ctrl+Shift+T within that same Incognito window is usually the only option — once it is closed, the pages are not recoverable from history.

Stop losing important tabs in the first place

Recovery is for accidents. The deeper fix is to stop keeping important pages open just so you do not lose them — that is exactly the pile that gets wiped by a crash, a restart, or an accidental close.

For a page you do not need open right now but must not lose, snooze it instead of leaving it open. TabLater closes the tab now and reopens it automatically at a time you choose — tomorrow 9am, next Monday, or a recurring schedule. Your scheduled tabs are stored locally in chrome.storage.local, so they survive restarts and do not depend on a fragile open window.

A simple rule

If a tab is open only so you remember it later, it is not really open — it is at risk. Snooze it to a time and let it come back on its own.

PreventSnooze tabs instead of risking them RelatedUse tabs as reminders

Last updated: June 5, 2026

How to recover lost browser tabs in Chrome.