How to restore all Google Chrome tabs when you close

When working with Google Chrome or another browser, you open tabs, going to a specific site. And what if you accidentally close one or more important tabs? The browser allows you to restore closed tabs from the current, previous or even long-past session. You can restore old tabs from a week or even a month ago. You will have to work hard to find them – for this it is desirable to remember the date of visiting the page and what it was about – but there is a technical possibility.

Can I restore closed tabs

Regardless of the reason why this situation occurred (the program crashed or you closed Chrome yourself, forgetting to save important tabs), all lost sites can be returned. There are several ways.

After you close the page

The standard situation is that you have navigated to a new address within one tab. You can fix this by simply pressing the back key (the arrow in the upper left corner of Chrome). If you clicked on the cross, then you can open the newly closed tab again as follows:

  • right-click on the top panel of the browser;
  • click on the empty space to the right of the last active tab;
  • in the menu that appears, select Open Closed Tab.
Open a closed tab
Open a closed tab using the Google Chrome menu

When you close your browser

Have you opened a few important pages but accidentally exited Chrome? All sites opened in the previous session will open when chrome starts again, if the corresponding function is enabled in the settings:

  • Three dots in the upper-right corner
  • "Settings" – "Launch Chrome";
  • Previously Open tabs.
Previously opened tabs
Configure the recovery of previously opened tabs in Google Chrome

If it was disabled, then you will have to go to the desired address through the history of visits (three points – "History") and restore the tabs manually.

Manually restore tabs through history
Restore tabs in Google Chrome using history

When you shut down or restart your computer

It happens that during operation the computer freezes or the electricity is turned off. In this case, you can also "save" closed tabs.

This case is no different from the one described above (see "When closing the browser").

If the "Previously opened tabs" option has been enabled, the browser will restore all the tabs itself when you restart. If not, then you can restore the lost through the "History" (Ctrl + H key combination).

Options for restoring tabs

Thanks to the wide functionality of Google Chrome, your tabs will always and under any circumstances be completely safe.

Except for tabs opened in incognito mode.

If, due to any circumstances, you have lost an important website, it can easily be returned with a few simple steps.

Quickly restore the last tab

Do you want to return a closed tab in 5 seconds without going to any menus? This will help the combination of several keys – just hold down Ctrl + Shift + T on the keyboard, and the last closed site will load in a new window.

To find the right resource, you can run this command as much as you want – all closed tabs will be restored one by one.

Through browser settings

The second method, which will also take a minimum of time, is to restore tabs through the context menu of Google Chrome. Follow two steps:

  • Right-click on the top panel of the browser to bring up the context menu.
  • Select Open Closed Tab.

Using your browsing history

In the settings, among a number of functions, the history of visits is also available. It contains information about all previously opened sites. To restore the last closed tab or find a previously closed site, you need to:

  1. Click on the three dots in the corner of the browser and select "History".
  2. You'll see a list with a few recent tabs and additional settings.
  3. To see a complete list of all visited sites, click "History" or the combination Ctrl+H
  4. In the search bar, enter a phrase or website address.

Using extensions

In addition to a large number of tools built into the browser, you have the opportunity to use additional plugins that will greatly simplify the work with Google Chrome.

One of these extensions – Session Buddy – helps to restore sites and monitor the history of visits. To download it, you need to:

  • Go to the Chrome Web Store: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/extensions?hl=ru/
  • Type Session Buddy in the search.
  • Click "Install".
  • Activate the extension in the upper right corner of the browser, if it has not activated itself.

The utility gives you the ability to easily restore closed sites and entire sessions, as well as perform a number of other actions with tabs.

How to recover an entire Internet session

Google Chrome for some reason closed, and with it – all open pages? Most often, a closed session is fully recoverable. When the "Previously opened tabs" function is enabled in the settings, when the browser starts again, all sites from the previous session will be launched.

But by default, when you load Google Chrome, a blank page is always loaded. How do I get my tabs back in this situation? In the system folder of the browser "Last Session" there is a file with the data of the sites opened in the last session.

You need to go to %LOCALAPPDATA%Google ChromeUser DataDefault and rename Last Session to Current Session, and Last Tabs to Current Tabs.

Where should I enter this address? And right into the empty line next to the Start button. "Explorer" will open, if the desired folder is not visible in it (it is hidden), then you should:

  • Expand File Explorer to Full Screen.
  • Click "View";
  • check the box "Hidden elements".

If all previously opened pages are lost each time you load your browser, change the startup settings in the settings. Find the Chrome Launch section and choose whether it opens after a reboot– a new page, a previous session, or a specific site.

Now, in case of unforeseen circumstances, you do not have to install third-party plugins, check the history or search for system files. Each time, the browser will open in the same way as you closed it.

Restore pinned tabs

The interface of Google Chrome contains a panel of pinned tabs, which under any circumstances, even an unexpected closure of the browser, are saved in their places. However, what to do when the next time you turn on Chrome, your favorite sites still disappear from the panel?

The most common reason is the presence of virus activity, so first of all the computer must be scanned with security software, and as an alternative – try to find all the necessary addresses in the history or synchronize them.

If you use a browser on other devices in addition to your computer, we recommend that you sync them using Google services:

  • Log in to the account on each of them (badge in the form of a man),
  • Open settings,
  • Next, section "Users" and enable synchronization.

Now all your activity, bookmarks, frequently visited sites and other personal information will be displayed wherever you have access to your Google Account, so you can find closed tabs on another synchronized device.

It is almost always possible to solve the problem of a lost page. In extreme cases, the desired address can simply be added to bookmarks and not worry that it will disappear in the future.

Mike Lombardi/ author of the article

QA Engineer, Head of Automated Software Testing Department. Knowledge of Java, C/C++, JSP, HTML, XML, JavaScript, SQL, and Oracle PL/SQL. Journalist and Columnist in the IT field. Website Creator and Administrator.

OldVersions.INFO