Reaching for the mouse to find a tab is slow when you have thirty of them. These are the shortcuts that matter most. On Mac, use Cmd where the table shows Ctrl.
Switching tabs
| Action | Windows / Linux | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Next tab | Ctrl+Tab or Ctrl+PgDn | Ctrl+Tab or Cmd+Option+Right |
| Previous tab | Ctrl+Shift+Tab or Ctrl+PgUp | Ctrl+Shift+Tab or Cmd+Option+Left |
| Jump to tab 1 to 8 | Ctrl+1 to Ctrl+8 | Cmd+1 to Cmd+8 |
| Jump to the last tab | Ctrl+9 | Cmd+9 |
| Search all open tabs | Ctrl+Shift+A | Cmd+Shift+A |
Opening and closing
| Action | Windows / Linux | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| New tab | Ctrl+T | Cmd+T |
| Close tab | Ctrl+W | Cmd+W |
| Reopen the last closed tab or window | Ctrl+Shift+T | Cmd+Shift+T |
| New window | Ctrl+N | Cmd+N |
| Close window | Ctrl+Shift+W | Cmd+Shift+W |
| Open a link in a background tab | Ctrl+click | Cmd+click |
Saving and finding
| Action | Windows / Linux | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Bookmark all open tabs | Ctrl+Shift+D | Cmd+Shift+D |
| Focus the address bar | Ctrl+L | Cmd+L |
| Open Chrome's Task Manager | Shift+Esc | Window menu, Task Manager |
The one to learn first is Ctrl+Shift+T. It undoes an accidental close, including a whole window. If you need more than that, read how to recover a closed window or tab.
KeepIt shortcuts for sessions and spaces
Chrome's shortcuts work on single tabs. KeepIt adds shortcuts for whole sets of tabs:
| Action | Windows / Linux | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Save the current window as a session | Alt+Shift+S | Cmd+Shift+S |
| Open the quick switcher | Alt+Shift+K | Cmd+Shift+K |
| Next / previous space | Alt+Shift+. / Alt+Shift+, | Cmd+Shift+. / Cmd+Shift+, |
Inside the quick switcher, type part of a space name and press Enter. Press the shortcut again, or use Tab and the arrow keys, to move down the list. Alt+1 to Alt+9 jumps straight to an item and Esc closes it. You can also type kt, then a space, then a name in Chrome's address bar.
Chrome lets you change extension shortcuts at chrome://extensions/shortcuts. The "go back to the space you just left" command has no default key, so set one there if you want it.
A small habit that pays off
Pick three shortcuts from this page and use them for a week: Ctrl+Shift+A to find, Ctrl+Shift+T to undo, and Alt+Shift+K to switch projects. Add more once those are automatic. For the bigger picture, see Chrome workspaces.
Shortcuts by situation
- "I closed the wrong tab."
Ctrl+Shift+T. - "Where did that tab go?"
Ctrl+Shift+Aand type part of its title. - "I want to start on another project."
Alt+Shift+Kand type its name. - "I am about to close this window but want it back later."
Alt+Shift+Sfirst. - "Chrome feels slow."
Shift+Escand look at the biggest tabs.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change KeepIt's shortcuts?
Yes. Open chrome://extensions/shortcuts, find KeepIt and set any key you like, including one for the Go back command.
Why does the switcher open in a small window on some pages?
Chrome blocks extensions from running on pages such as New Tab, chrome:// pages and the Web Store. KeepIt opens the switcher in a small window there instead.
Is Ctrl+Shift+T limited to tabs?
It reopens the most recently closed tab or window, and you can press it repeatedly to go further back.