# HoldTab

> Delays new tab loading until you activate it

Canonical page: [https://chrome-stats.com/d/holdtab](https://chrome-stats.com/d/holdtab)

## Overview

- **ID:** `holdtab`
- **Platform:** Firefox
- **Type:** Firefox add-on
- **Status:** Available
- **Publisher:** Mikhail Vyrtsev
- **Category:** appearance,other,tabs
- **Daily users:** 111
- **Rating:** 3.96 / 5 (25 ratings)
- **Version:** 0.0.15resigned1
- **Last updated:** 2024-04-25
- **First published:** 2017-09-03
- **Size:** 27 KB
- **Data as of:** 2026-09-06
- **Store listing:** [Firefox Add-ons Store](https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/holdtab/)
- **Website:** [https://github.com/Reeywhaar/holdtab](https://github.com/Reeywhaar/holdtab)

## Description

HoldTab is a Chrome extension designed to improve your browsing experience by delaying the loading of new tabs until you activate them. This is especially useful when opening multiple tabs in the background that contain autoplay videos or GIF images, preventing them from all playing at once and consuming unnecessary resources. The extension mimics the behavior of Firefox's "Load Tab on Select" add-on, giving you control over when each tab loads its content.

To use HoldTab effectively, ensure you disable the setting "When you open a link in a new tab, switch to it immediately" in Chrome's preferences. This way, new tabs open in the background without loading immediately but only start loading once you click on them. HoldTab helps keep your browsing smooth, reduces CPU usage, and enhances privacy by delaying potentially distracting or resource-heavy content until you are ready to view it.

## Rankings

- #11,144 — Overall
- #15 — hold
- #135 — loading
- #140 — tabellenkalkulation
- #183 — activity
- #186 — database

## Permissions and access

### Permissions

- `storage`
- `tabs`
- `webRequest`
- `history`
- `webRequestBlocking`
- `<all_urls>`

## Safety

- **Risk impact:** High risk impact
- **Risk likelihood:** Low risk likelihood

### Analysis details

- Grants access to browser tabs, which can be used to track user browsing habits and history, presenting a privacy concern.
- This extension has low user count. Unpopular extensions may not be stable or safe.

> Some risk analysis details are omitted from this free response. [Upgrade to view the full analysis](https://chrome-stats.com/pricing).

## Similar extensions and apps

- [LoadTabOnSelect 3](https://chrome-stats.com/d/loadtabonselect3) — 231 users, 3.90 / 5
- [Sequential Tab Loader](https://chrome-stats.com/d/sequential-tab-loader) — 53 users, 5.00 / 5
- [Load Background Tabs Lazily](https://chrome-stats.com/d/load-background-tabs-lazily) — 489 users, 4.55 / 5
- [Hold to New Tab](https://chrome-stats.com/d/hold-to-new-tab)
- [LoadTabOnSelect Evolution](https://chrome-stats.com/d/loadtabonselect-evolution) — 9 users, 3.83 / 5
- [Load Tabs Sequentially](https://chrome-stats.com/d/load-tabs-sequentially) — 12 users, 4.50 / 5
- [tabPreLoader](https://chrome-stats.com/d/tabpreloader) — 55 users, 4.38 / 5
- [TemporaryTab](https://chrome-stats.com/d/temporarytab) — 11 users
- [ForceLoadTabs](https://chrome-stats.com/d/forceloadtabs) — 1 users, 5.00 / 5
- [Load Background Tabs on Select](https://chrome-stats.com/d/load-background-tabs-on-select) — 161 users, 4.67 / 5
- [Loaded Tabs Limiter](https://chrome-stats.com/d/loaded-tabs-limiter) — 6 users, 5.00 / 5

---

Source: [Chrome-Stats](https://chrome-stats.com/d/holdtab)