Alternate Tab Order

Alternate Tab Order

Opens new tabs at the end, and snaps back to view the opener tab under certain conditions

What is Alternate Tab Order?
Alternate Tab Order is a Chrome extension that modifies your browser’s tab functionality to closely replicate pre-2010 Firefox. It sends new tabs to the end of the list, and if closed, the user will be directed back to the previous tab. Helpful for multi-tab browsing, like during news reading or story exploration.
Merlin
Stats
Users: 5,000+
Rating: 4.68 (31)
Version: 1.0.13 (Last updated: 2015-02-08)
Creation date: 2015-02-08
Risk impact: Very low risk impact
Risk likelihood: Low risk likelihood
Manifest version: 2
Size: 16.79K
URLs: Website
Stats date:

Other platforms

Not available on Firefox
Not available on Edge
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Merlin
Summary

Changes tab ordering in a manner similar to pre-2010 Firefox.

The video explains it best, but by default, this extension does the following:

  • When a new tab is opened, it is sent to the end on the far-right

  • If that tab was opened with a left-click, such that it is automatically switched to, closing it will switch back to the tab from which is was opened (as long as no other tab had been switched to in the meantime)

What that means in practical terms is this:

  1. if I have an RSS reader open, left-clicking to read a story immediately will show me an open a tab on the end of the list. Closing that story it will take me back to my RSS reader.

  2. If I queue up a bunch of stories to read by middle-clicking several links, they will all open on the end of the tab list. When I go to read them by clicking on the first tab I opened, closing it will show me the next story.

I recognize how incredibly small the audience is for this exact setup, but there you have it.

Attributions

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User reviews
User reviews summary
These summaries are automatically generated weekly using AI based on recent user reviews. Chrome Web Store does not verify user reviews, so some user reviews may be inaccurate, spammy, or outdated.
Pros
  • Does exactly what it states and effectively manages tab order
  • Does not require unwanted permissions or create issues
  • Restores the old opera tab handling feature
Cons
  • Does not provide an option to open a tab in between other tabs
  • New tabs moved to the far end even when reopened or restored
  • Does not provide an option to override opening at the end
Most mentioned
  • Simple and effective functionality of the extension
  • Possibility of having an override feature
  • Restoring the closed tabs to their original positions
Recent reviews
Perfect - makes Edge work exactly as I want it to!
by Paul Chavez Paul Chavez, 2023-09-23

更新されていないけど、動いてくれてよかった。
by ねろ ねろ, 2023-05-21

This is exactly what I was looking for and thank you!
by Jess Jess, 2021-08-22
View all user reviews
Safety
Risk impact

Alternate Tab Order is safe to use. It does not request any sensitive permissions.

Risk likelihood

Alternate Tab Order has earned a fairly good reputation and likely can be trusted.

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Promo video
Screenshots
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