UnloadTabs

Name: UnloadTabs
Rating: 4.4085 (71 reviews)
Author: NiklasG

Unload your tabs to free resources and prevents them from loading unintentionally

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UnloadTabs is a powerful Chrome extension designed to help users manage browser tabs efficiently by unloading inactive tabs to free system resources and prevent them from loading unintentionally. It integrates context menu entries to unload the current tab or all but the current tab, along with keyboard shortcuts to jump between loaded tabs. The extension is compatible with popular add-ons like Tree Style Tab and Container Tabs, maintaining tab organization while optimizing performance.

UnloadTabs visually distinguishes unloaded tabs by graying them out (with manual setup), ensures unloaded tabs remain in correct containers, and provides a clean uninstall feature that leaves no residual tabs closed. While the extension handles tab unloading seamlessly, some Firefox-specific bugs related to tab icons and loading status exist, which are being addressed by Mozilla. Users are encouraged to report other issues via the developer's GitHub repository. Permissions are limited to displaying error notifications and accessing browser tabs, ensuring transparency and privacy.

Productivity Utilities Developer Tools

By:

NiklasG

Daily users:

3,453+ -6

Rating:

4.41

(71) 1 new ratings

Version:

0.8.5 Last updated: 2019-09-06

Version code:

4853235

Creation date:

2016-06-10

Risk:

Permissions:

storage
menus
notifications
tabs

Size:

92.57K

URLs:

Website

Full description:

See detailed description ⏷

Source:

Firefox Browser Add-ons

Updated:

a day ago

Ranking

# 1,444 ▼ 2

Other rankings

#118 in Tabs ▲ 1

#258 in Other extensions ▲ 2

#15 in new tabs keyword 49

#21 in restore tabs keyword 19

#25 in tabellenkalkulation keyword 14

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User reviews

UnloadTabs is praised for efficiently freeing up system memory and CPU by unloading individual tabs, especially beneficial for users with many open tabs. It integrates well with other tools like Tree Style Tab and maintains tab states without reloading. However, it lacks batch unloading capabilities, limiting convenience for managing multiple tabs, and can have minor usability and stability issues, such as focus handling and occasional browser disruptions. Overall, it's a valuable tool for resource management with room for functional improvements.

Pros

Effectively frees up memory and CPU usage by unloading tabs without closing them.
Allows unloading of tabs individually via hotkeys, aiding in resource management.
Useful for users with many tabs open; helps keep system fans quieter and improves performance.
Integrates well with Tree Style Tab, enhancing usability.
Prevents reloading of pages upon unloading, preserving the state for later use.

Cons

Limited functionality as it unloads only single tabs and lacks support for batch unloading multiple selected tabs.
Does not handle edge cases well, such as when no loaded tab is available to switch focus to after unloading, leading to minor usability issues.
Might have stability issues or bugs that occasionally disrupt browser performance.
Extension is sometimes hard to find in context menus, affecting user accessibility.

Recent reviews

Great! I can unload current using tab by using hotkey. Also able to unload other tabs except current tab.

by Reo, 2025-05-11

by 敬念法轮大法好远离疫情, 2025-04-01

by Lukita, 2025-03-19

View all user reviews ›

Extension safety

Risk impact

UnloadTabs requires a few sensitive permissions. Exercise caution before installing.

Risk impact analysis details

Critical Grants access to browser tabs, which can be used to track user browsing habits and history, presenting a privacy concern.
Medium ******* ******* ************* ***** *** ** ******* *** **** ******* ****** ******** *******

Risk likelihood

UnloadTabs has earned a fairly good reputation and likely can be trusted.

Risk likelihood analysis details

High This extension has low user count. Unpopular extensions may not be stable or safe.
Low **** ********* *** ******* **** **** * ****** **** ***** ******** *** **** ****** ** ** ****** *** *****
Low **** ********* *** ***** **** **** * ****** **** ***** ********** *** **** ****** ** ** ****** *** *****
Good **** ********* *** **** **** *******

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