Google is finally bringing vertical tabs to Chrome’s Beta channel, answering one of the browser’s longest-running feature requests and signaling a likely expansion to stable builds soon. The option is currently tucked behind a feature flag in Chrome 145, but early testing suggests it is already robust enough for everyday use.
The addition follows months of experimentation in Canary, and it arrives with thoughtful touches that make the layout more than a novelty. A Chrome Developer Relations engineer highlighted the feature’s availability on X, noting that it supports Tab Groups, can be resized, and can collapse into a minimal strip when you want to maximize page space.
What’s new in Chrome Beta: Vertical tabs in version 145
In Chrome 145 Beta, vertical tabs are accessible via chrome://flags under the “Vertical Tabs” flag. After enabling and relaunching, right-click the tab bar and choose “Move tabs to the side” to switch layouts. Users are also seeing a Settings path under Appearance labeled “Tab strip position,” offering a more discoverable toggle without digging into flags.
The sidebar itself is adjustable, letting you drag to widen for longer page titles or slim it down to favor content. It supports Tab Groups, including group coloring and collapse behavior, so existing workflows translate cleanly. If you prefer a minimalist look, the sidebar can be collapsed to show just favicons, bringing back nearly all horizontal page real estate.
Notably, this isn’t a bolt-on experiment that breaks other features. Tab Search, pinned tabs, and common keyboard shortcuts continue to work as expected, easing the learning curve for longtime Chrome users.
Why vertical tabs matter for productivity and clarity
Vertical tabs address a fundamental constraint of the traditional tab strip: horizontal space runs out fast. As the number of tabs climbs, titles truncate into indecipherable slivers. A vertical list scales better, especially on widescreen and ultrawide monitors where lateral pixels are plentiful. On a 1440p or wider display, a 250–300-pixel sidebar can show dozens of legible tab titles without the cramped feel of the top strip.
This is more than ergonomic polish. Productivity research consistently shows that context switching and information foraging suffer when labels are hidden or ambiguous. UX analyses from organizations such as Nielsen Norman Group have long noted that vertical lists improve scan efficiency, and the ability to preserve meaningful tab titles helps reduce misclicks and cognitive load.
The impact could be broad. According to StatCounter, Chrome maintains well over 60% desktop market share worldwide, meaning even incremental workflow improvements reach a massive audience. For researchers, developers, and knowledge workers who live in the browser, the change could meaningfully reduce tab churn throughout the day.
How Chrome’s vertical tabs compare to rival browsers
Chrome is not first here. Microsoft Edge introduced vertical tabs years ago, and power-user browsers like Vivaldi and Opera have long offered highly customizable side tab bars. Arc approaches the concept with a sidebar-centered UI from the ground up. What Google brings is reach and tighter integration with Chrome’s established features, like Tab Groups and enterprise policies.
Early impressions suggest Chrome’s take is pragmatic rather than flashy. You get resizing, collapsing, group support, and familiar interactions, with fewer esoteric toggles than Vivaldi or Arc. That restraint may appeal to mainstream users who want the benefits without rethinking the entire browser UI.
How to enable Chrome’s vertical tabs in Beta today
If you are on Chrome 145 Beta, head to chrome://flags and search for “Vertical Tabs.” Set it to Enabled, relaunch the browser, then right-click the tab bar and choose “Move tabs to the side.” Alternatively, open Settings, go to Appearance, and look for “Tab strip position” to switch between top and side layouts.
For best results, try pairing vertical tabs with Tab Groups to label projects or clients, and collapse groups you do not need right now. If you rely on pinned tabs for essentials like email or music, those pins appear neatly at the top of the sidebar, keeping them within easy reach.
What to expect next as vertical tabs near stable release
There is no official timeline for a stable rollout, but a Beta appearance is a strong sign that wider availability is on the horizon. Google typically uses the Beta channel to harden features for performance and accessibility, and feedback from this phase will likely shape defaults, discoverability, and policy controls for managed deployments.
If Google follows its standard playbook, look for refinements such as smoother animations, better touch targets, and alignment with high-DPI scaling. Even in its current form, vertical tabs feel like a natural evolution of Chrome’s tab model rather than a side experiment.
For users juggling research, code, or complex workflows, this long-requested feature could quickly become the default way to browse. And for Chrome, it is a rare UI change that simultaneously pleases power users and helps everyone else make sense of the open-tab sprawl.
