How to move tabs to a new window in Chrome

Published November 1, 2026

Browser tabs being dragged out of one window into a second, named window

In short: Drag a tab outside the Chrome window to open it in a new one. To move a tab into a window you already have, right-click it and select Move tab to another window.^[1]

One window for work, one for the trip you're planning, one for that thing you'll read later. Splitting tabs across windows keeps each window short. Here's how to do it without copying a single URL.

Open a tab in a new window

Click and drag the tab outside the Chrome window. It becomes its own window.^[1] To start an empty window instead, press Ctrl+N (⌘+N on Mac).^[1]

Move a tab to a window you already have

Make sure both windows are signed in to the same profile.^[1]
Right-click the tab you want to move.
Select Move tab to another window, then pick the window.^[1]

Move several tabs at once

Press Ctrl and select each tab you want, or select the first tab, press Shift and select the last one to highlight a range.^[1] Then right-click any highlighted tab and select Move tabs to another window.^[1] You can also drag the highlighted tabs to a new window.^[1] More in how to select multiple tabs.

Name your windows

Once you have three windows, they all look the same. Give each one a name:^[1]

Go to the window you want to name.
Right-click the empty space next to New tab, then select Name window. Or select More > More tools > Name window.^[1]
Enter a name.

Your computer shows that name when you point to the minimized window, when you press Alt+Tab, and in the Move tab to another window menu.^[1]

Close tabs without fear. Keeptab saves your tabs in one click, backs them up every hour and notes your open tabs every 5 minutes. Free for Chrome.

Add to Chrome — it's free

Done with a window? Keep its tabs

When a window has done its job, Keeptab, our free Chrome extension, saves its tabs as a list in one click and lets you check the list before the tabs close.^[2] Find them later by word, date or site.^[2]

FAQ

How do I open a tab in a new window in Chrome?

Click and drag the tab outside the Chrome window. It opens in its own window.

Why can't I move a tab to another window?

Both windows need to be signed in to the same Chrome profile. Then right-click the tab and select Move tab to another window.

Can I rename a Chrome window?

Yes. Right-click the empty space next to New tab and select Name window, or go to More, More tools, Name window.

Sources

Google Chrome Help. Manage tabs in Chrome. https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/2391819?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop
Keeptab. The OneTab alternative to stop losing your tabs. https://keep-tab.com/onetab-alternative

Close tabs without fear

Keeptab saves your tabs in one click, backs them up every hour and notes your open tabs every 5 minutes. Free for Chrome.