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OneTab lost my tabs: can I get them back?

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An open cardboard box lifted between an old computer and a new one, with sheets of saved links floating safely above it

In short: Often, yes, if the old Chrome profile folder still exists. OneTab's lists live inside your browser profile on that computer, not in your Google account, so a new Windows user, a new PC or a fresh Chrome install opens an empty OneTab.[1][3] Don't uninstall the extension: Chrome clears an extension's local data when it's removed.[4] Then look for the old profile folder and copy OneTab's data back, working on a copy.[1]

You open OneTab and the page is empty. Months of saved tabs, sometimes thousands, gone. On Super User, one person describes losing "thousands of tabs" after creating a new Windows user.[2] Another asks how many tabs OneTab can hold, because they're at 9,471.[5] The bigger the list, the harder the fall.

Here is what usually happened, where the data sits, and how to give yourself the best chance of getting it back.

Why OneTab lists disappear

OneTab stores its lists in your Chrome profile folder on your computer.[1] Anything that gives you a new profile shows you an empty OneTab, even though the old lists may still be on disk:

Before you touch anything

  1. Don't uninstall and reinstall OneTab. It won't bring the lists back, and it can erase what's left.[4]
  2. Check your other Chrome profiles. Click your profile picture at the top right of Chrome. If you have more than one profile, open OneTab in each.
  3. Check the old account or old drive. If you changed Windows user or computer, the old profile folder may still exist.[1][2]

Where OneTab keeps its data

Super User answers point to two places, depending on the version, so look in both. Replace <you> with the user name, and Default with Profile 1 (or 2, 3…) if you used another profile.[1]

SystemFolder
WindowsC:\Users\<you>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Storage\leveldb
Windows…\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\chphlpgkkbolifaimnlloiipkdnihall
Mac~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/Default/Local Extension Settings/chphlpgkkbolifaimnlloiipkdnihall
Mac~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/Default/Local Storage/leveldb
Linux~/.config/google-chrome/Default/Local Extension Settings/chphlpgkkbolifaimnlloiipkdnihall

The long string is OneTab's extension ID in Chrome. In Microsoft Edge, one answer gives a different ID, hoimpamkkoehapgenciaoajfkfkpgfop, under Edge's own User Data folder.[1]

Try to restore from the old folder

  1. Quit Chrome completely, including from the system tray or the Dock.
  2. Make a copy of the current folder, so you can undo.
  3. Copy the old folder over the one in your current profile, at the same path.[1]
  4. Start Chrome and open OneTab.

This is the method people report on Super User, and some say restoring the whole folder worked for them.[1] It doesn't always: the person who changed Windows user copied leveldb and still saw no tabs.[2] Also, Local Storage\leveldb holds data for many sites, not only OneTab, so copying it replaces that data too.[1] That's why step 2 matters.

Our reading: if the folder method fails, stop there and keep the copies. Retrying on the original files is how a recoverable loss becomes a permanent one.

Make sure it doesn't happen twice

Moving to a new computer? Our guide on moving Chrome tabs to another computer covers the options, and recovering tabs after a Chrome crash covers the other common loss.

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.

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Bring your OneTab lists to Keeptab, with backups

Keeptab is our free Chrome extension, and it reads OneTab's export as it is. In OneTab, open Export / Import URLs and copy all the text. In Keeptab, go to Recovery › From OneTab or a list of links, paste and click Import. Every list comes back with its titles.[6]

From then on, Keeptab keeps a full copy of your lists every hour (30 versions) and before every destructive action, with a 30-day trash.[6] You can also turn on a daily backup file in Downloads/Keeptab that survives an uninstall, and Keeptab Sync, a paid option, keeps the same lists on all your computers.[6]

FAQ

Where does OneTab store my tabs?

In your Chrome profile folder on your computer, not in your Google account. Super User answers point to Local Storage/leveldb or Local Extension Settings/chphlpgkkbolifaimnlloiipkdnihall inside the profile.

Does OneTab sync between computers?

No. People move lists between computers with OneTab's Export / Import URLs, by copying the text and pasting it on the other side.

Will reinstalling OneTab bring my tabs back?

No. Chrome clears an extension's local data when it's removed, so reinstalling can erase what's left. Look for the old profile folder instead.

Sources

  1. Super User. Where is my data for Chrome extension 'OneTab'? https://superuser.com/questions/1253974/where-is-my-data-for-chrome-extension-onetab
  2. Super User. How to restore my tabs from OneTab Chrome extension backup? https://superuser.com/questions/1686122/how-to-restore-my-tabs-from-onetab-chrome-extension-backup
  3. Super User. Sync OneTab tabs on Chrome across different PCs. https://superuser.com/questions/630975/sync-onetab-tabs-on-chrome-across-different-pcs
  4. Chrome for Developers. chrome.storage API reference. https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/reference/api/storage
  5. Super User. Upper limit of the number of tabs that OneTab supports. https://superuser.com/questions/1842123/upper-limit-of-the-number-of-tabs-that-onetabs-supports
  6. 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.

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