Edward JobsIntroduction: Have You Ever Accidentally Closed Chrome?
Have you ever been working and suddenly closed Chrome by mistake, only to wonder, “Where did all my tabs go?” The good news is that Google Chrome has a built-in feature to easily restore closed tabs, letting you get back to work in just seconds.
In this article, we’ll clearly explain how Mac users can restore Chrome tabs after an accidental quit.
🔁 Method 1: Restore the “Previous Window” from History
After restarting Chrome, you can restore all previously open tabs by following these steps:
- Open Chrome.
- Click the ︙ (three vertical dots) in the top-right corner.
- Go to History → Recently Closed Windows.
- Click the entry that shows the number of tabs or the previous window name.
That’s it — all the tabs you had before closing will reopen exactly as they were. If you had multiple Chrome windows, each one can be restored separately.
🧭 Method 2: Instantly Restore Tabs with a Shortcut
If you want to restore individual tabs quickly, this keyboard shortcut is your best friend:
🔹 Command
Command + Shift + T
Pressing this key combination reopens the last closed tab. Press it multiple times to continue restoring older tabs in the order they were closed.
💡 Even if Chrome was completely quit, this shortcut can sometimes restore the previous session.
⚙️ Method 3: Enable Automatic Restoration on Startup
If you’d like Chrome to automatically return to your last session each time you launch it, follow these steps:
- Click ︙ (three vertical dots) → Settings.
- From the left menu, select On Startup.
- Check Open the pages that were open last.
Now, when you reopen Chrome, it will automatically restore your previous tabs — no more panic moments when you accidentally close everything.
🧩 Method 4: Open Individual Tabs from History
If you only want to reopen specific sites rather than all tabs, use Chrome’s full history view:
- Go to History → Show full history,
- or use the shortcut:
Command + Y.
A list of your previously visited pages will appear, allowing you to click and restore individual tabs. This is especially handy when you only need to reopen certain websites.
💡 Pro Tip: Automate Backup and Restoration (Advanced Users)
On Mac, you can use Automator or AppleScript to create an automatic system that saves and restores Chrome sessions. For example, you can build a workflow that saves your window list upon closing and restores it when Chrome restarts — perfect for a more advanced setup.
Summary: Don’t Panic — Restore Instantly with Shortcuts or Settings
Even if you accidentally close Chrome tabs, restoring them is incredibly simple.
| Situation | Solution |
|---|---|
| Closed temporarily | Command + Shift + T |
| Quit completely | History → Recently Closed Windows |
| Want auto-restore | Settings → On Startup → Open the pages that were open last |
Everyone makes mistakes — but with these methods, you can recover everything in seconds. Use these settings to keep your browsing experience smooth and stress-free.
