Auto Create & Collapse Tab Groups in Edge

Updated 7 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

Microsoft Edge can automatically group your tabs and collapse them to keep your browser tidy, but the feature is not fully automatic out of the box. You can enable automatic tab grouping for new tabs, and you can manually collapse or expand groups with a single click. This article explains exactly how to turn on auto-create tab groups, how collapsing works, and how to manage the feature when it misbehaves.

What Are Tab Groups in Edge?

Tab groups are a way to organize open tabs into labeled, color-coded clusters. Each group can be collapsed into a single bar that shows only the group name, freeing up space on the tab strip. Edge uses the same underlying tab group technology as Chrome, so if you have used Chrome’s groups, the concept is identical. Groups are saved per browser session — they do not persist after you close and reopen Edge unless you use the “Restore previous session” feature, and even then groups may not always come back.

How to Turn On Automatic Tab Grouping

Edge does not have a single toggle that automatically groups every tab you open based on content. Instead, it offers two related features:

Suggested groups – When you open several tabs from the same site or search, Edge may show a small “Group similar tabs” suggestion in the tab strip. Click it to create a group automatically.
Automatic grouping for new tabs – In Edge settings, you can choose to have new tabs automatically placed into a group based on the domain. This is not enabled by default.

To enable automatic grouping for new tabs:

Open Edge and go to Settings (click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner).
Select Appearance from the left sidebar.
Scroll down to the Customize toolbar section.
Look for “Automatically group new tabs” and turn it on. (The exact wording may vary by Edge version.)

Once enabled, any new tab you open will be added to a group that matches its domain. For example, if you open multiple tabs from example.com, they will be grouped together automatically. Tabs from different domains remain separate.

How to Collapse and Expand Groups

Collapsing a group is simple:

Click the group name label (the colored bar above the tabs) to collapse the group into a single pill-shaped button.
Click that pill again to expand the group and show all its tabs.
Right-click the group label to see options like Collapse all groups or Expand all groups.

When a group is collapsed, the tabs inside are hidden, but they remain open and active. You can still switch to a tab in a collapsed group by clicking the group pill and then selecting the tab you want. This is a great way to reduce clutter without closing any tabs.

Common Problems and Fixes

Users often report that automatic grouping does not work as expected. Here are the most frequent issues and how to resolve them:

No automatic grouping option in settings – The feature may be rolled out gradually. Make sure Edge is updated to the latest version (go to edge://settings/help). If it still doesn’t appear, try restarting the browser.
Groups disappear after restart – Edge does not save groups by default. To keep them, enable Settings > On startup > Continue where you left off. Even then, groups may not restore perfectly; this is a known limitation.
Collapsed groups expand on their own – This can happen after an update or when the tab strip is reloaded. Try toggling the setting off and on again.
Group suggestion never appears – The suggestion is based on your browsing patterns. It may not trigger for every site. Manual grouping always works: right-click a tab and choose Add tab to new group.

Comparison with Chrome and Firefox

Edge’s tab groups are nearly identical to Chrome’s, since both are built on Chromium. Chrome has a similar “Group similar tabs” suggestion, but it does not have a setting to automatically group all new tabs by domain — that is an Edge-specific addition. Firefox has its own tab groups feature (introduced in 2024) that works differently: it uses a sidebar to manage groups rather than inline labels. If you switch between browsers, the concept is the same, but the exact mechanics differ.

Tips for Managing Many Groups

If you have dozens of tabs, groups can become unwieldy. Here are some practical tips:

Name your groups clearly (right-click the group label > Rename).
Use color coding to visually separate work, personal, or research tabs.
Collapse groups you are not actively using to keep the tab strip short.
Use the Tab actions menu (the down arrow at the left of the tab strip) to see a list of all tabs, including those in collapsed groups.
If you have too many groups, consider using vertical tabs (toggle from the left side of the tab strip) — it gives each group more room to breathe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Edge automatically group tabs by default?

No. Automatic grouping for new tabs is off by default. You have to enable it in settings, and even then it only groups tabs from the same domain. The “Group similar tabs” suggestion appears occasionally, but it is not a persistent automatic behavior.

How do I turn off automatic tab grouping?

Go to Settings > Appearance > Customize toolbar and toggle off “Automatically group new tabs”. Existing groups will remain until you close them or remove the tabs.

Can I group tabs manually?

Yes. Right-click any tab and select Add tab to new group or Add tab to existing group. You can also drag a tab onto another tab to create a group.

Why did my tab groups disappear after restarting Edge?

Edge does not save tab groups between sessions by default. To keep them, enable Settings > On startup > Continue where you left off. However, even with this enabled, groups may not always restore correctly — this is a known limitation of the browser.

Is there a way to collapse all groups at once?

Yes. Right-click any group label and choose Collapse all groups. The same menu also has Expand all groups.

Does the automatic grouping feature work on all websites?

It works based on the domain of the tab. For example, all tabs from youtube.com will be grouped together, but tabs from google.com and gmail.com will be separate because they are different domains.

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.