Vertical Tabs Browsers: How They Work & When to Use

Updated 14 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

Vertical tabs browsers rearrange your open website tabs from a horizontal strip at the top of the window into a vertical list along the side, usually the left. You still get the same tab functions—open, close, switch, reorder—but the new orientation gives each tab a full-width label and a fixed, readable height, which solves the crowding problem that appears once you have more than about eight tabs open. This article explains why vertical tabs exist, how they work, which browsers offer them, and how to decide if they are right for you.

Why Vertical Tabs Exist

Traditional horizontal tabs sit in a single row at the top of the browser window. Each tab is a rectangle whose width shrinks as you add more tabs. With ten or fifteen tabs open, each one becomes a narrow sliver that shows only a favicon or a truncated title. You can no longer tell which tab is which without hovering, and the browser may even start scrolling the tab strip sideways to fit them all.

Vertical tabs solve this by using the side of the screen, which is typically much taller than it is wide. A vertical list gives every tab a consistent height—usually around 30–40 pixels—and a full label area. A 1080p monitor has about 950 vertical pixels of usable space, which can comfortably fit 25–30 labeled tabs without any scrolling. On a widescreen monitor, the horizontal space lost to the sidebar is rarely missed because most web pages are designed to center their content and leave empty margins on the sides.

The idea is not new. Early browsers and some power-user extensions have offered sidebar tabs for over a decade, but the feature gained mainstream attention when Microsoft Edge added a built-in vertical tabs button in 2021. Since then, other browsers have followed with native implementations or improved extensions.

How Vertical Tabs Work

When you enable vertical tabs, the browser moves the tab strip from the top to a sidebar panel. The sidebar usually has a collapse button that shrinks it to a narrow rail showing only favicons, which is useful when you need the full page width. Clicking the rail expands it back to the full-width list.

Most implementations keep the same tab behavior you already know:

Click a tab to switch to it.
Drag a tab up or down to reorder it.
Right-click a tab for options like duplicate, mute, pin, or close others.
Middle-click a tab to close it.
Drag a tab out of the sidebar to open it in a new window.

Some browsers add extra features that are only practical in a vertical layout. For example, Edge and Vivaldi allow you to group tabs into collapsible sections, and the sidebar shows the group name as a header. You can collapse a group to hide its tabs and reduce visual clutter. Firefox has an official extension called Side View, though it is more limited than the native implementations in Edge and Vivaldi.

Which Browsers Have Vertical Tabs

As of 2024, the main options are:

Microsoft Edge – Built-in, free, and available on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Click the “Turn on vertical tabs” icon in the top-left corner. It includes tab groups and a collapse-to-rail mode.
Vivaldi – Built-in and highly customizable. You can place the tab bar on the left or right, adjust tab width, and enable two-level tab stacking. Available on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Firefox – No native vertical tabs, but the Side View extension adds a sidebar that can display a vertical list of tabs. It works but lacks some features of native implementations.
Chrome – No native vertical tabs. Third-party extensions like “Tab Center Reborn” can approximate the feature, but they are not as smooth as built-in options.
Arc Browser – A newer browser built entirely around a vertical tab sidebar, with additional features like spaces and split view. It is available on macOS and Windows.

If you are already using Edge or Vivaldi, you can try vertical tabs without installing anything. If you are on Chrome or Firefox, you may need to switch browsers or use an extension.

How to Choose a Vertical Tabs Browser

Choosing a browser is a personal decision, but here are the factors that matter most for vertical tabs:

Native vs. extension – Native implementations are faster, more stable, and integrate with the browser’s UI. Extensions can break after browser updates and may have limited functionality.
Customization – Do you want to change the sidebar width, position, or icon size? Vivaldi offers the most options; Edge is more fixed but still has a collapse mode.
Ecosystem – If you use Chrome extensions heavily, Edge is the easiest switch because it supports Chrome extensions. Vivaldi also supports them, but Firefox uses a different extension system.
Operating system – Arc is only on macOS and Windows. Edge, Vivaldi, and Firefox are cross-platform.
Performance – Vertical tabs themselves use minimal resources, but the browser’s overall memory usage varies. Edge and Chrome are known to be memory-hungry; Firefox and Vivaldi are generally lighter.

Try the built-in option in your current browser first. If you are on Edge, click the vertical tabs icon and use it for a day. If you are on Chrome, install a vertical tabs extension and see if it feels responsive enough. If not, consider switching to Edge or Vivaldi.

Common Problems and Solutions

Vertical tabs are not perfect. Here are the most common issues and how to handle them:

Sidebar takes too much space – Most browsers let you collapse the sidebar to a thin rail. In Edge, click the double-arrow icon at the top of the sidebar. In Vivaldi, you can set the tab bar to auto-hide.
Tab titles get cut off – This happens when the sidebar is too narrow. Drag the sidebar edge to widen it, or in Vivaldi, reduce the minimum tab width in settings.
Dragging tabs to reorder is finicky – Make sure you grab the tab by its title area, not the icon. If it still does not work, try using the right-click menu’s “Move” options.
Extensions that expect horizontal tabs – Some tab-management extensions assume a horizontal layout and may not work correctly. Disable them and rely on the browser’s built-in features.
Vertical tabs do not work on all web pages – The sidebar is part of the browser UI, so it works on every page. However, some full-screen or web-app pages may hide the sidebar until you move your mouse to the edge.

If you encounter a problem not listed here, check the browser’s official help pages or community forums. Most issues are solved by toggling the feature off and on again.

Vertical Tabs vs. Horizontal Tabs

The choice between vertical and horizontal tabs depends on your screen and your tab count.

Horizontal tabs are better if you rarely have more than five or six tabs open. They take up only a thin strip at the top, leaving the entire page height visible. They are also the default, so you do not need to learn a new layout.

Vertical tabs shine when you have many tabs open, especially on a widescreen monitor. They give you readable labels, easier scanning, and better grouping. The downside is that they consume horizontal space, which can be a problem on a narrow laptop screen or when you are using a split-screen layout.

Some browsers let you switch between the two modes on the fly. Edge, for example, has a button that toggles between horizontal and vertical. This is a good middle ground: use horizontal for light browsing, switch to vertical when you are researching or working with many tabs.

Privacy and Safety Considerations

Vertical tabs are a visual change only; they do not affect your privacy or security. The tabs themselves are stored locally in your browser profile, just like horizontal tabs. However, there are a few things to keep in mind:

Extensions – If you install a third-party vertical tabs extension, review its permissions. Some extensions may request access to your browsing data. Stick to well-known extensions from the official store.
Sync – If you enable browser sync, your open tabs (and their order) are sent to the sync server. This is true for both horizontal and vertical tabs. If you are concerned, disable tab sync in your browser settings.
Screenshots – Vertical tabs show more tab titles on screen, so be aware that someone looking over your shoulder can see more of your browsing activity. Use a privacy screen or collapse the sidebar when in public.

None of these issues are unique to vertical tabs, but they are worth remembering if you are switching to a new browser.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do vertical tabs use more memory? No. The tab list is just a different rendering of the same tab data. The memory usage difference is negligible, usually less than a few megabytes.

Can I use vertical tabs on a laptop with a small screen? Yes, but you may want to collapse the sidebar when you need full width. On a 13-inch laptop, the sidebar can take up 15–20% of the screen width, which can make pages feel cramped.

Will vertical tabs work with all websites? Yes, because the sidebar is part of the browser window, not the webpage. The website’s layout is unaffected, though some sites with fixed sidebars on the left may feel crowded.

Can I move vertical tabs to the right side? In Vivaldi, yes. In Edge, no—the sidebar is fixed to the left. Arc also allows right-side placement. If this matters to you, choose Vivaldi or Arc.

Do vertical tabs work in fullscreen mode? In most browsers, the sidebar hides in fullscreen mode. You can usually bring it back by moving your mouse to the side of the screen, but it may not stay open while you are watching a video or reading an article.

Is there a way to use vertical tabs in Chrome without switching browsers? Yes, you can install an extension like “Tab Center Reborn” from the Chrome Web Store. It recreates the vertical tab experience, but it may not be as smooth as a native implementation.

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