Tab Groups feature discontinued

Revision Information
  • Revision id: 114636
  • Created:
  • Creator: Artist
  • Comment: rearranged section text and syntax, minor rewording
  • Reviewed: Yes
  • Reviewed:
  • Reviewed by: heyjoni
  • Is approved? Yes
  • Is current revision? No
  • Ready for localization: No
Revision Source
Revision Content

The Tab Groups (Panorama) feature will be removed from Firefox in version 45. We know this may be inconvenient and we apologize. Removing the Tab Group function will make it easier for us to improve Firefox. Thankfully, the Mozilla community has already come through with some great replacements for Tab Groups. This article shows you some of the new options. The Tab Groups (Panorama) feature has been removed from Firefox. We know this may be inconvenient and we apologize. Removing Tab Groups makes it easier for us to make Firefox better. Thankfully, the Mozilla community has already come through with some great replacements for Tab Groups. This article shows you some of the new options.

What will happen to my existing Tab Groups?

When you update to Firefox 45, you will see a special tab explaining what has happened. All your existing Tab Groups will be bookmarked automatically and stored in the Bookmarks folder. You will be able to access them by clicking the Bookmarks button Bookmarks-29 in the toolbar.

bookmarkedtabgroups

At that time, you will also be given the opportunity to restore background groups into separate windows, if you wish.

Finally, we'll make a one-time backup of your Tab Groups data that will be stored in your profile folder. Add-ons may be able to use this data to recreate your Tab Groups.

Where are my Tab Groups?

All your Tab Groups have been bookmarked and stored in the Bookmarks folder. You can access them by clicking the Bookmarks button Bookmarks-29 in the toolbar.

bookmarkedtabgroups

We've also made a one-time backup of your Tab Groups data that is stored in your profile folder. Add-ons may be able to use this data to recreate your Tab Groups.

Tab Groups replacement add-ons

Add-on "Tab Groups"

If you want a direct replacement for the Tab Groups feature, try the "Tab Groups" add-on. It was created directly from the Firefox code and works just like the current feature. It will be as if the feature wasn't removed from Firefox. This add-on aims to fully replace Tab Groups in Firefox, providing a similar and hopefully even enhanced experience. You can install Tab Groups from the add-ons website.

If you install the add-on before you update to Firefox 45 please note:
  • Your Firefox Tab Groups will be automatically migrated to the add-on.
  • Firefox won't turn your groups to bookmarks as described above.

Other add-ons

  • OneTab: Whenever you find yourself with too many tabs, click the OneTab icon to convert all of your tabs into a list. When you need to access the tabs again, you can either restore them individually or all at once.
  • Tree Style Tab: This provides a tree-style tab sidebar, like the folder tree in Windows Explorer. New tabs opened from links are automatically attached to the current tab.
  • Browse more options on the add-ons website.

Add-on "Tab Groups"

If you want a direct replacement for the Tab Groups feature, try the "Tab Groups" add-on. It was created directly from the Firefox code and works just like the current feature. It will be as if the feature wasn't removed from Firefox. This add-on aims to fully replace Tab Groups in Firefox, providing a similar and hopefully even enhanced experience.

  • You can install Tab Groups from the add-ons website.

Once installed, you can import your old Tab Groups from the backup file that was saved when you updated to Firefox 45:

  1. Open the Tab Groups view using the toolbar button or the keyboard shortcut CTRL + Shift + E.
  2. Click the gear icon in the upper-right area of the Tab Groups view to open the options page.
    Tab Group Gear
  3. Choose Backup / Restore from the sidebar of the options page.
  4. Click the Load Migration Backup button.
    Tab Group Migration
  5. Finally, click Import selected items into this window and your old Tab Groups will be imported.

You can now continue using Tab Groups as if the feature hadn't been removed from Firefox.

Other add-ons

  • Simplified Tab Groups: A Firefox add-on that provides tab grouping features similar to the Tab Groups feature but with a different interface.
  • OneTab: Whenever you find yourself with too many tabs, click the OneTab icon to convert all of your tabs into a list. When you need to access the tabs again, you can either restore them individually or all at once.
  • Tree Style Tab: This provides a tree-style tab sidebar, like the folder tree in Windows Explorer. New tabs opened from links are automatically attached to the current tab.
  • Browse more options on the add-ons website.
Important: If you have questions or experience a problem with an add-on, please contact the add-on developer directly.

Use Bookmarks to manage tabs

Got too many open tabs? You can use two easy bookmark commands to keep everything organized.

  • Bookmark All Tabs
If you have a window of tabs you'd like to save for later:
  1. Right-clickHold down the control key while you click any tab and choose Bookmark All Tabs....
  2. In the window that opens, name your folder of bookmarks and choose where to save it (the Bookmarks Menu or Bookmarks Toolbar are good choices).
  • Open All in Tabs
When you want to open a group of tabs that you've bookmarked:
  1. Locate the folder of bookmarks that you saved.
  2. Click on the folder to display the list of bookmarks. Choose the Open All in Tabs option at the bottom of the list.