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Tab Wrangler

Closes tabs you have not touched for a while and keeps them in a list you can search. Free and open source.

Reviewed by Xplorekit's independent developer · Last checked · How we choose

Add to Chrome Free, open source · Chrome Web Store

Why it's a strong pick

Tab Wrangler cleans up for you, with no manual step. It is open source (GPL-3.0) in the tabwrangler/tabwrangler repository on GitHub, so you can read the code. Its README says it has no tracking, no analytics and no advertisements. The trade-off: it closes tabs rather than suspending them, so it is a cleanup tool, not a place to organize saved work.

What it does

Tab Wrangler closes tabs that sit idle for a set time. Its README gives the default as one hour, and the time is configurable. Closed tabs go into the Tab Corral, a searchable list where you can reopen them. Pinned tabs and tabs playing audio are never closed, per the README. You can lock tabs or whole windows, and keep a list of domains that lock automatically.

Key features

  • Idle timer. Closes tabs left alone for a set time. The default is one hour.
  • Tab Corral. A searchable list of the tabs it closed.
  • Tab Lock. Protect specific tabs or windows from closing.
  • Auto-lock list. Name domains that should always be protected.
  • Pinned and audio tabs are safe. Neither is ever closed.
  • Session restore. The README says it restores tabs with history and scroll position.

Who it's for

Tab Wrangler is for people whose tabs pile up by accident and who want a tidy-up in the background. It works well beside a manual saver such as OneTab, because it does not save your work in named lists. If you want to keep memory but keep the tabs, see Auto Tab Discard or The Marvellous Suspender. Our Great Suspender alternatives page lists Tab Wrangler as a pick.

Does Tab Wrangler delete my tabs?

It closes them, but it keeps a record. Closed tabs land in the Tab Corral, where you can search and reopen them. Full restore with history and scroll position covers only the most recent 25 closed tabs, per the README, because of a browser limit. After that you can still list a tab but may lose its page state.

What permissions does Tab Wrangler ask for?

Its README explains them. The Tabs permission reads the title and location of tabs, and the README says this does not let it read information on web pages. Storage keeps closed tabs locally and syncs settings through your browser account. It also lists context menus and the Sessions API. Check the install prompt for the current list.

Is Tab Wrangler still updated?

Yes. Its GitHub repository shows a release, version 8.5.2, on 30 September 2026. That is a repository release, so the Chrome Web Store listing may show a different version or date. We could not confirm whether the extension uses Manifest V3, so we make no claim either way. Check the store listing before you install.

FAQ

Is Tab Wrangler free? Yes. The README describes it as free, open source software under GPL-3.0.

Does it need an account? No. Settings sync uses your browser account, per the README.

Does it work in Firefox? The README says it works in Chrome and Firefox.

Good to know

Tab Wrangler closes tabs, it does not save them as a project. Anything you need to keep for later should go into a saver such as OneTab or Session Buddy. Add the sites you never want closed to the auto-lock list on day one.

Other tab managers to compare

Tab Wrangler is one of 8 picks in our tab managers guide:

  • OneTab: Turns all your open tabs into one list you can restore later. Free to install.
  • Toby: Save tabs into collections and spaces, and keep them in a side panel. Account required.
  • Workona: Save tabs into project spaces that sync through the cloud. Free plan, paid plans.
  • Session Buddy: Save open tabs into collections, search them and recover them after a crash. Free to install, no account.
  • Tab Session Manager: A free, open-source extension that saves your windows and tabs and brings them back later.
  • Auto Tab Discard: Cuts the memory use of inactive tabs with Chrome’s native tab discarding, without closing them. Open source.
  • The Marvellous Suspender: Suspends idle tabs to free memory and CPU. Open source, based on The Great Suspender. Asks for access to all sites.

Compare: Auto Tab Discard vs The Marvellous Suspender

See alternatives: Great Suspender alternatives · OneTab alternatives

This is a third-party extension, not built or maintained by Xplorekit. We link to the official Chrome Web Store listing — install and permissions are entirely between you and the extension's own publisher.