Google Plans to Remove Chrome’s Tab Scrolling Feature

Google has decided to deprecate the “Tab Scrolling” feature in its Chrome browser, marking the end of a tool that many users relied on to manage large numbers of open tabs.

This feature, previously accessible through a Chrome flag, allowed users to scroll horizontally through their open tabs, preventing them from being compressed into an unreadable strip.

The move to sunset this feature has sparked discussion among Chrome’s user base, especially those who frequently juggle dozens of tabs at once.

Feature Pulled from Chrome Labs

The “Tab Scrolling” feature was quietly removed from Chrome Labs about a month ago. According to recent code commits, Google is in the process of fully phasing out this functionality.

The flag that enabled tab scrolling—previously found at chrome://flags/#scrollable-tabstrip—is also slated for removal in upcoming Chrome versions.

A Brief History of Tab Scrolling

Introduced as an experimental feature, tab scrolling was designed to address a common pain point: as users opened more tabs, the tab strip would shrink each tab’s width, eventually displaying only the favicon or, in extreme cases, hiding tabs entirely.

Tab scrolling allowed users to navigate through their tabs using the mouse wheel or dedicated scroll buttons, keeping tab titles legible and improving navigation.

The feature was especially popular among power users and those who preferred not to rely on third-party extensions for tab management.

Over time, Google experimented with improvements, including repositioning the scroll buttons and enhancing drag-and-drop behavior, such as auto-scrolling when dragging a tab to the edge of the strip.

Why Is Google Removing It?

While Google has not provided a detailed public explanation, the decision appears to be part of a broader effort to streamline Chrome’s interface and reduce the number of experimental features.

The removal comes despite ongoing tweaks and user feedback, suggesting that the company may be shifting focus to alternative tab management solutions or preparing for a new approach to handling large numbers of tabs.

According to the report, With the deprecation of the tab scrolling feature, users will lose the ability to scroll through tabs and will once again face the challenge of shrinking tab widths as more tabs are opened.

Those who relied on this feature may need to explore third-party tab management extensions or adjust their browsing habits accordingly.

As the flag is removed in upcoming updates, users are advised to keep an eye on Chrome’s release notes and consider alternative workflows for managing numerous tabs.

For now, Chrome users have a limited window to use tab scrolling before it disappears entirely from future versions.

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