Closing a tab by mistake in Google Chrome is common, especially when you are working with multiple pages at the same time. The good news is that Chrome includes a few simple ways to bring back recently closed tabs, reopen windows you closed by accident, and find pages you were using just moments before.
In this guide, I’ll show you how to reopen closed tabs in Chrome on desktop and mobile, how to restore a closed window or session, and what to try if the tab does not come back right away.
Quick Answer
- Windows and Linux: Press Ctrl + Shift + T to reopen the last tab you closed. Press it again to restore more tabs.
- Mac: Press ⌘ + Shift + T to reopen the last tab you closed. Press it again to restore more tabs.
- Desktop alternative: Open History to find recently visited pages or tabs from your other signed-in devices.
- Mobile: Check Recent tabs, tabs from other devices, or inactive tabs. On iPhone and iPad, Chrome may also show an Undo option in some cases.
How to Reopen the Last Closed Tab in Chrome
On a computer, the fastest way to reopen a closed tab in Chrome is to use the keyboard shortcut.
- Windows and Linux: press Ctrl + Shift + T
- Mac: press ⌘ + Shift + T
Chrome reopens previously closed tabs in the order they were closed, so you can press the shortcut more than once if you want to bring back several tabs.
This is usually the best method if you closed a tab by mistake and want to reopen it right away.
How to Reopen Closed Tabs from Chrome History
If the shortcut does not bring back the tab you need, the next step is to check your browsing history.
On desktop, open History in Chrome and look for the page you want to reopen. You can also use the built-in shortcut Ctrl + H in Windows and Linux, or ⌘ + Y on a Mac.
In the history window, look for the tab you need and click on it to open.
This method is especially useful when you closed the tab a while ago, you already reopened other tabs, or Chrome restarted before you tried to recover it.
How to Restore Closed Windows or the Last Session in Chrome
If you accidentally close an entire Chrome window, you may be able to restore that recent session along with all its tabs from the History menu.
To do it:
- Open a new Chrome window.
- Click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
- Go to History.
- Look for the recently closed window or session you want to restore.
- Click on Restore window to the right to reopen the full window with its tabs.
This is especially useful when you closed a whole Chrome window instead of just one tab.
If your tabs were open on another signed-in device, Chrome also lets you find them under History > Tabs from other devices on desktop. This is helpful if you were browsing on a laptop, phone, or another computer and want to reopen those tabs on your current device.
How to Reopen Closed Tabs in Chrome on Mobile
Recovering closed tabs on mobile is a little different from desktop. Chrome on phones and tablets does not use the same keyboard shortcuts, so the best recovery method depends on your device and how recently the tab was closed.
On Android. If you need to recover a tab in Chrome for Android, start by checking:
- Recent tabs
- tabs from other devices
- Inactive tabs, in case Chrome moved the tab there instead of removing it completely
On iPhone or iPad. On iPhone and iPad, Chrome can help you recover recently closed tabs in a few different ways:
- check Recent Tabs
- look for tabs from your other signed-in devices
- use Undo if Chrome shows it right after the tab was closed
When mobile recovery is limited? On mobile, recovery is usually easier when: the tab was closed recently, you are signed in to the same Google Account across devices, and Chrome has not cleared the tab from recent activity yet.
What to Do If Chrome Does Not Restore Closed Tabs
If Chrome does not reopen the tab you want, try these steps:
- Press the shortcut again
If you closed several tabs, Chrome may restore them one by one in reverse order. - Check History
Open Chrome History and search for the page manually. This often works even if the tab no longer appears as recently closed. - Check tabs from other devices
If you were signed in on another device, Chrome may still show the page under Tabs from other devices. - Check inactive tabs on mobile
On Android and iPhone or iPad, some tabs may be moved to inactive tabs instead of disappearing completely. - Act quickly
The sooner you try to recover the tab, the better your chances, especially on mobile where recent-tab recovery is more limited.
If Chrome is your main browser, you may also want to check our guide on how to change the default browser in Windows 10 and 11.
Frequently Asked Questions
On Windows and Linux, use Ctrl + Shift + T. On Mac, use ⌘ + Shift + T.
Yes. Press the same shortcut again to reopen more tabs in the order they were closed.
Sometimes, yes. The first thing to try is the same shortcut. If that does not help, check History and Tabs from other devices if sync is enabled.
On mobile, check Recent tabs, tabs from other devices, and inactive tabs. On iPhone and iPad, Chrome may also show Undo in some cases right after a tab is closed.
The tab may no longer appear in the recently closed list, Chrome may have restarted, or the page may now only be available through History or Tabs from other devices. On mobile, recovery options are usually more limited than on desktop.
