How to Sync and View Tabs Across Chrome, Edge & Firefox
How to Sync and View Your Tabs Across Different Browsers and Computers
Install VertiTab on each computer -- whether it runs Chrome, Edge, or Firefox -- and log into the same account. All your open tabs, windows, and tab groups sync to the cloud automatically. On the other machine, you can browse the full tab list and restore what you need -- individually, by window, or all at once.
Unlike Chrome's built-in sync (which only works within Chrome), VertiTab works across different browsers. You can sync tabs from Chrome at work to Edge at home, or from Edge on your laptop to Firefox on your desktop.
This is useful when you:
- Leave work but want to view and pick up the same tabs at home
- Use different browsers on different machines and need tabs to follow you
- Want to check a specific page that's open on another computer
- Reinstall your browser and want your entire browsing state back
Download VertiTab from the Chrome Web Store
How to View Your Work Tabs at Home
When you shut down your work computer, VertiTab syncs your tabs to the cloud. At home, you open Chrome and get a notification showing all the tabs from your work machine -- grouped by window, with full titles and URLs visible. From there you can:
- Browse the list -- see exactly which tabs you had open at work without restoring any
- Restore selectively -- pick only the windows or tabs you need right now
- Restore everything -- one click to reopen all tabs
- Save for later -- the synced tabs stay saved as a snapshot
No emailing links to yourself, no re-searching for pages you already found.
How to View Tabs from Multiple Computers Without Conflicts
Each computer syncs independently. You can view what's open on any of your machines without affecting what's currently on your screen.
If you have 50 tabs on your desktop and 5 on your laptop, the desktop shows you the laptop's 5 tabs as a browsable snapshot -- it doesn't auto-open them or replace anything. You decide what to restore and when.
No overwriting, no auto-opening, no interference.
How to Access Your Tabs Safely on a Shared Computer
Set the sync mode to Download Only on shared or public computers. This lets you pull tabs from the cloud without uploading anything from the shared machine.
Before restoring, you can preview every tab and skip sensitive ones (banking, email, social media). When you leave, close the browser -- nothing from the shared computer goes to the cloud.
How to Recover Tabs After Reinstalling Chrome
Cloud sync doubles as a backup. After a system reinstall or browser reset:
- Reinstall Chrome and VertiTab
- Log into the same account
- Your settings, snapshots, and tab data download automatically
Even with just one computer, cloud sync protects against OS crashes, browser resets, and accidental extension removal.
How to Set Up Tab Sync Step by Step
1. Log In
Cloud sync requires a VertiTab account. Sign in on each computer.
2. Name Your Device
Give each computer a recognizable name -- "Work Desktop," "Home Laptop" -- so you know where synced tabs came from.
3. Choose a Sync Mode
| Mode | What It Does | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Keep Synced | Upload and download | Daily-use computers (recommended) |
| Upload Only | Send tabs to cloud, don't receive | Primary machine as data source |
| Download Only | Receive tabs, don't send | Shared or public computers |
| Disabled | No sync | Machines that don't need sync |
4. Choose What to Sync
| Data Type | What's Included |
|---|---|
| Extension Settings | Theme, appearance, preferences |
| Site Configs | Per-site rules and settings |
| Quick Access | Saved frequently used links |
| Recently Closed Tabs | Close history |
| Windows and Tabs | All currently open tabs |
| Tab Snapshots | Manual and synced snapshots |
How Does VertiTab Encrypt Synced Data?
All data is encrypted locally with AES-GCM before leaving your computer. The encryption key never leaves your device -- the server stores only encrypted data it cannot read.
For additional security, you can set a custom encryption password in sync settings. This password cannot be recovered, and all devices must use the same password. Without a custom password, the system uses default encryption which is equally secure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if sync isn't working?
Check that you're logged in, sync mode isn't set to "Disabled," sync is enabled for the data types you need, and your network is working. Try the "Sync Now" button.
Where do synced tabs appear?
They don't auto-open. Synced tabs are saved as snapshots on the Snapshots page. Filter by "Synced Snapshots" to find them.
Will syncing overwrite my current tabs?
No. Each device creates independent snapshots. Nothing opens automatically and nothing gets overwritten.
How is this different from Chrome's built-in sync?
Chrome syncs bookmarks, history, and passwords -- but not open tabs, tab groups, or window layout. More importantly, Chrome's sync only works between Chrome browsers. VertiTab syncs all of that across Chrome, Edge, and Firefox, plus extension settings and bookmark cloud sync.
Is tab sync free?
Cloud sync is a Premium feature. See the Free vs Premium comparison for details.
Can I sync bookmarks too?
Yes. VertiTab offers bookmark cloud sync with conflict-free CRDT architecture, separate from tab sync.
Related reading:
- How to Recover Closed Chrome Tabs from Snapshots
- How to Sync Chrome Bookmarks Across Browsers
- VertiTab Free vs Premium Comparison
- Best Session Buddy Alternative