How To Disable Switch To Tab Suggestions In Chrome
Chrome 69 came with quite a few changes. It’s rare for a single new version of the browser to have this many changes. Normally, Google spaces them out. In Chrome 69, the UI is different and you will notice that the Omnibar now offers you a ‘Switch to tab’ option when you search or enter a domain that you already have open in a different tab. You still have the option to open the domain in the current tab but if you find this new addition unnecessary, you can disable Switch to tab suggestions in Chrome.
Disable Switch To Tab
To disable switch to tab suggestions in Chrome, open a new tab and paste the following in the Omnibar.
chrome://flags/#omnibox-tab-switch-suggestions
This should automatically take you to the Omnibox tab switch suggestions flag. Open the dropdown next to it and select the Disabled option. Relaunch Chrome and the Switch to tab suggestions ought to be gone.
This feature is meant to help you manage tabs, and open fewer ones if possible. Often, you might open a domain in a tab, and try and open it again in another one after a while. This happens most often when you have too many tabs open across multiple windows and you’re trying to access a domain that you use often.
The Switch to tab feature has existed in the form of third-party extensions for a long time. Users have found it to be useful so it makes sense for Chrome to add it. You aren’t forced to switch to the tab. If you click anywhere other than the Switch to tab button, you can still open the webpage in the current tab.
This feature works with domains and not specific URLs. If you, for example, have Reddit open in a tab, and you attempt to open it again in a different window, you won’t get the Switch to tab option. If however, you’re trying to access a subreddit in a different window when you already have it open in another, the Switch to tab option will show up. Perhaps it’s a bug, or perhaps Google meant for it to work this way. Either way, if you find it useful, you can continue to use it. If you think it’s unnecessary and you don’t want the Omnibar to change how it works, you can disable Switch to tab suggestions and not be bothered with it. Let’s hope Chrome doesn’t retire this flag.
