How to Reopen Closed Tabs in Any Browser Without Extensions

Ever accidentally closed a tab and wished there was an undo button? Good news: you can restore closed tabs instantly using just a keyboard shortcut—no extensions or third-party tools needed.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to reopen closed tabs on Chrome, Safari, and Firefox, whether you're on Mac or Windows.

🎥 Watch the Video

🔁 The Magic Shortcut

On Mac:

Reopen last closed tab: Shift + Command + T
Open new tab: Command + T
Close current tab: Command + W
Show full history (Chrome): Command + Y

On Windows:

Reopen last closed tab: Ctrl + Shift + T
Open new tab: Ctrl + T
Close current tab: Ctrl + W
Show full history (Chrome): Ctrl + H

🧪 Demo Walkthrough

Step-by-step (on Mac):

Open a few tabs: Press Command + T, then search something (e.g., "A", "B", "C", etc.).
Close them: Use Command + W to close individual tabs.
Oops! Closed too many?
Hold Shift + Command + T to reopen tabs in reverse order—last closed tab opens first.

For example: If you closed tabs C, then B, then D — they will reopen in order D → B → C.
Repeat: You can keep pressing the shortcut to reopen more closed tabs, all the way back through your session history.

🧭 Browsers Covered

✅ Chrome

Works reliably.
Reopens tabs even if history is empty.
Use Command + Y to view full history.

✅ Safari

Same hotkeys apply.
Closing with Command + W and reopening with Shift + Command + T works as expected.

✅ Firefox

Same hotkeys also work here!
Bonus: Firefox has a “Recently Closed Tabs” section under History, where you can reopen individual tabs or all at once.

🤓 Pro Tips

Undo tab close instantly: If you just closed a tab by accident, don’t reach for your mouse—use the shortcut immediately.
Understand tab memory: This reopening trick works because browsers store recently closed tabs in local memory, not in the cloud or with extensions.
Hotkey behavior: Often, adding Shift to a shortcut does the opposite (e.g., open vs. reopen a tab).

🧠 TL;DR

Task	Mac Shortcut	Windows Shortcut
Reopen last closed tab	`Shift + Command + T`	`Ctrl + Shift + T`
Open new tab	`Command + T`	`Ctrl + T`
Close current tab	`Command + W`	`Ctrl + W`
Show history (Chrome)	`Command + Y`	`Ctrl + H`

Now you know how to restore tabs in seconds—no installs, no headaches. Just Shift + Command + T, and you’re back.

Happy browsing! 🧑‍💻

devinschumacher/how-to-reopen-closed-browser-tabs.md