Using Tabox

Welcome to Tabox!

This guide will help you make the most of Tabox's features for managing and organizing your browser tabs.

Adding Collections

Collections are snapshots of your open tabs that you can save and reopen later.

How to Add a Collection

Enter a name in the search/add input box at the top
Click the "Add Collection" button (or press Enter)
Your current window's tabs will be saved as a collection

Window Selection Options

When you have multiple browser windows open, you'll see two toggle buttons:

Desktop Icon: Save only the current window as a collection
Collection Icon: Save all windows as a folder containing multiple collections

Note: The folder option is only available when you have 2 or more Chrome windows open.

What Gets Saved

All tabs in the current window (or selected windows)
Tab groups with their names and colors
Tab titles and URLs
The order of your tabs

Settings for Adding Collections

Include/Exclude Pinned Tabs: Choose whether to save pinned tabs in your collections

Adding Folders

Folders help you organize multiple collections together, especially useful when working with multiple browser windows.

How to Add a Folder

Option 1: Multi-Window Save

1. Open multiple Chrome windows with different tab sets

2. Enter a name in the input box

3. Switch to "Collection Icon" mode (shows when 2+ windows are open)

4. Click "Add Folder"

5. Each window becomes a collection within the folder

Option 2: Create Empty Folder

1. Click the "Create Folder" button (folder icon) in the toolbar

2. Enter a folder name

3. Choose a color for the folder

4. Click "Create"

5. Drag existing collections into the folder

Folder Features

Expand/collapse folders to hide or show collections
Drag and drop collections into and out of folders
Reorder collections within folders
Color-code folders for easy identification
Export entire folders with all collections

Opening Collections

Basic Opening

Click the Play button (▶) next to any collection to open all its tabs.

Opening Options

New Window vs Current Window

Toggle the "Open in new window" option in the toolbar
When enabled: Opens collections in a separate window
When disabled: Opens collections in the current window

Duplicate Tab Handling

Configure in Settings → "When opening collections"
Choose whether to skip or open tabs that already exist

Smart Tab Loading

Enable in Settings to improve performance
Delays loading of non-essential tabs until you switch to them
Media, auth, and development sites load immediately

Auto-Update Mode

When a collection is opened with Auto-Update enabled:

The Play button changes to a Focus button (⊙)
Click to switch to the collection's window
The collection automatically updates as you add/remove tabs

Managing Collections

Editing a Collection

Click on a collection to expand it
Edit the name: Click the name field to rename
Change color: Click the color circle to pick a new color
View/Edit tabs: See all tabs and groups in the expanded view
Remove tabs: Click the X button next to any tab to remove it

Collection Menu Options

Click the three-dot menu (⋮) on any collection to access:

Update Collection: Replace with current window's tabs
Duplicate: Create a copy of the collection
Export: Download as a text file
Delete: Remove the collection (with confirmation)
Stop Tracking: Disable auto-update for this collection (if active)

Updating Collections

Manual Update

1. Open the collection's menu (⋮)

2. Select "Update"

3. Current window tabs replace the collection contents

Auto-Update

Enable "Auto update collections" in Settings
Opens collection with automatic tracking
Changes in the window update the collection in real-time
Stop tracking via the collection menu or by closing the window

Organizing Collections

Drag and Drop

Reorder Collections - Drag the handle (⋮⋮) on the left side of any collection - Drop it in a new position within the Collections section

Move to Folders - Drag a collection over a folder - Drop it to move the collection into that folder

Move Out of Folders - Drag a collection from inside a folder - Drop it in the Collections section to move it to the root level

Reorder Folders - Drag folders by their handles - Reorder them within the Folders section

Move Between Folders - Drag a collection from one folder - Drop it onto another folder to move it

Collapsible Sections

Folders Section: Click the section header to collapse/expand all folders
Collections Section: Click to collapse/expand the collections list
Individual folders can be collapsed independently

View Modes

Tabox offers two viewing modes for your collections:

List View (Default)

Compact rows showing collection name, tab count, and timestamp
Click on a collection to expand and see all tabs
Easy to scan through many collections
Better for detailed information

Grid View

Card-based layout with visual tiles
Shows collection color prominently
Better for visual organization
Quick access to open and menu options

Switching Views

Click the view mode icon in the toolbar:

List icon: Switch to List View
Grid icon: Switch to Grid View

Your preference is saved and persists between sessions.

Sorting & Filtering

Sorting Collections

Use the sort dropdown in the toolbar to organize by:

Sort By Date (Default) - Most recently updated collections appear first - Great for finding what you worked on recently

Sort By Name - Alphabetical order (A-Z or Z-A) - Find collections by name quickly

Sort By Color - Groups collections by their color - Useful for color-coded organization systems

Sort Direction - Click the arrow icon to toggle ascending/descending order

Filtering Collections

Click the filter icon to access:

Recently Opened Filter

Shows only collections opened in the last 3 hours
Indicated by a dot next to the collection name

Color Filter

Filter by specific color
Only shows collections matching the selected color

Type in the search box to filter by:
Collection names
Tab titles
Tab URLs

Active Filters

Filter icon shows blue when filters are active
Empty folders are hidden when filters are applied
Clear filters to see all collections

Import & Export

Exporting Collections

Export Single Collection

1. Open the collection menu (⋮)

2. Select "Export"

3. A .txt file downloads with the collection data

Export All Data

1. Open Settings (gear icon)

2. Go to "Backup & Restore" section

3. Click "Export all collections & folders"

4. Downloads a complete backup of all your data

Importing Collections

Import a File

1. Click the "Import file" button in the toolbar

2. Select a .txt file containing:

A single collection
Multiple collections
A folder with collections
A full Tabox export

3. The data is imported and added to your collections

Import Features

Automatically detects the import format
Prevents name conflicts by adding numbers (e.g., "Work Tabs (1)")
Preserves folder structure for full exports
New collections are highlighted after import

Sharing Use Cases

Share project tabs with teammates
Backup important collections locally
Transfer collections between browsers/devices
Distribute curated link collections

Google Drive Sync

Keep your collections synchronized across all your devices using Google Drive.

Enabling Sync

Click on the user avatar in the top-left corner
Sign in with your Google account
Grant Tabox permission to access Google Drive
Your collections will automatically sync

How Sync Works

Automatic syncing when you add, edit, or delete collections
Conflict resolution prefers the most recent version
Cloud storage in your Google Drive's app data folder
Sync status shown in the footer with last sync time

Sync Features

Real-time sync across all devices
Backup and recovery through Google Drive
Sync debug tools available in Settings
Offline support with local storage

Disabling Sync

Click on the user avatar
Click to disable sync
Your local data remains intact
Collections stop syncing to the cloud

Sync Debug & Recovery

Access advanced sync tools in Settings → Backup & Restore:

View sync history
Force sync from cloud
Recover from backup
Resolve sync conflicts

Auto-Update Feature

Auto-update keeps collections synchronized with their browser windows in real-time.

How Auto-Update Works

Enable "Auto update collections" in Settings
Open a collection (it becomes "active")
The collection tracks changes to its window:
- New tabs added → Added to collection
- Tabs closed → Removed from collection
- Tabs reordered → Order updated
- Groups changed → Groups updated

Active Collection Indicators

Blue border around active collections
Focus button (⊙) instead of Play button
Auto-tracking badge in the collection

Auto-Update Settings

Enable Auto Update

Master switch for the feature - Found in Settings → "Auto update collections"

Auto Update New Collections

- Automatically start tracking newly created collections

- Links new collections to the current window

Manual Update Linking

- When you click "Update" on a collection - Choose whether it should become active

Stopping Auto-Update

Option 1: Stop Tracking

1. Open the collection menu (⋮)

2. Select "Stop Tracking"

Option 2: Close the Window

- Closing the tracked window automatically stops tracking

Option 3: Disable Feature

- Turn off "Auto update collections" in Settings

- Stops tracking for all collections

Use Cases

Keep project tabs updated as you work
Maintain "daily workspace" collections automatically
Track research as you discover new sources

Keyboard Shortcuts

Tabox supports keyboard shortcuts for quick access to your collections.

Available Shortcuts

Ctrl+Shift+1 (Cmd+Shift+1 on Mac): Open first collection
Ctrl+Shift+2 (Cmd+Shift+2 on Mac): Open second collection
Ctrl+Shift+3 (Cmd+Shift+3 on Mac): Open third collection
Ctrl+Shift+4 (Cmd+Shift+4 on Mac): Open fourth collection

Customizing Shortcuts

Go to chrome://extensions/shortcuts in your browser
Find Tabox in the list
Click the pencil icon to edit shortcuts
Set your preferred key combinations

Tips

Assign shortcuts to your most-used collections
Use with pinned collections for fastest access
Shortcuts work even when Tabox popup is closed

Settings

Access settings by clicking the gear icon in the top-right corner.

General Settings

Dark Mode

Toggle between light and dark themes
Adapts to your system preference by default
Persists across sessions

Tab Counter Badge

Show/hide a badge on the extension icon
Displays the number of tabs in your current window
Useful for tab management awareness

When Adding a Collection

Pinned Tabs - Choose to include or exclude pinned tabs - Default: Include pinned tabs

When Opening Collections

Duplicate Tab Handling

"Do not open": Skips tabs already open in the browser
"Open anyway": Opens duplicates regardless
Checks by exact URL match

Smart Tab Loading

Improves performance with large collections
Delays loading of background tabs
Automatically loads important sites (media, auth, dev tools)
Tabs load instantly when you switch to them

When Editing Collections

Duplicate Tab Detection

Choose whether to prevent duplicate tabs within a collection
"Do not add": Prevents adding existing tabs
"Add anyway": Allows duplicate URLs

Duplicate Group Handling

"Append tabs": Merges with existing groups of same name/color
"Add as new group": Creates separate groups even with same name

Auto Update Collections

Enable Auto Update

Master toggle for automatic collection tracking
When enabled, collections stay in sync with their windows

Auto Update New Collections

Automatically track new collections when created
Links collection to the current window

Manual Update Linking

Control whether clicking "Update" activates tracking
Useful for explicit control over active collections

Backup & Restore

Export All Data

Download complete backup of collections and folders
Includes all metadata and folder structure
Useful for migration or archival

Sync Debug & Recovery (when logged in)

View sync logs and history
Force sync from cloud
Recover from previous backups
Resolve sync conflicts

Privacy & Security

Privacy is a core principle of Tabox.

We believe your browsing data should remain yours and yours alone.

Your Data Stays Private

Local Storage First

All your collections are stored locally on your device
No data is sent to Tabox servers
You maintain complete control over your information

Your Google Drive, Your Data

When you enable sync, data goes directly to YOUR Google Drive
Uses your personal Google Drive's App Data folder
Tabox has zero access to your stored collections
Only you can access your synced data

No Tracking, No Analytics

We don't track your browsing habits
No collection of personal information
No third-party analytics or tracking scripts
Extension operates entirely offline (except for optional sync)

What Permissions Are Used For

Tabox requires certain browser permissions to function:

Tabs: To read and save your open tabs
Tab Groups: To preserve tab group information
Storage: To save collections locally on your device
Identity (optional): Only when you enable Google Drive sync
Google Drive API (optional): Only to access your own App Data folder

Data Security

Encryption

Data synced to Google Drive uses Google's encryption
Communication with Google APIs uses secure HTTPS
No data passes through Tabox servers

Open Source

Tabox code is publicly available on GitHub
You can verify exactly what the extension does
Community audited for security and privacy

Your Privacy Rights

You have complete control over your data:

Export: Download all your collections anytime
Delete: Remove collections locally and from sync
Disable Sync: Stop syncing while keeping local data
Uninstall: All local data is removed with the extension

For more information, visit our Privacy Policy.

Tips & Best Practices

Organization Strategies

Use Colors: Color-code by project, category, or priority
Create Folders: Group related collections (e.g., "Work Projects", "Research Topics")
Naming Conventions: Use clear, descriptive names
Regular Cleanup: Delete or archive old collections

Performance Tips

Enable Smart Tab Loading: Improves opening large collections
Use Folders: Collapse folders when not needed
Export Old Collections: Archive collections you rarely use
Regular Exports: Back up important collections locally

Workflow Suggestions

Daily Work

Create a "Daily Workspace" collection with auto-update
Use keyboard shortcuts for frequent collections

Research Projects

Create a folder per project
Use color coding for different phases
Export collections when sharing with colleagues

Tab Management

Save current tabs before closing the browser
Use "Recently Opened" filter to find recent work
Create collections before major context switches

Troubleshooting

Collections Not Syncing

Check your internet connection
Verify you're logged in (check the avatar)
Use Sync Debug in Settings to view logs
Try force sync from the debug panel

Missing Collections

Check if filters are active (click filter icon)
Look in the Folders section
Try searching by name
Check Sync Debug for recovery options

Performance Issues

Enable Smart Tab Loading
Collapse unused folders
Reduce number of open collections
Export and remove old collections

Import Errors

Ensure file is a .txt file
Verify file contains valid JSON
Try importing a single collection first
Check browser console for detailed errors

Getting Help

GitHub Issues: Report bugs or request features
X: @Taboxapp
Facebook: /taboxext
Chrome Web Store: Leave reviews and questions

Version Information

This guide is for Tabox version 4.0.

For updates and release notes, visit the Tabox GitHub repository.