Latest Chrome Beta adopts tab reordering via keyboard shortcuts

One of the best things about running a browser based on open-source code is the speed at which new features and improvements are introduced. Chrome is that kind of browser, with a slew of features constantly being tested in the Canary channel, where the brave and adventurous get to try out what’s in development before everyone else.

One such feature that has been in development and testing in the Canary channel for some time now is the ability to reorder tabs in a browser window by just using keyboard shortcuts. Sure, you could use a mouse, but nothing beats using a good old keyboard shortcut to get things done quicker. Originally posted by Redditor u/Leopeva64-2, the feature was first documented via a commit and was described as follows:

Add tab-reordering shortcuts to Windows

At first, Chrome Linux/Lacros had shortcuts to reorder tabs left/right (control + shift + page up/down). Then the Mac just got them, so add them to Windows.

The question about adding them to ChromeOS in general, even though Lacros has them, is complicated, so punt. The ChromeOS folks are pursuing this question separately.

Commit in Chromium Gerrit

Reading this commit, we can tell three things right away about this feature: It was originally available on Linux, then macOS and Windows adopted the feature next in that order, and it is not yet available on ChromeOS. According to a report by Android Police, the feature is only available on Desktop Chrome using the shortcuts Ctrl + Shift + Page up/down and in Chrome version 102, which is available via the Beta channel.

It’s a bit disappointing that ChromeOS doesn’t have this feature available yet, as I think this could be very helpful. If you are someone who uses a lot of tabs, it makes sense that you would move them around throughout the day as you tackle them. However, it sounds like implementing that is not as easy as it sounds. Those of us using ChromeOS will wait patiently to see what happens, but for those using Windows or macOS, the wait shouldn’t be too long to see this hit the Stable channel.

Featured Photo by Rubaitul Azad on Unsplash