Move Chrome Tabs Back to the Top or Into a Vertical Sidebar

By ON Lab · Sources checked November 6, 2026

To put Chrome’s tabs across the top, right-click the tab strip and choose Show Tabs Horizontally. To move them to the side, choose Show Tabs Vertically. Google also documents Settings → Appearance → Tab position, where you can select Vertical or Horizontal.

Choose a layout for the task

Vertical tabs are a layout option, not a separate collection of saved pages. Google’s April 2026 announcement describes moving tabs to the side to make page titles and groups easier to read. A preference for the top strip is also a valid reason to choose the horizontal setting.

This choice differs from closing a tab, ungrouping pages, or deleting a saved group. You do not need to choose a deletion action merely to change where tabs appear.

Check the result with pages you recognize

Our suggested acceptance check is to identify two open pages before changing the layout. Afterward, find both pages by title and switch between them. Confirm whether the strip is at the top or the side, as intended.

For example, if you are comparing a product page and its manual, verify those two tabs rather than treating the appearance of a sidebar as the whole check. If the titles are readable but you prefer the old position, use the documented horizontal choice to return.

Keep a missing-control problem separate

If neither documented control appears, record the visible menu and browser version before seeking guidance for that situation. This article does not establish why a setting is missing in your installation, and it does not prescribe an experimental flag, extension or profile reset as a substitute.

Changing the tab layout also does not establish that a previously closed or lost page has been restored. If a particular page is missing, record that separately from your preferred strip position.

Scope: current desktop Chrome’s documented horizontal and vertical layout controls. No repair of tab loss, forced profile preferences or missing feature availability is claimed.