Something isn’t working
Alt + Q does nothing
- Open chrome://extensions/shortcuts and check that Tabatha has a shortcut. Another app or extension may have taken Alt + Q.
- Open chrome://extensions, find Tabatha, click Details, and check that Site access says “On all sites”.
- On a New Tab page or a chrome:// page only Chrome’s own shortcut works. Click the Tabatha icon in the toolbar to test.
- Work or school browsers can block extension shortcuts. Your administrator decides that.
No tab has a preview, not even the one I’m on
- Open Tabatha. If a yellow bar says Chrome is limiting its access, click “Allow on all sites”.
- Otherwise, check Site access in chrome://extensions as above.
- Some pages can never be captured: chrome:// pages, the Chrome Web Store, and the PDF viewer.
The switcher opens in a small window
- That happens on pages extensions can’t draw on (New Tab, Chrome settings, the Web Store). It works the same way.
Questions
Does Tabatha send my tabs or screenshots anywhere?
No. Previews, titles and addresses stay on your computer. The extension is blocked from making network requests at all.
Why does it need access to all sites? (Chrome says “Read and change all your data on all websites”)
Chrome words it that way for any extension that has access to every site. Tabatha needs that access for two things: taking a small screenshot of each tab for its preview, and drawing the switcher on top of the page. It does not read or change your pages, and it makes no network requests at all, so nothing leaves your computer. The code is public, so you can check: https://github.com/Vajrayu/tabatha
Chrome says “Proceed with caution” when I install it
Chrome shows “This extension is not trusted by Enhanced Safe Browsing” for extensions from newer developers, during their first months, and only to people who have Enhanced protection turned on. It is about how long the developer has been on the store, not about what the extension does. Tabatha makes no network requests and its code is public. “Continue to install” is safe.
Why does a tab say “No preview yet”?
Chrome only allows screenshots of the tab on screen, so a tab gets its preview the first time you look at it. Click “Capture all previews” in the switcher to fill in the rest.
Does it work on a Mac?
Yes. Alt is the Option key, and Cmd + Backspace closes a tab.
How do I change the shortcut?
Open chrome://extensions/shortcuts and set a new one for Tabatha.
What does “Sleeping” mean?
Chrome unloaded that tab to save memory. It reloads when you open it, and its last preview is shown faded.
How do I delete everything Tabatha saved?
Remove the extension. Chrome deletes all its data. Old previews and closed-tab entries also delete themselves after 7 days.
Is it free?
Yes. There is a Buy Me a Coffee button if you want to say thanks. Nothing is locked.
Not here? Tell me what happened.