Every major browser keeps a short list of recently closed tabs. If you close the wrong tab, you can usually bring it back with one keyboard shortcut, a tab bar menu, or the History menu instead of searching your history manually.
Does this affect you?
Use this for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari on Windows or Mac when you accidentally closed a tab or window and want it back quickly.
Use the keyboard shortcut
This is the fastest method and works across the major browsers.
- On Windows, press Ctrl+Shift+T.
- On Mac, press Cmd+Shift+T.
- The most recently closed tab opens again in its previous position.
- Press the shortcut again to step back through older closed tabs.
This shortcut is worth memorizing because it behaves almost the same in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari.
Right-click the tab bar or new tab area
Use this if you prefer clicking or want the browser menu wording.
- Right-click an empty area of the tab bar.
- Choose Reopen closed tab in Chrome or Edge, or Undo Close Tab in Firefox.
- Safari usually places this under the History menu instead.
Chrome and Edge may also show a Recently closed submenu with more than one tab.
Open the History menu
The History menu is best when the tab was not the very last one closed.
- In Chrome or Edge, open the three-dot menu, hover over History, and choose from Recently closed.
- In Firefox, open the menu, choose History, then Recently closed tabs.
- In Safari, choose History from the Mac menu bar and open Recently Closed.
- Click the tab or window you want to restore.
More control
Restore a whole window
Recently closed lists can include entire windows, often labeled by a number of tabs. Choose that item when you closed a window instead of one tab.
Session restore can help after quitting
Chrome, Edge, and Firefox can often reopen a recently closed window or previous session from History after restarting, unless browsing history was cleared.
Safari keeps a shorter list
Safari on Mac typically keeps a limited number of recently closed tabs and windows. Reopen important tabs sooner rather than later.
Sources
- Google Chrome Help – Undo close tab or window in Chrome (2025)
- Mozilla Support – How to undo closing tabs and windows in Firefox (2025)
- Apple Support – Reopen a recently closed tab in Safari on Mac (2025)