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SuperchargeNavigation · Free

Tab Deduplication — No More Duplicate Tabs

A duplicate tab detector catches pages you already have open: navigate to one and you're prompted to switch to the existing tab instead.

Updated

Tab deduplication catches the most wasteful browser habit: opening a page you already have in another tab. When you navigate to a URL that matches an existing open tab, SuperchargeNavigation surfaces a prompt asking whether you want to switch to that tab instead. One click and you’re there — no duplicate, no extra memory cost, no hunting through the tab bar.

How It Works

When a navigation matches an existing tab’s URL, SuperchargeNavigation surfaces a notice. The notice presents two options: switch to the existing tab, or stay on the current page. If you don’t interact, the notice auto-dismisses after 10 seconds and the page loads normally. In the default notice mode the decision is always yours.

The duplicate check compares the navigating URL against all currently open tab URLs. This happens entirely within Chrome, with no network request and no external lookup.

Settings

OptionDefaultDescription
Tab DeduplicationOnEnable or disable duplicate detection and notice
Automatic duplicate resolutionOffWhen on, a fresh duplicate tab (under 6,000 ms old) that matches a tab in the same window is switched and closed automatically

When to Use This

Heavy link-clickers: You follow many links from emails, Slack, and other apps throughout the day. Tab Deduplication catches the cases where you’ve already opened that link in a previous session and forgotten about it.

Research with many sources: When revisiting a site you already have open, the prompt saves you from accumulating two or three copies of the same page across a long research session.

Memory management: Every duplicate tab consumes RAM. Over a full workday, catching even a handful of duplicates keeps your tab count lower and your browser lighter. Pair this with Smart Tab Grouping to keep your existing tabs organized so duplicates are less likely in the first place.

After restoring a workspace: When you restore a Workspace and already have some of those tabs open, Tab Deduplication helps prevent overlap from growing out of control.

Relationship to Other Features

Tab Deduplication is the preventive layer. Vertical Tabs makes existing tabs visible enough that you’re less likely to open a duplicate in the first place.

Privacy

Tab Deduplication reads the URLs of open tabs to perform the duplicate check. No URLs are stored beyond the in-memory check, and no data is sent to any external server. SuperchargeNavigation needs no SuperchargeBrowser account.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens when I try to open a page that's already open?
A notice appears asking whether you want to switch to the existing tab or continue opening the page in the current tab. In the default notice mode you choose.
Does it work for links from other apps, not just within Chrome?
Yes. Tab Deduplication intercepts navigation regardless of the source — clicking a link in an email, opening a URL from another app, or navigating within the browser all trigger the duplicate check.
Can I turn Tab Deduplication off?
Yes. It is enabled by default but can be toggled off in the extension settings if you prefer Chrome's default behavior of opening pages freely.
Does this close the duplicate automatically?
In default notice mode, no: a notice appears so you can choose, and if you ignore it, it auto-dismisses after 10 seconds. With the optional automatic mode (off by default), a fresh tab younger than 6,000 milliseconds that duplicates an already-open tab in the same window is closed automatically. If you choose to switch to the existing tab, the duplicate is closed.
How does the extension detect an existing tab?
SuperchargeNavigation checks the navigating tab's URL against the URLs of all currently open tabs. The check is done locally within the browser.

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