Chrome Features
Master Chrome features hidden behind flags — Split View, vertical tabs, saved tab groups — and stop updates from silently resetting what you rely on.
5 articles
Chrome adds experimental features through flags at chrome://flags before graduating them to the main settings UI. Split View (side-by-side tabs), vertical tabs, and several AI features all went through this path. The problem with flags: Chrome updates can reset them to default, silently removing a feature you were relying on.
Chrome 146 graduated vertical tabs to the side panel without a flag. Chrome 145 added native Split View via the #side-by-side-browsing flag — two tabs displayed side by side in a single window, fixed at 50/50. The limitation is meaningful: no custom ratios, no more than two tabs, no persistence across sessions.
Tab groups (available since Chrome 80) are the most underused built-in organizational feature. Chrome 124 added saved tab groups, which let you collapse a project into a named group and restore it later without keeping all tabs active. This is not session restore — it is more like a bookmark folder that preserves tab layout. Combined with Memory Saver, it is a reasonable free alternative to workspace extensions for users who do not need full session persistence.
The flags page at chrome://flags is worth bookmarking. New experiments appear there weeks before they make it into blog posts or documentation. Useful ones in March 2026: #side-by-side-browsing (Split View), #enable-tab-audio-muting, and several WebGPU acceleration flags for users with compatible hardware.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chrome Split View and how do I enable it?
Chrome Split View shows two tabs side by side in a single window. As of March 2026 (Chrome 146), enable it at chrome://flags/#side-by-side-browsing — set to Enabled and relaunch. Once active, right-click any tab and select Split view. Limitations: fixed 50/50 split, two tabs maximum, no session persistence. It resets if Chrome updates reset your flags.
What are Chrome saved tab groups and how do they work?
Saved tab groups (Chrome 124+) let you right-click a tab group and save it. The group collapses to an icon in the tab bar and its tabs unload from memory. Clicking the icon reopens all tabs in the group. As of March 2026, saved tab groups persist across browser restarts — they are stored in your Chrome profile. They don't provide workspace isolation or session snapshots like extension alternatives.
How do I prevent Chrome from resetting my experimental flags after updates?
Chrome updates occasionally reset flags to their default values, especially between major version updates. As of March 2026, there is no built-in way to lock flag settings. The most reliable approach is to use features that have graduated from flags to settings (like Memory Saver and vertical tabs in Chrome 146), which persist across updates. For flags that still matter to you, note which ones you need and re-enable them after updates.
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