How To Change the Tab Color in Chrome

Google Chrome is a go-to browser for many people, and for good reason. It is easy to use, fast, secure, and most importantly, customizable. Users can adjust the browser’s appearance to get the look and feel they want. Apart from the ability to change themes and backgrounds, you can also adjust the color of the tabs to match your imagination.

This article will show you how to change the tab color in Chrome so you can finally have your tabs in the color you’ve always wanted. Continue reading to find out more.

How to Change Tab Color with a Chrome Extension

Many extensions claim they can help you change the color of your tabs, but getting the one that does the job is not easy. Some extensions have malware and have been reported by several users. A few options work, and our top recommendation is Color Tab. Here’s how to use Color Tab to change the color of your tabs in Chrome.

1. Open the Chrome browser and click the three dots in the top-right corner of the screen.
   
   
2. Go to “Settings” and scroll down to “Extensions.”
   
   
3. Click the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner of the screen.
   
   
4. From the left sidebar, select “Open Chrome Web Store.”
   
   
5. In the search bar, type in “Color tab” and select the first result.
   
   
6. Click the “Add to Chrome” button to finish.
   

With the color tab installed, the color of your tabs will change every time you hit the plus icon.

If you want to remove the extension, follow the steps below.

1. Open the browser and click the extension icon in the top bar.
   
2. Click the three dots for the “Color Tab” option and select the “Remove from Chrome” option.
   

Alternatively, you can disable it if you just want a break. Here’s how to go about the process.

1. Open the Chrome browser and press the extension icon in the screen’s top bar.
   
2. Select “Manage extensions.”
   
3. Locate the “Color Tab” widget and turn off the toggle switch.
   

How to Change Tab Color in Chrome Using a Theme

You can also use a theme to change the color of your tabs in Chrome. Here’s how.

1. Open Google Chrome and press the three dots in the window’s top-right corner.
   
2. From the menu, select “Settings.”
   
3. Navigate to “Appearance” and select “Themes.”
   
4. Select the theme with the color you want and click on “Add to Chrome.”
   
5. Wait for the download to finish for the changes to apply. If you don’t see any effect, try refreshing the page.
   
6. Your tabs should now have the color of the theme you’ve chosen instead of the default color.
   

To the theme or to change the tabs to another color, follow the steps below.

1. Open the Chrome browser and click the plus icon.
   
2. Click the pencil icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
   
3. Go to “Color and theme” and remove the theme or simply select another color.
   

Change Tab Color Based on URL

Since Google Chrome introduced tab groups, it’s easy to change the color of your tabs based on the URL. The feature is not only great for managing tabs but also for adding some color to them. Here’s how to change the color of tabs based on the URL using the tab groups feature.

1. Open Google Chrome and right-click the tab whose color you want to change.
   
2. From the options, select “Add tab to new group.”
   
3. Give the tab group a name and select its color from the provided options.
   
4. The URL you just selected should have a different color from other tabs.
   
5. You can also add other URLs to the tab group, and they should inherit the color you chose in step three above.
   

How to Change Tab Color in Chrome Without an Extension

It is easy to change the tab colors without an extension. Here’s how to go about it.

1. Open Google Chrome.
   
2. Click the plus icon to open a new tab.
   
3. Press the pencil icon at the bottom-right corner of the screen.
   
4. From the left sidebar, select “Color and theme.”
   
5. Select your preferred color palette and click on “Done.” If the color you want is not listed, click the widget that has a pencil icon and specify the color you want using the provided color picker.
   
6. The color of your tabs should now be changed to the one you’ve chosen above.
   

How to Change Google Chrome Tab Color on a Mobile Device

Unfortunately, the Google Chrome mobile app doesn’t provide many options in regard to appearance. You can only change the tab colors to white or black. Here’s how to do so.

1. Open the Google Chrome mobile app.
   
2. Click the three dots in the top-right corner of the screen.
   
3. Scroll down and select “Settings.”
   
4. Tap on “Theme” and select “dark” or “light.”
   
5. Your tabs should now be black or white, depending on the color you selected above.
   
6. You can also select the “System default” so the tabs automatically change to black when you turn on the battery saver.
   

FAQ

How do I change the background in Google Chrome?

Changing the background color or picture in Chrome is relatively straightforward. Here’s how to go about the process.

1. Open Google Chrome and click the pencil icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen.

2. From the options on the left sidebar, select “Change Theme.”

3. Select the picture you want to use as a background from the listed options. Alternatively, you can click on “Upload from device” to use a custom picture from the local storage.

Why can’t I see the tab groups in Google Chrome?

If you can’t see the tab groups feature, it’s likely because it is not enabled in your browser by default. Here’s how to enable the feature manually.

1. Open Google Chrome and type “chrome://flags” in the URL bar.

2. Search for “Tab groups” and hit “Enter.”

3. Expand the “Default” dropdown menu and select “Enabled.”

4. Scroll down and click the “Relaunch” button.

The tab groups feature should now be enabled on your browser.

Add Some Life to Your Chrome Tabs

Changing the tab color is an excellent way to add some life to your Chrome browser. The browser itself has settings that allow you to adjust the color of the tabs. You don’t need an extension to accomplish the task. But if you love the convenience of an extension, then Tab Color is an excellent option for changing the color of your Chrome tabs.

Whatever your preference is, we’re confident that you can now change tab colors in Google Chrome.

Have you tried changing the color of your Chrome tabs? Which of the methods mentioned in this article did you use? Please share with us in the comments section below.