When viewing information on the Internet through Google Chrome, a situation may arise that for some reason the browser urgently shuts down. There seems to be nothing wrong with this, since usually when you restart the browser it offers to restore closed tabs.
But what should you do if, after clicking the “Restore” button, nothing happens or suddenly the dialog box with this button does not appear at all. How, in this case, can you restore your browsing history in Chrome?
Recent tabs and browsing history
The first thing you should do is go to the browser system menu by clicking on the button with three dots in the upper right corner of the current window. In the list of options that appears, select "Story", after which a list of closed tabs will open on the left. There should be a line in the format “N tabs”, which will indicate the number of open tabs at the time Google Chrome stopped working. Click on this line and the browser will restore all the tabs of the last session, even if it was interrupted in emergency mode.
An alternative way to restore tabs is to manually revise the list of visited pages. Open browser history with keyboard shortcut Ctrl+H and select the desired website addresses. If you have a large number of closed tabs, this method, of course, will not be very convenient.
Working with Google Chrome Session Files
If a window prompting you to restore tabs does not appear when you start the browser and the pages you visited are not saved in the history, you will have to delve into the browser’s system files. Close Chrome, and then go to its user directory located at C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\, where username is the Windows user name. If you use the default profile in Google Chrome (this is usually the case), then look in the folder User Data catalog Default and go into it.
Here we are interested in four files:
- Current Session;
- Current Tabs;
- Last Session;
- Last Tabs.
The first two store data from the current session, the next two store data from the last session. As soon as Google Chrome starts, new instances are created Current Session And Current Tabs, and the previous session is saved in files Last Session And Last Tabs. These are the ones that interest us, because after a sudden crash of the browser and its subsequent launch, it is in the “Last *” files that information on previously opened tabs is recorded.
Just in case, copy all four files to a separate folder, thereby eliminating data loss. Now delete from the directory \User Data\Default\ files Current Session and Current Tabs, and then rename Last Session to Current Session, Last Tabs to Current Tabs. Launch Google Chrome and check - closed tabs should be restored.
Session Buddy extension
The Chrome store has many extensions for managing tabs and sessions. The most popular and convenient of them is Session Buddy. After Google Chrome crashes, launch the browser and install the specified extension.
Next, open it by clicking on the special button that appears next to the “Customize and manage Google Chrome” button. In the left column, find the item "Previous Sessions", which will allow you to restore the tabs.
Using Google Chrome, it is very difficult to lose access to your favorite bookmarks, because thanks to the connection of our Google account, we can synchronize all data with Google servers, and always have access to our passwords, usage history, bookmarks to website pages...
However, sometimes we lose loved ones...usually because we forgot to log out of Chrome when we were using someone else's computer, or formatted the computer's drive, or uninstalled Chrome, or something else...
Today we will talk about how to restore bookmarks in Google Chrome. Restoring bookmarks is not easy, so you should always pay attention to where you are doing it when logging in. And, if possible, export all bookmarks to a separate disk. If trouble happens and you have lost your favorite browser bookmarks, then our tips will help you restore everything!
Check Chrome Bar
By using Chrome dashboards we can see which of our Google Account-related data is currently stored on Google servers and whether it is possible to recover lost data.
Use the Bookmarks and Bookmarks.bak file
You should know that Chrome saves bookmarks in a file called bookmarks, without the json extension, that is, it can be read with a regular notepad.
The browser periodically creates a backup copy of this file with the extension .bak. Usually this copy is created when Google Chrome is completely closed...
Recovering Chrome Bookmarks
We assume that our file bookmark.bak contains favorite bookmarks that are no longer available in Chrome.
Depending on the operating system we are using, we need to find the file bookmarks.bak in the folders listed below:
- Windows 7 / Windows 8 / Windows 10: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\
- Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/
- Linux:~/.config/google-chrome/
In this folder you should find a subfolder Default and all folders ProfilN, Where N- an integer. Try to understand which of these folders is associated with your Google Chrome profile. If you are the only browser user, then open the Default folder.
Typically in this folder you can find a file called Google Profile Picture.png, which will help you determine the profile associated with that folder.
Here you will find the file bookmarks and file bookmarks.bak:
- Copy both files to your desktop
- Open both files in standard notepad and check the contents. This way you can check how many and what bookmarks are contained in the file...
- If you think that in bookmarks.bak Many of your deleted bookmarks are present, then use it to recover.
If the file bookmarks.bak contains all or some of the deleted bookmarks, follow these steps to restore:
- Delete the file bookmarks from the desktop. We only needed it to check its contents.
- Rename the file bookmarks.bak, copied to the desktop, deleting .bak.
- Copy the received file bookmarks from your desktop to the Chrome profile folder you opened earlier.
The fairly common problem of restoring tabs after closing the browser has several solutions that are suitable for both beginners and avid browser users.
You will be able to restore not only tabs that you just closed, but also open windows that were closed several days, or even weeks ago.
Ways to restore tabs in the Google Chrome browser:
- Various recovery methods through settings, browser history;
- Using the key combinations “Shift” + “Ctrl” + “T”.
Restoring tabs after shutting down the Google Chrome browser
With simple steps, you can quickly restore accidentally closed tabs through your browser history. Do the following:
If you close the Google Chrome browser entirely, the recovery method will not be much different from opening tabs closed one at a time. Using this method, you will open the browser in the same form in which you closed it when you ended your session, with all tabs. Follow these steps:
By clicking on the specified line, you will restore the number of windows that were open when the Google Chrome session ended.
Finding closed tabs in browser history and restoring them
You can open the browser history with a simple key combination “Ctrl” + “H” (Latin letter) or open the section yourself by accessing the button in the upper right corner of the “Google Chrome Settings and Controls” screen (three vertical dots). Click on the indicated icon, move the cursor over the line “History” and in the list that pops up, select the line of the same name “History”.
When clicked, the browser history section will open, which will indicate a list of visited sites and the date of their visit. This method is truly useful and practical, as you see the names of all the sites you have visited previously. To search for a specific resource, a search by section is provided (the “Search in history” icon). However, if you regularly clear your history, you will not be able to find deleted links and restore them. 
Recover accidentally closed tabs using hotkeys
The browser provides a function for restoring closed tabs by simply pressing the appropriate key combination – “Shift” + “Ctrl” + “T”, where the letter “T” is Latin. When clicked, windows will open one after another depending on the number of previously closed tabs. This is a fairly convenient and fast method, however, you will not be able to open a specific site this way, which is a significant disadvantage for some users.
Prevent the deletion of desired tabs using browser settings
By adjusting your web browser, you can prevent accidental deletion of the links you need and ensure quick restoration of closed tabs in the event of an accidental or intended termination of the browser session. Do the following:
- Open the “Google Chrome Settings and Controls” tab;
- In the list that pops up, find and click on “Settings”, go to the section of the same name;
- A window will open in which you should find the “Open at startup” section. Check the "Previously opened tabs" checkbox.
Exit your browser settings. Changes are saved automatically. In the future, Google Chrome will always launch from the last closed tabs. In this case, whether you accidentally closed the browser or specifically at the end of the session does not matter. Windows will be saved at the time of closing and restored with each new launch. 
Browser tracking extensions
Previously, a completed session could be restored by manipulating the “Last Session” file, renaming it to “Current Session”. However, this method no longer works. If you do not have the tracking function of the Google Chrome browser enabled and the addresses of the sites you visit are not saved, you will not be able to resume the windows you are viewing if they have already been closed. To prevent the loss of the addresses of the necessary tabs, there is a solution in the form of an add-on for the “Session Buddy” browser. You can install the extension through the Google Chrome online store. “Session Buddy” is a fairly convenient add-on that has the functions of saving and restoring completed sessions.
By restoring Google Chrome, users can mean many different actions. Often we are talking about restoring data and accidentally closed tabs, sometimes this means eliminating problems and malfunctions in the program caused by malicious scripts or reinstalling the browser after uninstallation. This article describes how to restore the Google Chrome browser.
If you accidentally closed the desired tab, Google Chrome has special tools that can be used to restore it. The fastest method is to use the hotkey combination Control + Shift + T (in the Russian keyboard layout this is “E”). Thus, you will reopen the last closed page. Clicking again will take you to the previous page.
The second way to resume the session is to use the Google Chrome history:
You can open any of them with a simple click.
Last Session File
If the program freezes while you are working in Google Chrome, then the information may not have time to be saved in your browsing history. In this case, you can restore an incorrectly terminated session manually, bypassing the standard Google interfaces. Under no circumstances should you restart Chrome after such an accident! If you open a browser, this method will no longer be available to you. Just follow a few steps indicated in the instructions:
Don't be afraid to damage anything this way - these service files are automatically restored after deletions.
Synchronization
If you want to restore all your personal data after deleting and reinstalling Google Chrome, you should use the server synchronization function.
The essence of the service is quite simple - you register and log in to the system, after which all your settings are saved on the Google server. After reinstalling the web browser, data from the server will be automatically downloaded to your personal computer, which will completely restore the functionality and appearance of the browser.
In order to use the service, you will need to register a Google mailbox. To do this, follow the instructions:
Now, if your browser is damaged by virus programs, you can easily recover all personal information lost from your computer.
Removing incorrect Google Chrome
If, as a result of system failures or after being infected with viruses, your browser begins to work poorly (freezes, turns off spontaneously, frequently produces errors, takes a long time to load), you should reinstall it.
First of all, you need to remove the infected or broken version:
Wait a moment while the Windows Install Wizard erases the application from your computer.
Installing a new version
After successfully removing the damaged application, you can proceed to install the current version. This section of the guide will also be useful to users whose browser has simply disappeared from their computer.
Developers of desktop browsers have transferred to Android the function of restoring accidentally closed tabs. This function also works in mobile versions of Internet navigators. The article describes methods on how to restore Chrome, Opera and Firefox tabs and open closed browser pages using simple keyboard shortcuts.
Recovering closed tabs in Google Chrome
There are three ways to restore a closed tab in Chrome; below we will talk about each of them.
The first way to restore a tab in Chrome
The first method to restore Chrome tabs is quite simple. It lies in the fact that you need to restore browser tabs immediately after closing them, “without delay”.
Try closing any tab in the mobile version of Chrome (i.e. Chrome for Android). To do this, tap on the button with the number of active tabs at the top and select the unnecessary Chrome browser tab. When you close it, a notification about closing the tab will be displayed at the bottom of the active form for a while. Right there in the browser window, you will see an immediate recovery button labeled “Cancel.” By clicking on this button, you will successfully return all the recent tabs closed recently in the Google Chrome browser.
A clear example of how to restore tabs in Google Chrome. List of recently closed browser tabs
The disadvantage of this method is that this way you can only return recently closed Google Chrome tabs, and even then in a limited number.
Advice. If you have closed tabs for a long time, use: there you will find an archive of visited pages. The probability of finding a closed tab depends only on the time that has passed since the history was cleared.
The second method to restore Google Chrome tabs
The big advantage of the second option is that it can be used to return any closed tab in the Chrome browser or, say, Opera Mini. Go to the form with recent tabs by clicking on the clock button at the bottom of the start page. Alternatively, to return a browser tab in Chrome, you can use the button with three vertical dots and select “Recent Tabs” from the application drop-down menu. If your Android device is synced with a Google account, then in this window you can even restore a closed tab that you were working on on your PC or mobile device.
The third way to open a closed page in a browser: browser history
The third way to return browser tabs is similar to the second. As in the desktop version of Chrome, you can return a tab using your browsing history on the Internet. The difference between history and recent tabs is that with the help of history you can find and return any tab, even one that was closed a long time ago. You can open your browser history from the same menu.
As you can see, there are several ways to open a closed Chrome tab (however, the result is the same). About the latest version of Chrome for Android, so we advise you to learn about the new features of the mobile browser and update to the latest version. Please note that the ability to close tabs (in other words, open closed pages in an application window) is not available in all versions of Chrome, so be sure to update your browser to the latest version using the link:
Opening closed tabs in Opera
In the Opera browser, the mechanism for restoring closed tabs is implemented in almost the same way as in Google Chrome.
Method No. 1
This method will help to return only the browser tab that was the last one closed in Opera. To restore an application tab (or several tabs at once), tap on the button with the number of open tabs at the bottom, then tap on the button with three dots at the bottom and select the “Open last closed tab” option in the Opera menu that appears.
Tab recovery menu in the Opera browser Method No. 2
How to restore tabs in Opera as quickly as possible? Similar to the Chrome application, resuming viewing closed pages is easy using the same browser history. The method for restoring tabs works flawlessly, even if you decide not to synchronize. On the Opera start page, next to the express panel opened in the default web navigator, there is a “History” section. Go to it and select any closed page - recently or for several weeks or months (this depends on how long the browsing history is stored in your browser). After this, the desired Opera tab will be successfully restored.
How to open a closed tab in Firefox for Android
The latest version of the Firefox mobile browser offers three ways to bring back closed tabs. In fact, they are absolutely identical to the same page recovery functions built into Chrome. However, so that you have a clear picture of the features available in Firefox, let’s look at them in more detail.
1st method
Let's say you have several active tabs open in Firefox on your smartphone, and just a few seconds ago you accidentally closed one of them. How can I get the tab back in this browser? You can do this in one tap by clicking the “Cancel” button that appears immediately after closing one of the tabs. This method is inconvenient because you need to respond to restoring the desired tab in Mozilla quite quickly, and it only allows you to return the last closed page.
How to restore a tab through Mozilla Firefox browser history
2nd method
While on the Firefox home screen (the developers themselves call it “smart”), scroll through the list of available categories to the right until you come across the “Recent Tabs” option. It is here, in the list, that you can see all the tabs recently opened by the user, and return them if necessary.
3rd method
Another category present on the Smart Screen is browser history. By opening it in Mozilla, you can see a complete list of websites open on your mobile device, and if Firefox is previously synchronized with a cloud service, on your PC.
Summary. As you can see, there are quite a few options for restoring a closed tab (we have described 9 solutions - 3 for each browser, Chrome, Opera and Mozilla). All you have to do is choose for yourself the best way to return a tab, and know that in the described mobile browsers, even the oldest tabs are recoverable; you can return them quite quickly with a minimum of effort.
Answers to readers' questions
I accidentally cleared the browser data (regular) in the settings of my fly android 2.3.5 phone and therefore my bookmarks were deleted. Help restore them.
Answer. Unfortunately, if you used the standard Android browser, you will not be able to restore your bookmarks. Use Google Chrome and synchronize all data with your Google account, and such problems will no longer arise.
I have this problem: I had a lot of saved bookmarks in Google Chrome on Android, and they were all closed: I can’t restore them through history, since the tabs in Chrome have been open for a long time, and I haven’t visited them. But I needed them. How to restore tabs in Chrome? I do not know what to do.
Answer. To get your closed tab back, you can go to Google History; it's possible that your search queries are still stored in the search engine's records. Of course, you won't be able to recover a closed tab this way, but analyzing Google history will help you find sites that were in closed Chrome tabs.
