Tab X · July 31, 2026

Tab X Overview

Download, load, and use the Tab X Chrome new tab extension.

Tab X is a local Chrome Manifest V3 extension that replaces the default new tab page with an Apple-inspired dashboard for tabs, shortcuts, saved-for-later links, archived pages, adaptive themes, and time.

Download

Tab X 2.0.1 is currently distributed through GitHub source.

Package	Link
Source zip	tab-x main.zip
Repository	github.com/itouchgod/tab-x

Chrome Web Store status

Current submitted version: 2.0.1
Chrome Web Store item ID: mdpnfjjeclibnejfdcfnbclhdhjannac
Submission date: July 31, 2026
Current store status: Pending review
Publication mode: publish automatically after review approval

Until the store listing is approved, use the GitHub source zip and manual loading steps below.

Install

Download and unzip the source archive
Open Chrome and go to chrome://extensions
Enable Developer mode
Click Load unpacked
Select the extension/ folder from the unzipped Tab X source
Open a new tab

If you already loaded Tab X before, click Reload on the extension card after updating the files.

Essentials

New tab dashboard — Replaces Chrome's new tab page with a local Apple-inspired workspace
Ganzhi and word clock — Shows Ganzhi time, natural-language English time, and an open-tab count badge
Live search suggestions — Shows up to eight Google suggestions with keyboard and pointer navigation
Grouped tabs — Organizes open tabs by main domain, special homepages, and localhost ports
Sorting and expansion — Sorts by most tabs, domain name, or recent activity, and expands large groups after the first 8 tabs
Top sites — Shows Chrome top sites, history fallback shortcuts, manual shortcuts, and drag-to-save shortcuts
Saved and archived — Stores selected tabs for later, then moves completed items into an Archived accordion
Adaptive theme — Follows system dark mode and provides a manual footer theme toggle
Synced saved records — Uses chrome.storage.sync for Saved for later and Archived records
Local preferences — Keeps manual shortcuts, hidden automatic shortcuts, and sorting preferences in chrome.storage.local

Data and permissions

Tab X does not run a Tab X server and does not require an app account, Node.js, npm, or a database.

Area	API / Storage
New tab replacement	Chrome Manifest V3 `chrome_url_overrides.newtab`
Open tab grouping, counting, focusing, and closing	`chrome.tabs`, `chrome.windows`
Open tab count badge	`chrome.action` in the service worker
Search box	`chrome.search`, with URL fallback and live suggestions from `suggestqueries.google.com`
Top site shortcuts	`chrome.topSites`, with `chrome.history` fallback
Site icons	Chrome extension `/_favicon/` API with initials fallback
New tab favicon	Bundled Tab X logo at `icons/newtab-favicon.png`
Saved for later + Archived	`chrome.storage.sync` keys `savedForLater`, `archived`; sanitized to `url`, `title`, and `timestamp`
Legacy saved-record migration	Old `chrome.storage.local` key `deferred` is migrated once into sync storage
Manual shortcuts	`chrome.storage.local` key `favoriteLinks`
Hidden automatic shortcuts	`chrome.storage.local` key `hiddenTopSiteUrls`
Open tabs sort preference	`chrome.storage.local` key `openTabsSortMode`
Sound	Web Audio API
Confetti	DOM/CSS animation

Use Google Chrome with Manifest V3 support, and enable Developer mode for manual loading.

What changed in 2.0.1

Adds live Google search suggestions after at least two characters, with up to eight results
Supports keyboard navigation with the arrow keys, Enter, and Escape, plus pointer selection
Adds the suggestqueries.google.com host permission; search-box text is sent to Google's suggestion service while typing
Replaces the extension icon and new tab favicon with the new hexagon-cube Tab X logo
Updates the extension description and Chrome Web Store submission to version 2.0.1

What changed in 2.0.0

Adds the extension toolbar badge for real open-tab counts, with color states for calmer tab awareness
Adds adaptive dark mode plus a manual footer theme toggle
Adds a Homepages group for Gmail, X, YouTube, LinkedIn, and GitHub home pages
Keeps localhost projects distinct by including port numbers in grouping
Adds expandable groups for large tab sets
Refines the Saved for later and Archived panel so updates feel local and smooth
Moves Saved for later and Archived records to Chrome sync, with one-time migration from the old local deferred key
Strips heavy metadata before syncing, keeping only url, title, and timestamp

Package

Link

Source zip

tab-x main.zip

Repository

github.com/itouchgod/tab-x

Chrome Web Store status

Current submitted version: 2.0.1

Chrome Web Store item ID: mdpnfjjeclibnejfdcfnbclhdhjannac

Submission date: July 31, 2026

Current store status: Pending review

Publication mode: publish automatically after review approval

Until the store listing is approved, use the GitHub source zip and manual loading steps below.

Essentials

New tab dashboard — Replaces Chrome's new tab page with a local Apple-inspired workspace

Ganzhi and word clock — Shows Ganzhi time, natural-language English time, and an open-tab count badge

Live search suggestions — Shows up to eight Google suggestions with keyboard and pointer navigation

Grouped tabs — Organizes open tabs by main domain, special homepages, and localhost ports

Sorting and expansion — Sorts by most tabs, domain name, or recent activity, and expands large groups after the first 8 tabs

Top sites — Shows Chrome top sites, history fallback shortcuts, manual shortcuts, and drag-to-save shortcuts

Saved and archived — Stores selected tabs for later, then moves completed items into an Archived accordion

Adaptive theme — Follows system dark mode and provides a manual footer theme toggle

Synced saved records — Uses chrome.storage.sync for Saved for later and Archived records

Local preferences — Keeps manual shortcuts, hidden automatic shortcuts, and sorting preferences in chrome.storage.local

Data and permissions

Tab X does not run a Tab X server and does not require an app account, Node.js, npm, or a database.

Area	API / Storage
New tab replacement	Chrome Manifest V3 `chrome_url_overrides.newtab`
Open tab grouping, counting, focusing, and closing	`chrome.tabs`, `chrome.windows`
Open tab count badge	`chrome.action` in the service worker
Search box	`chrome.search`, with URL fallback and live suggestions from `suggestqueries.google.com`
Top site shortcuts	`chrome.topSites`, with `chrome.history` fallback
Site icons	Chrome extension `/_favicon/` API with initials fallback
New tab favicon	Bundled Tab X logo at `icons/newtab-favicon.png`
Saved for later + Archived	`chrome.storage.sync` keys `savedForLater`, `archived`; sanitized to `url`, `title`, and `timestamp`
Legacy saved-record migration	Old `chrome.storage.local` key `deferred` is migrated once into sync storage
Manual shortcuts	`chrome.storage.local` key `favoriteLinks`
Hidden automatic shortcuts	`chrome.storage.local` key `hiddenTopSiteUrls`
Open tabs sort preference	`chrome.storage.local` key `openTabsSortMode`
Sound	Web Audio API
Confetti	DOM/CSS animation

Use Google Chrome with Manifest V3 support, and enable Developer mode for manual loading.

What changed in 2.0.1

Adds live Google search suggestions after at least two characters, with up to eight results

Supports keyboard navigation with the arrow keys, Enter, and Escape, plus pointer selection

Adds the suggestqueries.google.com host permission; search-box text is sent to Google's suggestion service while typing

Replaces the extension icon and new tab favicon with the new hexagon-cube Tab X logo

Updates the extension description and Chrome Web Store submission to version 2.0.1

What changed in 2.0.0

Adds the extension toolbar badge for real open-tab counts, with color states for calmer tab awareness

Adds adaptive dark mode plus a manual footer theme toggle

Adds a Homepages group for Gmail, X, YouTube, LinkedIn, and GitHub home pages

Keeps localhost projects distinct by including port numbers in grouping

Adds expandable groups for large tab sets

Refines the Saved for later and Archived panel so updates feel local and smooth

Moves Saved for later and Archived records to Chrome sync, with one-time migration from the old local deferred key

Strips heavy metadata before syncing, keeping only url, title, and timestamp