Effective Date: July 16, 2026
THE SHORT VERSION
Your tabs stay 100% on your device. We never see your saved tabs, URLs, or browsing history. The only thing TheTab collects is anonymous, aggregate usage analytics (a random ID — never your tabs or any personal data), and you can turn it off in the extension settings.
WHAT WE DON'T COLLECT
We take privacy seriously. Here's what TheTab will never collect:
- Your browsing history
- Your saved tab URLs or titles
- Your IP address
- Your email (we don't require accounts)
- Personally identifiable information of any kind
- The contents of your tabs in any analytics event
WHERE YOUR DATA IS STORED
Everything stays inside your browser. TheTab uses your browser's built-in extension storage to save your tabs. TheTab has no servers — your tab data is never sent to us or to any third party.
Your browser manages this storage space. If you clear your browser data or uninstall TheTab, your saved tabs are deleted from local storage — which is exactly why TheTab keeps the built-in backups described below.
BUILT-IN BACKUPS
To protect you from data loss (for example if the extension is uninstalled or force-disabled), TheTab keeps backups — all of them inside your own browser or on your own computer, never on our servers:
- Account safety net (on by default): your most recent saved groups are mirrored to your browser's built-in sync storage. If your browser account sync is on, your browser vendor (e.g. Google for Chrome) syncs this data under your browser account, exactly like your bookmarks and settings. TheTab never sees it. You can turn this off in Options.
- Bookmark backup (on by default): a "TheTab" folder in your bookmarks stays in sync with your saved groups. It lives in your browser's bookmarks, under your control, and can be turned off in Options.
- Scheduled file backups (off by default): if you enable them, TheTab writes a backup file to your Downloads folder on your chosen schedule. The file stays on your computer.
You can disable any of these at any time. Your local data remains intact regardless.
EXPORT/IMPORT FEATURE
When you export your tabs, TheTab creates a JSON file on your computer. This file contains your saved tab data. We never receive or store this file. It stays entirely under your control.
When you import tabs, the file is read locally by your browser. Again, nothing is sent to any server.
PERMISSIONS EXPLAINED
TheTab requires these browser permissions to function. Here's every single one and why:
- "tabs" — To read tab titles/URLs and close tabs when you save them. This is why your browser shows a "browsing history" warning — the tabs permission includes access to tab URLs, which the browser categorizes as browsing data. We only use this when you click save.
- "storage" — To save your tab groups in local browser storage
- "unlimitedStorage" — To store large numbers of saved tabs without hitting browser storage limits
- "tabGroups" — To detect and preserve your Chrome tab groups when saving
- "sidePanel" — To provide the side panel interface for quick access
- "contextMenus" — To add right-click save options (save tab, save group, etc.)
- "alarms" — To schedule periodic tasks like crash-protection snapshots and automatic backups
- "activeTab" — To act on the tab you explicitly invoke TheTab on (context menu, popup actions)
- "bookmarks" — To keep the automatic "TheTab" bookmarks backup folder in sync with your saved groups (on by default, can be turned off) and to power the "save as bookmarks" export. TheTab never touches bookmarks outside the folders it created
- "notifications" — To confirm completed actions (e.g. "12 tabs saved") and alert about backup completions
- "clipboardWrite" — To place the tab list on your clipboard for "Copy selected tabs". Write-only: TheTab cannot read your clipboard
- "offscreen" — A hidden helper page Chrome requires for the clipboard write; it never loads web content
- "favicon" — To show site icons next to saved tabs from the browser's local favicon cache (Chrome only, no network requests)
- "downloads" (optional) — Requested only if you enable scheduled file backups; used solely to create backup files in your Downloads folder
No permission to access your location, no permission to read page content, no permission to track you across websites. Every permission above is used for a specific, user-facing feature.
ANONYMOUS ANALYTICS
TheTab uses Google Analytics 4 to measure anonymous, aggregate usage — things like how often tabs are saved, which settings are changed, and whether installs/updates succeed. This helps us decide what to build next.
It is tied to a random ID generated on your device, not to you. We never send your tabs, URLs, page contents, or browsing history in any analytics event. You can disable analytics completely with the "Send anonymous usage analytics" toggle in the extension settings — when it's off, nothing is sent.
THIRD-PARTY SERVICES
Aside from the anonymous Google Analytics described above, the extension uses no other tracking services. No Facebook Pixel, no ad networks, no data brokers. No ads, no selling data. Ever.
TheTab also retrieves favicon images for your tabs, which is handled by your browser's built-in favicon cache. We don't control this or receive any data from it.
GDPR & CCPA COMPLIANCE
We collect no personal data. Your saved tabs, URLs, and browsing history never leave your device.
Since we don't collect personally identifiable information, there is no personal data for us to provide, modify, or delete on request. Your tab data is stored locally and fully under your control.
CHILDREN'S PRIVACY
TheTab is safe for users of all ages. We don't collect data from anyone, including children under 13. Parents can rest assured that TheTab cannot and will not gather any information about their children.
CHANGES TO THIS POLICY
If we change this privacy policy, we'll update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. We'll also notify users through the extension if any changes affect how your data is handled.
Privacy is core to TheTab. We built this because we believe tab managers shouldn't need your personal data. That principle guides every decision we make.
DATA BREACHES
Your tab data is stored locally on your device - we don't have it, so it can't be breached on our end. Our analytics holds only anonymous, aggregate usage counts tied to a random ID, with nothing personal that could expose you.
The security of your saved tabs depends on your device's security. Keep your computer safe, and your tabs are safe.
YOUR RIGHTS
Since we don't collect your data, you automatically have full control:
- Right to access: All your data is visible in TheTab's interface
- Right to delete: Clear your data anytime through TheTab or your browser settings
- Right to export: Use TheTab's export feature to download your data
- Right to portability: Take your exported data anywhere you want
THE BOTTOM LINE
We built TheTab for ourselves and people like us who are tired of extensions that harvest personal data. Your tabs are yours. Your browsing history is yours. We use minimal anonymous analytics to improve the product, but we never see your tabs, your URLs, or anything personal.
Transparency is the promise. This policy reflects exactly what TheTab does today.