Forum Discussion
Discussion: Add ability to close tabs via double-click
Hey Insiders, thanks for your continued feedback to help us improve Microsoft Edge! Recently we have noticed a growing trend in requests to support double clicking on a tab to close it. Even just receiving this feedback is helpful in highlighting the importance of efficiency and ease when managing and closing tabs, and also communicates a user problem that the tab close button can sometimes be difficult to interact with quickly.
As for the best way to address this user problem, we’d like to get additional context from you on the benefits and risks of different options. While double clicking on a tab can indeed be a very easy and quick way to close a tab, it also comes with the risk that if users are quickly clicking to switch between tabs, they might accidentally close a tab unintentionally by clicking on one twice. Given accidentally closing tabs is another top pain point users have shared with us, we want to be especially careful that we aren’t making that problem worse. We also wanted to share that another existing mouse-centric method for quickly closing a tab with a single click is to middle (mouse-wheel) click on a tab, which it could be argued is easier and faster than double clicking, though of course not everyone has a mouse that supports middle (mouse-wheel) click.
Given the potential risks of double clicking and the alternative middle click solution discussed here, please let us know if and why you feel double clicking is a superior method. We're also curious to know if you have any additional solutions to the problem of easily and quickly closing a tab that haven’t been discussed and avoid some of the risks discussed here. Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions, we couldn't do this without you!
- The Microsoft Edge Team
165 Replies
Hello!
Every move of the finger, a hand that would be additional is a waste of time for me!
Please see how Android does it - there no one would even suggest such ideas! But touch support is another matter, but it's decided by the user's response time, and then the site - these reactions add up and are too long in case of double click!MissyQ, I'm generally supportive of providing options to help people work the way they want. This is an exception. Double-click has a very specific meaning as a core part of the UX: Double-Click (except for a few violators) means perform the default action. Generally (not always, but should be for consistency) right-clicking provides the list of actions/verbs, with the default action bolded. Double-click performs that. This action is NEVER to close something. You double-click to open, launch, etc.
Please do NOT make double-click a close action ever, in any application. This will just lead to a splintered user experience and hurt Windows, Edge, all applications that work with a mouse, etc.
I don't mind allowing some non-standard combination, like pressing both left and right mouse buttons at the same time or a double-right-click, because (as far as I know) those do not have an existing standardized meaning, but not repurpose a standard action (double click the main mouse button) to an entirely different function.
I would also not be a fan of this. It feels entirely possible that I may accidentally close windows. Now, I don't think it's that big of a problem per se. I don't think I am in the habit of double clicking tabs. Plus, I accidentally close windows all the time (or decide I DO need them 2 seconds later). Nothing a quick Ctrl+Alt+T can't fix.
But, considering that middle click does this functionality seamlessly already, I just don't see the need for double click to close. I may be willing to entertain double SECONDARY (ie: right mouse button) click. But either way, it'd have to be optional.
- I just realized the developers cannot treat the "close a tab via single right-click on it" as the solution of this topic, because the right-click is used to distinguish the tab group. That is quite frustrating.
- Some Chinese Chromium browsers have already developed this functionality several years ago. It truly can improve the user experience a lot. When I turn to chrome and then edge, it's hard to believe that these two browsers still need to click those little 'x'.
MissyQ As a Windows developer, from the age of IE6 until now, I am very happy to see the transition from edge to chromium engine.
I don’t agree with what you said that there will be misoperations. I have not had this problem in other browsers that support double-clicking to close the tab. On the contrary, the "X" button may be touched during the continuous closing, which may cause the wrong operation. What you said The problem does not exist at all. As a developer, I know the difference between single-click and double-click. Since there will be mistakes here, they may appear in any position. For example, when you click on any window title bar by mistake, the window may be maximized. Of course, this is impossible.Furthermore, from a product perspective, the goal of a software product stage is to optimize the product, and the ultimate goal is to have more people like and use it. There are not a few people who are accustomed to double-clicking to close the tab. If the edge can take this function as An option, and it is closed by default, more people will be willing to use it, this is not a bad thing.
In China, a desktop browser (360chrome) with hundreds of millions of users supports both double-clicking to close and "X" button to close by default. A large number of user practices show that there is no problem with double-clicking to close the tab. I think you are too cautious. This problem, moreover, this function can be used as an option for operating habit settings, and it is turned off by default.
In China, a desktop browser (360chrome) with hundreds of millions of users supports both double-clicking to close and "X" button to close by default. A large number of user practices have shown that there is no problem with double-clicking to close the tab. I think this problem is treated too carefully. And, this function can be used as an option for operating habit settings, it is closed by default.
- Double clicking is not a good option, as in all other apps (win32 or UWP) double clicking on top switches between maximize and smaller window. Instead, a close button icon or middle mouse button would be fine, but taking accounts for the devices without mouse, A close tab icon would be more convenient at the top.
MissyQ I would prefer to see a right-click option on the web page itself to close that tab. Currently when right-clicking on the page, there is a reasonably robust set of menu options (save, print, cast, etc.). Having a new menu option to close that page would be useful, especially when using vertical tabs: avoids the need to move the mouse to the vertical tab list, having that list expand, then moving the mouse again to the 'x' to close the tab. Even with the older horizontal tabs it would save on mouse movement (ditto vs. the tab double-click proposal).
