Stop edge from closing when close last tab

Brass Contributor

Hi, is there any way to stop edge from closing when last tab is closed? Instead open a new tab when close last tab.

37 Replies
Thank you for the feedback @zeeshanali1993, right now we close the main browser window after the last tab is closed.

@Elliot Kirk 

 

+1 for this, I just switched from Opera and this behavior is driving me insane. Please give us the option to change this. After a few hours of work/browsing, I just quickly CTRL + W and close all open tabs to "reset" the browser. If the browser closes with the last tab, that means I have to re-login to 1Password (super annoying because my password is really long).

@Deletedno idea if there's any solution available natively but you can use this extension to stop edge from closing when the last tab is closed.

Thanks, I know about that, but I'm not gonna install an old extension just to fix something so basic. If they don't want it in the settings, they should at least add a flag. I think that would be more than reasonable solution, since not many people are bothered by this, apparently.

Whoa, this is bad. Even if you have a tab pinned, and it's the last tab, you press CTRL + W and the browser closes. When you reopen it, that pinned tab is gone. Please fix this, Edge team.

@Elliot Kirk, having a config option letting us choose the behavior of the browser when closing last tab would be greatly appreciable.

e.g. : closing / opening default tab / opening home page / ...

 

@zeeshanali1993Um, yes, except that is a Chrome extension and we're discussing Microsoft Edge. The current release version of Edge doesn't support Chrome extensions -- you have to download the beta.

I totally agree.  It should not close the browser by closing the last open tab.  I also came from Opera and use a password manager.  If you want to close the browser, you can always X out of the main browser window.

I signed up here just to create a new thread/issue for this if one didn't exist. This is an absolute MUST HAVE option IMO!

 

It's unbelievable that Chrom(e)ium doesn't have this basic feature (but on some level given the arrogant "we know what's best for you" attitude of those who're responsible for most of the code, doesn't surprise me either). Yes, some of us do use shared PCs, and no, not all of us want our open tabs to open up back again the next time the browser is opened.

 

Without these basic options the browser's dead in the water as far as I'm concerned. Why the heck should we have to jump through hoops and install resource-hungry extensions asking for all sorts of permissions, just to have the browser do what it should out of the box? Why would I (and many others) ever switch to Edge if it's not qualitatively better than the others?

 

This option is present in Firefox as well as in various Chromium-based browsers. Edge Dev team, are you even listening?

@krameshk 

Now that Edge is based on Chromium, all you need to do is install the new version then install the Last Tab extension from the Google store. No need to rant—just do it.

@captain_chad  With all due respect, I'm not entirely sure whether that was meant to be a serious response to what I wrote above:

 


Without these basic options the browser's dead in the water as far as I'm concerned. Why the heck should we have to jump through hoops and install resource-hungry extensions asking for all sorts of permissions, just to have the browser do what it should out of the box?

Checking the Chrome web store was the very first thing I did even before making my way here, and FYI if you want to suggest an extension then it's better to at least suggest this one dating to late 2017 as opposed to something ancient from mid 2014. I've compared all the relevant extensions, and while Don't Close... is the best, I still don't like the extra pinned tab and the fact that I have to even install an extension in the first place for something this basic.

 

The rant remains, as a reminder to the Edge dev team to implement this as an OOTB option. Most folks won't be arsed to go around installing extensions for every ridiculous thing that was left out by G from the codebase. It's up to MS to step up and make Edge truly something worth using, or else if I want Chromium I might as well use any of the other derivatives that have these useful options. Here for example is Vivaldi's settings page:

 

vivaldi-dont-close-window-with-last-tab.png

@zeeshanali1993 For me this is completely logical behaviour. I think it would be strange if Edge didn't close when closing the last tab.

Best regards,
Dennis.

@dmutsaers   for you its logical that's fine your choice :smile:. But at least there should be such an option to change this behaviour and other behaviours like remove those bloody news feeds which appear when you scroll down even if you select focus mode.
This option is available in Vivaldi and firefox. Also, firefox provides an option to remove feeds completely. Why dictate just provide an option.

@zeeshanali1993 It is possible to stop news feeds using the settings wheel in a new tab.

Best regards,
Dennis.

@dmutsaers  But they appear again when you scroll down.

@zeeshanali1993 I'm not able to scroll down when content is off. (see attachments)

Best regards,
Dennis.

I agree it makes sense to let the user decide. @zeeshanali1993 

Like someone before me, I've also made an account just to comment on this. I was rooting on Edge, since it was quite fast, it got working favourites button as well, extensions. It needs 2 major things though:

 

1. Not closing the browser when the last tab is closed. I just want to go back to a new window with quick start shortcuts, not close the browser.

2. When there's more tabs, when closing currently viewed, it would take you back to the last viewed tab, not to the one on the left, even if it was never viewed.

 

These would be as options for the user to set according to their personal preference. I'm currently using Vivaldi, which does allow such customization, and it's also running on Chromium. These 2 things are what keeps me from switching to Edge.

I've been using Yandex Browser for some time now also Chromium based it has some nice touches that appeal to me. Yandex also does not close on the last tab I also particularly like the way it handles downloads with an animation especially useful if downloading lots of tiny files, no clutter at the bottom of the screen and you are aware that you did not miss clicking on a download. All nice touches that Microsoft could look at. "Listen to your users"