Opera has new ways for Android users to manage tabs

Opera has added new tab features to its Android web browser that give users more control when organizing web links. Opera says version 89 of its browser introduces “the best tab management system for Android devices,” providing new tab layout options, grouping features, and capabilities for searching, muting, and restoring tabs.

This update includes Tab islands, which allow users to manually group tabs together. Tab Islands can be created by either long pressing on a tab and dragging it onto another tab, or long pressing on a webpage link to open a new tab. These tab groups can be renamed to better organize tabs by category, such as bundling links together based on shopping, study, and more.

Users can also choose between carousel, grid, and list tab layout configurations, which display both standalone tabs and categorized tab groups. The layout option can be changed by pressing the far left button on the redesigned tab gallery menu. The idea is to help de-clutter tabs and make them less overwhelming to manage, especially for tab hoarders who can’t shake the habit.

Users can search for a specific tab by selecting the magnifying glass option at the top right-hand corner of the tab layout page. If any intrusive audio starts playing from an open tab, Opera’s Android browser now lets users mute specific tabs to prevent the entire device from needing to be silenced. And finally, any tabs that were erroneously closed can now be restored by selecting the “recently closed tabs” button in the tab gallery, allowing users to swipe right on any web pages or tab islands they want to bring back.