How can I restore a webpage I accidentally closed?
Quick answer
First try your browser’s option for reopening a closed tab. In desktop Chrome, use Ctrl+Shift+T on Windows or Linux, or Command+Shift+T on Mac. In Firefox, look under History > Recently Closed Tabs; for a whole previous session, choose Restore Previous Session. If you need to identify a particular page, search your browser history for a remembered word or review entries by date.
The question, the details, the next step.
I closed a webpage by mistake. What should I try first?
Try the browser’s option for reopening a recently closed tab. In desktop Chrome, press Ctrl+Shift+T on Windows or Linux, or Command+Shift+T on Mac. [S1]
In Firefox, open the menu and choose History > Recently Closed Tabs, then select the page you want. [S2] If you use another browser, look for its recently closed tabs option or History menu; the Chrome shortcut and Firefox menu labels are specific to those browsers.
I closed several tabs, and I’m not sure which one I need. Can I find it without reopening tabs to guess?
Use browser history to search or review visited pages. In Chrome, History can be searched by keyword and reviewed by date or group. [S1][S3] If you remember roughly when you opened the page, start around that date and narrow the results with a distinctive word.
For example, suppose you remember reading a page about a library’s weekend hours yesterday, but not its title. Search History for “weekend” or “hours,” then look at matching entries around yesterday. Those are example search terms, not a guarantee the page used those words. When you find the right entry, select it to open the page.
What if I closed the whole browser window or all my tabs?
In desktop Chrome, the reopen shortcut can be used for a closed tab or window. [S1] In Firefox, open History and choose Restore Previous Session to bring back tabs and windows from the prior session, if that session information is available. [S2]
If you only need one page, you can search History and open that result instead of restoring a whole set of tabs. If the recently closed list or relevant session information is unavailable, these options may not be able to restore the page.
I can’t find the page in history. What should I check, and what’s the quickest decision path?
Try another remembered keyword, or review entries around the approximate date. In Chrome, History can be searched and reviewed by date or group. It lists visited pages from the last 90 days, with exceptions including Incognito pages and deleted history; history may also be unavailable if it was cleared or disabled. [S3] These details are specific to Chrome.
Quick decision path:
- One tab closed? Try the browser’s reopen-closed-tab option.
- Several tabs or a window? Check the recently closed list. In Firefox, you can also try Restore Previous Session.
- Looking for one particular page? Search History by a remembered word and narrow by date.
- Still missing? The relevant page or session information may not be available through these options.
A simple search plan is: Remembered topic: [word or phrase] | Approximate date: [date] | Page title: [if known].
A practical checklist
Try the browser’s recently closed tab option first.
For multiple closed tabs, check the recently closed list or use the browser’s reopen option.
For a previous Firefox session, check History > Restore Previous Session.
Search History with a distinctive remembered word, then narrow by date or group.
If the page is missing, its history or session information may be unavailable.
A few more useful answers
Does the Chrome shortcut work in every browser?
The cited shortcut instructions apply to desktop Chrome. Other browsers may have different shortcuts or menu labels, so check their History or recently closed tabs options.
Can Chrome History show a page I opened in Incognito?
Chrome history excludes Incognito pages, so searching that history will not locate them. [S3]
Why might a page not appear in Chrome History?
Chrome History covers visited pages from the last 90 days, with exceptions including Incognito pages and deleted history. It may also be unavailable if cleared or disabled. [S3]
Sources
References used for this guide.
- [S1] Manage tabs in Chrome on your computer support.google.com · Checked
- [S2] Restore tabs from a previous session in Firefox support.mozilla.org · Checked
- [S3] Check or delete your Chrome browsing history support.google.com · Checked