Google Chrome is finally bringing one of its most requested desktop features to mobile: pinned tabs. After years of users asking for better tab management on Android, Google has begun rolling out the ability to pin specific tabs so they stay anchored at the top of your browsing grid. The feature is already appearing for some users on stable builds, while others may need to enable it through Chrome flags or wait for a wider rollout.
Pinned tabs work exactly the way users hoped. By long-pressing a tab in the tab grid or tapping the three-dot menu inside a tab, Chrome now provides a new “Pin tab” option. The tab becomes considerably easier to locate when it is pinned because it moves to a fixed location at the top of the tab grid. Pinned tabs also automatically remove their close button, preventing you from inadvertently swiping them away while cleaning other tabs. To remove it, just long-press once more and choose the “Unpin tab.”
It may not seem like much, but this addition is crucial. On mobile devices, users routinely juggle hundreds of tabs for work, shopping, videos, research, and continued reading. Over time, those vital tabs are buried under newer ones, causing users to browse endlessly simply to access the pages they need every day. With pinned tabs, Chrome now offers a mechanism to keep those high-priority pages exactly where they’re required.
The feature also brings Chrome’s mobile experience closer to the desktop version, where tab pinning has been standard for years. On computers, users often pin tabs for email, messaging platforms, dashboards, or productivity tools. Bringing the same convenience to Android is a welcome move that streamlines multitasking and boosts efficiency.
To try it, users should ensure they’re on the most recent version of Chrome. Those who don’t see the feature yet can go to chrome://flags, search for Android pinned tabs, enable the flag, and relaunch the browser. Once activated, the pinned tabs option appears in both the tab overview screen and the tab menu.
While the feature is rolling out gradually, early feedback is overwhelmingly positive. Tech reviewers note that pinned tabs make Chrome feel more organized and intuitive, especially for heavy tab users. Some Android phones with larger screens benefit even more, as pinned tabs provide a clear structure at the top of the tab grid.
There are a few limitations. Pinned tabs on Android currently don’t sync with desktop Chrome as pinned tabs, so the state is local to the device. The feature also might not appear immediately on older devices or versions of Android, depending on Google’s rollout schedule. Still, it marks a significant step toward improving Chrome’s mobile usability.
With pinned tabs, Google is signaling its intention to bring more desktop-grade browser capabilities to mobile users. As browsing on phones continues to increase, features like this help Chrome remain one of the most efficient and adaptable browsers on any platform.
For Android users who rely on Chrome daily, this update is long overdue but well worth the wait.
