Support
A little help. Back to browsing.
Installation, cleanup rules and answers to the questions that come up most.
Last updated: October 5, 2026Get in touch
Include your device, browser and extension version, what you expected, and what happened. Diagnostics can help if available, but are optional. Review reports before sending: they may contain private tab details. For public bug reports, use GitHub Issues and remove personal information.
How do I set it up?
It takes about a minute. Choose your browser:
Chrome
- Add it from the Chrome Web Store.
Open Tab Reaper on the Chrome Web Store, click Add to Chrome, then Add extension.
- Pin it to the toolbar.
Click the puzzle-piece Extensions button next to the address bar, then the pin next to Tab Reaper.
- That’s it.
Cleanup starts right away with sensible defaults. Click the Tab Reaper icon to keep a tab, protect a site, pause, or bring back a closed tab. The gear opens settings.
Safari on Mac
- Install the app and open it once.
Get Tab Reaper from the App Store, then open it from Launchpad or your Applications folder. Safari only lists the extension after the app has run once.
- Turn it on in Safari.
Click Open Safari Extension Settings in the Tab Reaper app, or in Safari choose Safari → Settings… and click Extensions. Tick the checkbox next to Tab Reaper.
- Let it see your tabs.
Tab Reaper needs website access to know which tabs are open. In the same pane, click Edit Websites… and set Other websites to Allow. If Safari asks later, choose Always Allow on Every Website.
- Open it from the toolbar.
Click the Tab Reaper icon next to the address bar. Don’t see it? Choose View → Customize Toolbar… and drag it in.
Safari on iPhone & iPad
- Install the app and open it once.
Get Tab Reaper from the App Store and open it from your Home Screen.
- Turn it on in Settings.
Open Settings → Apps → Safari → Extensions → Tab Reaper and switch on Allow Extension. On older iOS versions, it’s Settings → Safari → Extensions.
- Let it see your tabs.
On the same screen, under permissions, set All Websites to Allow. If Safari asks later, choose Always Allow on Every Website.
- Open it in Safari.
Tap the button on the left of the address bar, then choose Tab Reaper from the menu.
The Safari version is coming soon to the App Store. These steps apply once it’s available.
Which tabs stay open?
Active tabs are not idle-cleanup candidates. Use “Keep this tab” for a particular tab or protect a site to keep its tabs out of cleanup. Pinned, grouped and audible-tab handling depends on your settings and browser support. Pause cleanup whenever you need time to work.
The tab-count threshold applies to idle cleanup per browser window, not to duplicate removal. Check the options offered by your installed version.
Will timers run while Safari is closed?
iOS can suspend Safari and its extension, so cleanup cannot run continuously while the browser is unavailable. Tab Reaper saves idle timing state and reconciles eligible tabs when Safari resumes. A tab may close after you return, rather than at the exact deadline while your phone is locked.
Only tabs made visible through the browser’s extension APIs can be managed. Other Safari tab groups may be handled when you switch back to them. Restoring ambiguous tab identities is conservative to avoid closing the wrong tab.
Can I get a closed tab back?
Open Tab Reaper’s recently closed list and select the tab to reopen its URL. This is not a backup of page contents or unsaved work. Tab Reaper offers an optional “remember across restarts” setting and a clear-list button. Turning off remembering prevents that history from being retained across browser restarts.
Why didn’t a tab close?
Check whether cleanup is paused, the tab or site is protected, the window is below your idle threshold, or pinned/grouped/audible handling excludes it. Changing the timeout starts a new idle interval. Safari may need time to resume its background extension.
Enable diagnostics in extension settings, reproduce the issue, and review the report. Disable diagnostics again if you do not want local event logging. If the issue persists, contact support with the relevant details.