Auto Tab Discard (Suspend)
Auto Tab Discard (Suspend)
Section titled “Auto Tab Discard (Suspend)”What is Tab Discard?
Section titled “What is Tab Discard?”Tab discard (suspension) terminates inactive tabs to free memory while keeping them visible in your tab bar. When you click a discarded tab, it reloads automatically, preserving your browsing session just like browser forward/backward navigation.
How Tab Discard Works
Section titled “How Tab Discard Works”Automatic Suspension Process
Section titled “Automatic Suspension Process”- Monitoring: The extension tracks tab activity and inactivity periods
- Evaluation: Checks if tabs meet suspension criteria based on your settings
- Protection Check: Verifies tabs don’t match skip rules or whitelist entries
- Suspension: Terminates qualifying tabs while maintaining their visual presence
- Restoration: Reloads tabs when clicked, restoring content and scroll position
Suspension Criteria
Section titled “Suspension Criteria”Tabs are considered for suspension when they:
- Haven’t been accessed for the configured time threshold
- Exceed the maximum inactive tab count limit
- Don’t match any protection rules or whitelist entries
Configuration Options
Section titled “Configuration Options”Time-Based Suspension
Section titled “Time-Based Suspension”Set how long tabs remain inactive before being suspended:
- Threshold: Configure minutes of inactivity (0 to disable)
- Applies to: All tabs not protected by skip rules
Count-Based Protection
Section titled “Count-Based Protection”Protect your most recently accessed tabs:
- Protected Count: Number of recent tabs to keep active
- Logic: When inactive tabs exceed this count, older tabs get suspended
- Example: Set to 5 to always keep your 5 most recent tabs active
Detailed Logic Explanation
Section titled “Detailed Logic Explanation”“When inactive tabs exceed X, suspend tabs that haven’t been visited for more than N minutes”:
Example Scenario: Suppose you have 30 tabs open and set “exceed 10 tabs, suspend after 30 minutes”:
- Tab Sorting: System sorts all tabs by recent access time
- Protected Range: Top 11 (10+1) most recently accessed tabs are protected from suspension
- Suspension Range: Remaining 19 tabs will be suspended if not accessed for 30+ minutes
- Dynamic Updates: When you access any tab, the sorting updates and protection range adjusts accordingly
Real-world Scenario:
- Tab A: Just accessed (rank #1) → Protected
- Tab B: Accessed 5 minutes ago (rank #3) → Protected
- Tab C: Accessed 2 hours ago (rank #20) → Meets suspension criteria, will be suspended
- Tab D: Accessed 1 hour ago (rank #15) → Meets suspension criteria, will be suspended
Key Features:
- Protects “most recently accessed N+1 tabs”, not “tabs accessed within N minutes”
- As long as you’re in the top 11 most recently accessed tabs, you won’t be suspended
- System ensures your most frequently used tabs remain always available
Skip Rules
Section titled “Skip Rules”Choose which tab types to never suspend:
- Pinned Tabs: Keep essential pinned tabs always active
- Playing Media: Protect tabs with audio/video playback
- Active Tab: Never suspend the currently viewed tab
- Form Changes: Preserve tabs with unsaved form data
- Offline Tabs: Maintain offline-accessible content
- Desktop Notifications: Keep notification-enabled tabs active
Website Whitelist
Section titled “Website Whitelist”Add specific domains that should never be suspended:
- Enter one domain per line (e.g.,
google.com) - Supports wildcards and subdomains
- Perfect for protecting work tools, email, or critical applications
Best Practices
Section titled “Best Practices”Recommended Settings
Section titled “Recommended Settings”- Time Threshold: 30-60 minutes for most users
- Protected Count: 5-10 tabs depending on your workflow
- Skip Pinned: Always enabled for important tabs
- Skip Media: Enabled to avoid interrupting content
- Skip Forms: Enabled to prevent data loss
Workflow Optimization
Section titled “Workflow Optimization”- Pin Important Tabs: Pin tabs you need to stay active permanently
- Use Whitelist: Add work applications and frequently used sites
- Monitor Usage: Check which tabs get suspended to refine settings
- Adjust Gradually: Start with conservative settings and optimize over time
Troubleshooting
Section titled “Troubleshooting”Common Issues
Section titled “Common Issues”Tabs not suspending:
- Check if tabs match skip rules
- Verify time threshold is set correctly
- Ensure tabs aren’t in whitelist
Important tabs getting suspended:
- Add domains to whitelist
- Pin essential tabs
- Adjust protected count setting
Form data lost:
- Enable “Skip Form Changes” option
- Add form-heavy sites to whitelist
- Use browser’s built-in form saving features
Settings Location
Section titled “Settings Location”Access suspension settings through:
- Click extension icon
- Open Settings page
- Select 【Auto Suspend/Close Tabs】 from the left menu
- Choose “Discard tabs” mode
- Configure your preferences
Tab discard provides an excellent balance between memory optimization and workflow preservation, making it ideal for users who keep many tabs open while maintaining system performance.