How to move a browser tab into its own window on a Mac, and back

Pull a tab out into its own window to see two pages side by side, then merge it back. How it works in Safari and Chrome, by mouse and by menu.

Guide · Updated 22 October 2026

How do I move a tab to its own window?

  • Any browser: drag the tab down, out of the tab bar, and let go. It becomes a new window.
  • Safari: choose Window, Move Tab to New Window, or right click the tab for the same item.
  • Chrome: right click the tab and use the option to move it to a new window.

How do I put a tab back into another window?

  • Drag the tab, or the whole one tab window by its tab, into the tab bar of the other window.
  • In Safari, Window, Merge All Windows gathers every Safari window into tabs of one.

How do I show the two pages side by side?

With the two windows open, press fn ⌃ ← on one and fn ⌃ → on the other (macOS 15 and later), or drag each to a screen edge. More in how to split screen on a Mac.

When windows have piled up, merge all windows. Lots of Chrome windows: how to manage them.

Checked on 22 October 2026 on a MacBook Air (M1) with Safari 27.0.1: Move Tab to New Window was read from Safari's own labels.

Questions

How do I separate a tab into a new window on Mac?

Drag it out of the tab bar, or in Safari choose Window, Move Tab to New Window.

How do I combine browser windows into tabs?

Drag a tab into the other window's tab bar, or in Safari choose Window, Merge All Windows.

How do I view two tabs side by side?

Move one to its own window, then tile the two windows to the left and right halves.

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