How to disable tab previews in Google Chrome

Google's Chrome browser now shows previews for tabs, but if you don't like the feature, these are the steps to disable it.

Disable tab previews in Chrome
Disable tab previews in Chrome

Starting with version 78, Google Chrome introduces “Tab Hover Cards,” a new feature that allows you to get a small preview of other open pages hovering over the tab without having to leave the current page.

Although it can be a useful feature, it’s not something that everyone wants to use. If you’re in the group that would like not to use Tab Hover Cards, it’s easy to disable the feature on Windows 10, macOS, ChromeOS, or Linux.

In this guide, you’ll learn the steps to disable the Tab Hover Cards (tab previews) in the Chrome web browser.

How to disable Tab Hover Cards feature in Chrome

To disable Tab Hover Cards in Chrome, use these steps:

  1. Open Chrome.

  2. Type the following path in the address bar and press Enter:

    chrome://flags/#tab-hover-cards
  3. Use the drop-down menu on the right and select the Disabled option.

  4. Type the following path in the address bar and press Enter:

    chrome://flags/#tab-hover-card-images
  5. Use the drop-down menu on the right and select the Disabled option.

    Disable Tab Hover Cards in Chrome
    Disable Tab Hover Cards in Chrome
  6. Click the Relaunch now button.

Once you complete the steps, when you hover over the other tabs should no longer display a card preview.

If you want to re-enable the Tab Hover Cards, you can follow these instructions.

About the author

Mauro Huculak is a Windows expert and the Editor-in-Chief who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He is also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 12 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows, software, and related technologies, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.