Tab Numbers 1–9 Chrome extension icon

Tab Numbers 1–9

📦 v1.0.0
💾 6.34KiB
📅 2025-12-06
View on Chrome Web Store

Chrome will indicate if you already have this installed.

Overview

Tab Numbers ➀–➈ — See the first nine tab numbers at a glance

Jump between tabs faster and with fewer mistakes. This extension adds a bold, high‑contrast dingbat number (➀–➈) to the beginning of the first nine tab titles in each window—perfectly matching the built‑in shortcuts Ctrl/Cmd + 1–9. No clutter, no distractions—just the number you need, right where your eyes look.

Why you’ll love it

• Instant orientation. Know which tab is “tab 3” or “tab 7” without counting from the left.
• Made for shortcuts. Numbers map to the browser’s native tab switching (Ctrl/Cmd + 1–9).
• Big and legible. Uses Unicode dingbats (➀–➈) that are larger and easier to see than superscripts.
• Automatic and lightweight. Updates whenever tabs are opened, moved, or closed—no manual refresh needed.
• Toggle anytime. Press Alt+N to show/hide numbers (customizable in Chrome’s keyboard shortcuts).
• Per‑window awareness. Applies to the first nine tabs in each normal window, just like the keyboard shortcuts.

How it works (under the hood)

A small background service worker listens for tab events (create, move, remove, activate, window focus, etc.). When something changes, it sends the appropriate prefix to a tiny content script in that tab, which adds the digit to the start of the page title. If a site changes its <title>, the extension re-applies the correct number automatically so the marker stays consistent.

Important: This extension only modifies the tab title. It does not access page content beyond the document title and does not send any data anywhere.

Permissions & privacy

Requested permissions
• tabs – Needed to know tab order and update the right tab.
• host permissions: <all_urls> – Required for the content script to add the number to the page’s title.

Privacy
• No sign‑in, no analytics, no ads, no tracking.
• No data collection or sharing. Nothing is sent to external servers—everything runs locally in your browser.
• The extension modifies only the tab title to display ➀–➈ and does nothing else to page content.

Keyboard shortcuts

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl + 1–9 to jump to tab 1–9; Alt+N toggles the numbers on/off.
• macOS: Cmd + 1–9 to jump to tab 1–9; Alt+N toggles the numbers on/off.
You can change Alt+N via chrome://extensions/shortcuts.

Known limitations

• Restricted pages: Chrome doesn’t allow extensions to modify some pages (e.g., chrome://* and the Chrome Web Store). Those tabs won’t show numbers.
• Pinned tabs: Chrome hides titles for pinned tabs, so you may not see a number even though the tab is counted in the order.
• Incognito: To use in incognito, enable “Allow in incognito” on the extension’s details page.
• Tab 10 and beyond: Chrome’s built‑in shortcuts cover only 1–9 (9 goes to the last tab). This extension mirrors that design.

Troubleshooting

• “I don’t see any numbers.”
– Make sure the extension is enabled.
– Try toggling with Alt+N.
– If on a restricted page (chrome:// or Web Store), try another website.
– If you just installed, reload a couple of tabs to trigger the first refresh.

• “The number disappeared after the site changed the title.”
– The extension re-applies automatically. If a site is very aggressive about changing titles, a brief delay may occur; the number should reappear momentarily.

• “Another extension also edits titles.”
– If numbers don’t appear or look duplicated, check for other title‑editing extensions and adjust their settings or disable one of them.

Lightweight by design

• Event-driven: The background service worker sleeps when idle, waking only for tab/window events.
• Tiny footprint: Minimal code with a narrow, well‑scoped purpose.
• No network access: Works fully offline; never contacts external servers.

What’s included

• Dingbat numerals ➀–➈ prefixed to tab titles 1–9 in each window.
• Automatic updates on tab create/move/remove/activate and window focus changes.
• Title‑change resilience via a small MutationObserver.
• Toggle via Alt+N (configurable).
• Toolbar click to trigger a quick refresh (optional convenience).

FAQ

Q: Why use dingbats (➀–➈) instead of superscripts (¹–⁹)?
A: Dingbats are larger and typically render with clearer shapes in tab bars, making them easier to spot in a hurry—especially on smaller laptop screens.

Q: Does this slow down my browser?
A: No. It’s event-driven and only touches the tab title string. There’s no heavy DOM work or network activity.

Q: Will it reorder or renumber tabs automatically when I drag them around?
A: Yes. As soon as a tab’s position changes, the numbers are recalculated and refreshed.

Q: Can I change the keybinding?
A: Yes—go to chrome://extensions/shortcuts and set any shortcut you like for “Toggle tab numbers.”

Changelog

1.0.0
• Initial release with Unicode dingbat numerals ➀–➈
• Automatic updates on tab and window events
• Title‑change resilience
• Alt+N toggle

Tags

Productivity/tools tab-management productivity/tools

Privacy Practices

Not being sold to third parties, outside of the approved use cases
Not being used or transferred for purposes that are unrelated to the item's core functionality
Not being used or transferred to determine creditworthiness or for lending purposes

🔐 Security Analysis

This extension hasn't been security-scanned yet.

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