---
title: Tabs, Recent Documents, and Dashboard | Prettify Docs
description: Open, close, switch, rename, and duplicate tabs in Prettify. Tabs
  persist across navigation and restarts. The Dashboard lists recent documents.
url: https://prettify.tools/docs/tabs
---

[Docs](https://prettify.tools/docs) / Your documents

# Tabs

Last updated: October 16, 2026

Prettify opens documents in tabs, like a browser. Each tab holds one document with its own format, view, and search. You can open as many tabs as you need. This page shows how to open, close, switch, and keep tabs, and how the Dashboard lists your recent documents.

## Open a tab

Select the plus button at the end of the tab strip, or press `Cmd+T` (Mac) or `Ctrl+T` (Windows, Linux). A new empty tab appears.

On the web, the browser keeps this shortcut, so use the plus button there. The shortcut opens a Prettify tab in the desktop app.

A new tab is named `Untitled 1`, then `Untitled 2`, and so on. When you open a saved document, the tab takes the document's name.

The number of tabs is not limited.

## Switch tabs

Select a tab to switch to it. You can also use the keyboard.

- Next tab: `Cmd+Shift+]` (Mac) or `Ctrl+Shift+]` (Windows, Linux).
- Previous tab: `Cmd+Shift+[` (Mac) or `Ctrl+Shift+[` (Windows, Linux).

On the web, the browser may keep these keys. Select a tab instead. They switch Prettify tabs in the desktop app.

## Close a tab

Select the close button on the tab, or press `Cmd+W` (Mac) or `Ctrl+W` (Windows, Linux). This closes the active tab.

On the web, the browser keeps this shortcut, so use the close button there. It closes a Prettify tab in the desktop app.

If you close the last tab and it has content, Prettify replaces it with a new empty tab.

## Rename, duplicate, and close many

Double-click a tab to rename it. You can also right-click a tab for more actions.

| Action       | Result                                             |
| ------------ | -------------------------------------------------- |
| Close        | Close this tab                                     |
| Close Others | Close every other tab in this pane                 |
| Close All    | Close all tabs in this pane and open one empty tab |
| Duplicate    | Open a copy of this tab                            |
| Rename       | Edit the tab's title                               |

## How tabs persist

Your open tabs survive navigation inside the app. Prettify saves them to `sessionStorage`, so moving to the Dashboard or History and back keeps every tab.

Prettify also saves a copy so your tabs reopen after you restart the browser. This copy has a size budget, so a very large tab may be left out. Its document still stays in [History](https://prettify.tools/docs/history), so you do not lose it.

Tabs end with the browser session unless the restart copy restores them.

## The Dashboard and recent documents

The [Dashboard](https://prettify.tools/app) is the start page. It shows your recent documents, a card for each format, and quick actions to paste, open a file, or batch process.

Select a recent document to open it in the editor. Select View All to see every document on the [History](https://prettify.tools/docs/history) page. There you can rename, delete, or restore earlier versions.

## Tabs in Split view

[Split view](https://prettify.tools/docs/split-view) shows two panes side by side. Each pane owns its own tabs. Close Others and Close All act on one pane only. Split view is Pro.

## Related pages

[Getting started](https://prettify.tools/docs/getting-started), [History](https://prettify.tools/docs/history), [Split view](https://prettify.tools/docs/split-view), [Keyboard shortcuts](https://prettify.tools/docs/keyboard-shortcuts), [Views](https://prettify.tools/docs/views).

- [PreviousSplit view](https://prettify.tools/docs/split-view)
- [Next History and versions](https://prettify.tools/docs/history)

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