Hi everyone, I'm the developer of a browser extension called NoTab.
It's a pretty simple tool: it lets you open and preview link content directly on the current page, without having to switch to a new tab.
Originally, I made it to solve a personal pain point. I spent a lot of time every day browsing different websites and checking rankings to find interesting product ideas. Over time, I noticed a problem — every time I clicked a link, a new tab opened. After reading, I had to close it, return to the original page, take some notes, and repeat. Some links opened even more links. It was tiring and inefficient.
That’s when I created NoTab.
You may have seen similar features before — for example, the Arc browser has something like this built-in — but I still prefer using Chrome.
Let me walk you through how NoTab works.
How Do You Use NoTab?
Here are a few common use cases:
1. Researching information
When searching on Google, you get a list of links. Normally, you'd click into each one, then come back. With NoTab, you just drag the link, and a small window pops up right on the current page with the content. You can read it, close it, and continue — no switching tabs. Not sure which link is best? You can drag multiple links and preview them side by side to compare.
2. Browsing forums
Sites like Reddit have endless posts. I used to lose my place when jumping in and out of threads. With NoTab, dragging a link opens the post in a floating window. When I’m done reading, I can just continue scrolling the homepage — smooth and easy.
3. Looking up unfamiliar terms
When I run into an unfamiliar term, I used to copy it, open a new tab, search, read, and return. Now, I just select the text and drag — search results show up instantly in a small window right on the page. I confirm the meaning and keep reading, without breaking flow.
4. Watching videos
Say I find an interesting YouTube link. I drag it, and the video plays in a floating window. I can adjust the transparency, place it to the side, and continue browsing while watching — no interruptions.
And these are just a few examples. You can also use NoTab to compare products on shopping sites, and much more.
The idea behind NoTab is simple: reduce switching, reduce waiting, and reduce interruptions.
On top of that, it has some handy features:
- You can pin the popup so it stays in place when scrolling.
- You can adjust its transparency, roundness, and size.
- You can customize how you trigger it — different drag gestures to match your habits.
- You can switch themes to match your style.
All these came later. The first version of NoTab was just a basic preview window.
The Story Behind NoTab
In the beginning, NoTab could only preview and close windows. A friend used it and asked if it could preview multiple pages at once — so I added multi-window support.
Another user wanted to quickly look up words, so I added “highlight and search” and translation features.
Later, someone asked if they could watch videos on the same page, so I built floating video mode.
NoTab slowly evolved from a small tool I made for myself into what it is today.
It’s still improving, but it wouldn’t be where it is now without user feedback and suggestions.
FAQ
Q1: Does NoTab use a lot of system resources?
NoTab is lightweight. It only activates when you interact with it. The popup windows are temporary — once you're done reading, just close them. Even with several open at once, it performs well.
Q2: What sites does it work on?
It works on most websites — news, blogs, communities, search engines, e-commerce, docs, and more. Some rare cases may not work perfectly yet — if you find one, let me know and I’ll try to fix it quickly.
That’s the story of why I built NoTab, and the problems I hope it helps you solve.
If you have any feedback or ideas, I’d love to hear from you. Your suggestions often shape the next version of NoTab.
Thanks for reading. I hope you’ll give NoTab a try.
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