I Built a Chrome Extension to Copy Open Tabs as Markdown, Plain Text, or URLs

I often keep several tabs open while researching, writing, debugging, or collecting references.

Sometimes I do not want to save those tabs permanently. I just want to copy the current window’s tab list and paste it into a note, issue, document, message, or draft.

That is why I made Copy Tab List, a small Chrome extension focused on one simple task: copying the tabs open in the current Chrome window.

Chrome Web Store: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/copy-tab-list/gechnfblecefhmdgfahpmeicdgmdoabn

Product hub: https://ressurd.github.io/tools-and-products/

The Problem

When you have several tabs open, sharing or documenting them can be annoying.

You may need to:

• Send a list of references to someone
• Paste research links into a note
• Move browser tabs into a task or issue
• Keep a quick record of what you were looking at
• Copy just one tab title and URL without manually selecting both

Doing this manually means switching between tabs, copying titles, copying URLs, and formatting everything yourself.

Copy Tab List is meant to remove that small repeated task.

What Copy Tab List Does

Copy Tab List shows the tabs open in your current Chrome window and lets you copy them in a few simple formats.

The extension does not save tab data. It does not collect tabs in the background. It does not scan your browsing history.

It only reads the current window’s tab titles and URLs so it can show them in the popup and copy them when you click a copy button.

Main Features

Current features include:

• View the current Chrome window’s tab list
• Copy all tabs as Markdown
• Copy all tabs as plain text
• Copy all tab URLs only
• Preview the copy output before copying
• Switch the preview between Markdown, plain text, and URLs only
• Copy a single tab from its row
• Clipboard copy only happens after clicking a copy button

Example Output

Markdown output:

- [Example Page](https://example.com/)

Plain text output:

1. Example Page
https://example.com/

URLs-only output:

https://example.com/

Individual tab copy uses a simple plain text format:

Example Page
https://example.com/

Why I Built It This Way

I wanted this extension to stay small and focused.

There are already bookmark managers, session managers, read-it-later apps, and note-taking tools. Copy Tab List is not trying to replace those.

Instead, it is useful when you just want to move your current browser context somewhere else.

For example:

• A Markdown note
• A GitHub issue
• A project document
• A chat message
• A research log
• A task manager entry
• A temporary draft

Sometimes the goal is not to save tabs forever. Sometimes the goal is just to copy the current context quickly and continue working.

Privacy and Local Behavior

Copy Tab List is intentionally simple.

It uses the tabs permission to read tab titles and URLs from the current Chrome window. This is needed to display the tab list and generate the copy output.

The extension does not request host permissions.

It does not:

• Save tab lists
• Store copied tab data
• Scan full browsing history
• Collect page content
• Run background automatic collection
• Use cloud sync
• Use analytics
• Use a remote backend
• Use advertising

Clipboard writing happens only when you click a copy button in the popup.

Who It Is For

Copy Tab List may be useful if you:

• Share research links often
• Write notes from multiple open tabs
• Prepare issue reports or documentation
• Move browser context into a task manager
• Want Markdown links without manually formatting them
• Need a lightweight tool that does not save sessions or manage tabs

It is not meant to replace a bookmark manager, session manager, or read-it-later app.

It is just a small copy utility.

What Is Not Included Yet

The current version does not include:

• All-window copy
• Selected-tabs copy
• Saved sessions
• Saved presets
• Cloud sync
• Account login
• Analytics
• Background tab collection

The goal for now is to keep the extension focused:

Open the popup, review the current window tabs, copy what you need.

Links

Chrome Web Store: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/copy-tab-list/gechnfblecefhmdgfahpmeicdgmdoabn

Product hub: https://ressurd.github.io/tools-and-products/

If you try Copy Tab List and have feedback, bug reports, or small feature ideas, I would be happy to hear what would make it more useful without making it too heavy.

Korean Summary

Copy Tab List는 현재 Chrome 창에 열려 있는 탭 목록을 Markdown, 일반 텍스트, URL 전용 형식으로 복사할 수 있는 작은 Chrome 확장입니다.

탭 데이터를 저장하지 않고, 전체 방문 기록을 스캔하지 않으며, 사용자가 popup에서 복사 버튼을 눌렀을 때만 클립보드 복사가 실행됩니다.

여러 탭을 문서, 메모, 이슈, 메시지 등에 빠르게 옮기고 싶을 때 사용할 수 있는 가벼운 도구입니다.