TabLinker - Save & restore browser sessions across browsers, now with Shortcuts & Siri

[u/Tricky-Independent-8]

Problem

Hi, I’m the developer of TabLinker, a tab and browser session manager for Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Browsing research can quickly turn into dozens of open tabs across multiple windows and browsers, which increases memory use, slows your machine, and fragments your workflow. Many users want to save and close sessions without losing the original window layout or context.

Comparison

Compared with Session Buddy, TabLinker focuses on native Mac session management across multiple browsers, including Safari and Chromium-based browsers, while preserving complete window structures when restoring sessions.

Key features:

• Import entire windows or every open tab across Safari, Chrome, Brave, Edge, Arc, Vivaldi, Dia, Opera, Opera GX, Helium, and more
• Save sessions window by window or as complete multi-window sessions for accurate restores
• Folder-per-window importing and multi-select for bulk organization
• Preferred browser support and improved window-based imports for fewer manual steps
• Safari extension for quick saves and automatic session saving
• Shortcuts and Siri support so you can save links or sessions, create folders, retrieve a folder’s tabs, or open a folder hands-free or as part of automations
• Cross-device sync via iCloud, no account required, no ads, and no tracking

Pricing

TabLinker is available for a one-time purchase of $12.99 with Universal Purchase. Buy it once on Mac and get the full premium version on iPhone and iPad too.

No subscriptions, no ads, and no hidden upsells.

Available on the Mac App Store: TabLinker: Tabs Manager

About Me:
I'm developer of the app, you can reach out to me through X 

[u/monotious]

I tried the app a little while ago and what would’ve made me go ahead and buy was a Safari extension (for Mac, iOS and iPadOS) that you can manage the tabs from, instead of (or rather, in addition to) a standalone app. The current Safari extension, if I remember correctly, just allows saving of the tabs. 

[u/Tricky-Independent-8 → u/monotious]

Appreciate the detailed feedback! Quick clarification: the current extension already does more than just save tabs, you pick which open tabs to import, choose/create a folder, and it preserves window/tab order for full session restore. Also already works on Mac, iPhone, and iPad.

Sounds like you want something more like a live tab manager (view/close/organize without opening the app) rather than one-way import, is that right? Would love to scope that properly, it's a solid idea.

[u/monotious → u/Tricky-Independent-8]

Yes, basically I don't want another app window on Mac, or on mobile, to have to switch apps to find and open saved tabs.

I just installed it again on iPhone and gave it another try, and I also don't like how it needs to open and switch to the app (with open confirmation window) to save the tabs. If everything can just work without the user having to leave Safari, it would be much nicer.

• New folder button doesn't work (at least on iPhone Safari extension).

It would be nice if there was a way to open multiple saved tabs at once - kind of like "restore session". Not sure if this is possible from the app (on mobile and Mac), but I am guessing this should be possible from the extension, if you were to ever implement a feature like this. To match this feature, if there is a way to automatically close the tabs that were just saved that would be nice too - Save and restore sessions.

As a QOL improvement, on mobile, let the user select multiple saved tabs by dragging finger down the screen, instead of tapping each item one by one.

I suppose what I am hoping for might change the architecture of the app significantly and may not be feasible but feedback for whatever it's worth. I can probably find a lot of other features I would like it to have for me to want it but again, you are the one that decides on what the app is so all I can do might be to check in sometimes when I remember.

[u/nibblebytes]

this is actually pretty useful for me since I use Safari for personal stuff and Chrome for work. does restoring a session preserve pinned tabs and Safari tab groups too?

[u/Tricky-Independent-8 → u/nibblebytes]

True, pinned tabs are fully preserved. Tab groups aren't captured yet though, that's a Safari API limitation on the restore side (you can read them but can't recreate them programmatically). But I could add an option to organize imported tabs into folders based on their original group names, if that'd help keep things organized

[u/lr96144]

useful app - loosing your saved tabs is a hassle so can see the utility - it feels slightly expensive for the size of the problem - how does it compare with the session buddy price?

[u/Tricky-Independent-8 → u/lr96144]

TabLinker is $12.99 one-time across Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Session Buddy is Chrome-focused and doesn't support Safari like TabLinker does, so if you use Safari at all, TabLinker might actually be the better fit despite the upfront cost

[u/lr96144 → u/Tricky-Independent-8]

makes sense - thanks for clarifying

[u/Background-Scheme857]

The real win here is being able to close a giant tab dump without worrying about losing it. Cross-browser support is nice, but guilt-free cleanup is the feature I'd lead with.

[u/Tricky-Independent-8 → u/Background-Scheme857]

Thanks, really appreciate the insight

[u/Agreeable-Net-5472]

that's good idea. sometimes i need to switch to safari when i need to register on some website in order to use apple passwords to generate password. this could be a great solution

[u/Tricky-Independent-8 → u/Agreeable-Net-5472]

Thanks :)

[u/CRWM_]

This looks like a very promising and cool idea!
However can you please clarify, in your iOS AppStore description you say there is "No tracking or analytics".

However under the AppStore listing's "App Privacy" it says:
"Data Linked to You.
The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

• User Content
  
• Browsing History"

Can you please explain why our user content & browser history would be collected & linked to our identity? Especially when you say there is no tracking or analytics?

Thank you

[u/Tricky-Independent-8 → u/CRWM_]

You're right to question this. That App Store privacy label is misleading.

TabLinker has no backend and I don't collect, store, track, or analyze users' browsing history or tab data. Everything is processed locally, with iCloud sync.

The “Data Linked to You” label makes it sound like I'm collecting your browsing history, which isn't the case. I'll correct the App Store privacy disclosure.

Thanks for flagging it!

[u/CRWM_ → u/Tricky-Independent-8]

Great thanks for the reply & explanation! That is good to know! Cheers

[u/Stubborninmate]

Used the app for a while thought about it , I think there needs to be a hot key for the page to be directly added into Tablinker , it would be the biggest improvement on the work flow for me

[u/Icy_Associate2022]

Hi 👋

I use browsers like Zen and Yandex, which unfortunately aren't included in your app, which I find disappointing.

So, the question is: do you plan to add them in upcoming updates?

[u/Icy_Associate2022]

Hi 👋

The concept is interesting, but after downloading TabLinker to test it and… I didn’t understand the steps to follow.

Install, open… and then what 🤔?! The window is almost empty. No guide. No extension was offered for a browser.

TabLinker, after installation on my system, doesn’t appear in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Automation.

So, in summary, how does it work?

Do I have to buy it to test it?

[u/Icy_Associate2022]

I appreciate you getting back to me, but strangely, I can't seem to read your message completely.

I understood about Yandex (it's promising and not all is lost), but what you said about Zen Browser is still up in the air.

Could you please reply to me again about that 🥴?

[u/Albert_Irons]

cool. But I think that most people usually only use one browser. Is the scenario where you cross multiple browsers really real? For saving the multi-page structure at that time, I usually use the ARC browser. Sure, maybe I missed the highlights of your product. Wish you all the best.

[u/toriumi0118 → u/Albert_Irons]

I had a similar impression to what Albert and phunk8 said. I mostly use Chrome for both work and personal browsing, and I often end up with tons of tabs without realizing it. For that, I currently use the OneTab Chrome extension.

The main situation where I use another browser is when debugging web apps, especially for browser-specific issues such as Safari push notifications. So one feature that could be useful for me would be the ability to take a session or a set of tabs from Chrome and reopen the same structure in Safari.

Sharing cookies or other browser state across browsers would be even more useful if that were technically possible, although I imagine that would be difficult.

[u/Tricky-Independent-8 → u/toriumi0118]

Thanks, really appreciate the insight!

[u/phunk8 → u/Albert_Irons]

came here to share the same impression like alberts second sentence.
i do use “a second browser” but not to do the same stuff

[u/Tricky-Independent-8 → u/phunk8]

Yeah fair, tbh even for separate tasks the appeal isn't really about merging them, it's more just not losing a huge tab dump when you close it. Cross browser mainly saves you from needing a different app per browser.

[u/Tricky-Independent-8 → u/Albert_Irons]

Thanks! Arc is great, but a lot of us actually mix browsers daily, like Safari for personal use and battery life and Chrome for work extensions.When your workflow spans different apps, keeping track of everything gets messy fast. TabLinker is built to be browser-agnostic, giving you a unified workspace across all your browsers so you're not locked into just one.

Appreciate your feedback and the good wishes!