| Feature | TabBack | ReTab |
|---|---|---|
| Switcher | Tab thumbnails, titles, and site icons | Tab titles and site icons |
| Devices | Mac | Mac, iPad, iPhone |
| Change the shortcut | In TabBack Settings, including Control-Tab | Customizable on Safari 26+, except shortcuts Safari already uses, such as Control-Tab |
Tab previews and titles
TabBack shows tab titles and site icons alongside thumbnails, so you can recognize a tab by its title or its visual content.
ReTab’s picker shows titles and site icons. If those are enough to identify your tabs, it offers the same basic keyboard workflow: tap and release to return to the last tab, or hold the modifier and tap again to cycle further back.
TabBack runs on Mac. ReTab also supports iPad and iPhone, making it an option if you want recent-tab switching on those devices too.
Can you use Control-Tab?
TabBack lets you assign Control-Tab to recent-tab switching, replacing Safari’s next-tab command.
ReTab’s shortcut can be changed in Safari’s extension settings on Safari 26 or later, but shortcuts already used by Safari are unavailable. That includes Control-Tab.
Return to the last used tab when you close a tab
TabBack’s Close and Return closes the current tab and returns to the one you were using before. You can even assign Command-W, so your usual close-tab shortcut takes you back to the page you just left.
ReTab can also return to the most recently active tab when you close a tab. That option is off by default and can be enabled in ReTab Settings.
Permissions
TabBack needs website permission to track active tabs and generate previews. ReTab’s quick toggle works without webpage or browsing-data access; enabling its visual picker requests permission. Both developers state that tab data stays on your device. See TabBack’s privacy policy and ReTab’s permission details.
Can Tab Overview do this instead?
Safari’s Tab Overview lets you inspect thumbnails and search for tabs by title. But after finding a result, you must use the pointer to select it; you cannot complete the switch from the keyboard alone. It also does not provide a shortcut back to the last active tab.
TabBack and ReTab let you select a recent tab and switch to it without leaving the keyboard. If all you need is to alternate between two fixed pages, Safari’s built-in shortcuts may be enough.