Why Does Chrome Keep Opening New Tabs by Itself?

One tab turns into three, three turns into eight, and none of them are pages you opened. Before you assume your computer is infected, know that this is almost always one of a small number of causes — and every one of them has a specific fix.

First, figure out which kind of "opening tabs" this is

Two very different problems get described the same way:

• A slow trickle, one or two extra tabs at a time, usually to legitimate-looking sites, often right after you click something. This is typically an extension or a notification-permission abuse — annoying, but not dangerous on its own.
• A burst of many tabs at once, to ad networks, fake "you've won a prize" pages, or survey sites, sometimes even when Chrome is just sitting idle. This pattern is more consistent with unwanted software or a compromised extension and deserves the fuller cleanup below.

Either way, the fixes are the same list — just work through it in order.

Fix 1: find the extension doing it

Open an Incognito window (Ctrl+Shift+N / Cmd+Shift+N) and use Chrome normally for a few minutes. Extensions are disabled by default in Incognito unless you've explicitly allowed them.

• If the tabs stop appearing in Incognito — an extension is the cause. Go to chrome://extensions, toggle every extension off, then re-enable them one at a time, using the browser normally in between, until the unwanted tabs come back. That last one you re-enabled is the culprit — remove it.
• If the tabs still appear in Incognito — it's not an extension. Skip to Fix 2 or Fix 3.

Fix 2: revoke notification permissions

Some sites use browser notification permission to pop content — including new tabs — even when you're not on that site. If you clicked "Allow" on a notification prompt at some point (often on a streaming or file-download site), that permission persists until you remove it.

Go to chrome://settings/content/notifications and check the Allowed list. Anything you don't recognize, or don't remember explicitly wanting notifications from, click the three dots next to it and Remove.

Fix 3: reset Chrome to default settings

If neither of the above is it, something changed your homepage, new tab page, search engine, or startup behavior — sometimes done by software installed outside Chrome entirely.

Go to chrome://settings/reset → "Restore settings to their original defaults." This resets your homepage, new tab page, default search engine, pinned tabs, and startup tabs, and disables (doesn't delete) all extensions. Bookmarks, history, and saved passwords are untouched.

Fix 4: run Chrome's built-in cleanup tool

Chrome ships a scanner for exactly this category of problem: chrome://settings/cleanup (or Settings → Reset and clean up → Clean up computer, on Windows). It looks for unwanted software known to alter browser behavior and offers to remove it. It's Windows-only and won't catch everything, but it's a fast, free first pass before reaching for third-party tools.

Fix 5: run a real malware scan if it's still happening

If tabs are still opening after all four fixes — especially the "burst of many at once" pattern — treat it as a system-level problem, not a Chrome one. Run your OS's built-in security scanner (Windows Security on Windows, or a reputable dedicated anti-malware tool) for a full scan outside the browser.

Don't lose real tabs while you're troubleshooting

A reset or a mass-disable of extensions closes tabs indiscriminately — it doesn't know the difference between the junk tab that just popped open and the six tabs of research you actually need. Save what matters before you touch any of the fixes above.

Amazing Tabs makes that a one-click step instead of something you have to remember:

• Save every open tab in one click, so a chrome://settings/reset or an extension purge can't cost you real work.
• Press ⌘K / Ctrl+K to search your saves the moment you're back, instead of trying to rebuild what you had open from memory.
• Saved tabs sit outside live browser state, so they survive Incognito testing, extension toggling, and a full settings reset untouched.
• Free for up to 100 saved links — no signup required to start.

Save your real tabs before you go hunting for the culprit. Add Amazing Tabs to Chrome — free, no signup.

Quick recap

• Test in Incognito first — if the tabs stop, an extension is the cause; disable and re-add one at a time to isolate it.
• Check chrome://settings/content/notifications for a site abusing notification permission to pop tabs.
• chrome://settings/reset fixes a hijacked homepage, new tab page, or search engine without touching bookmarks or passwords.
• Chrome's built-in cleanup tool (chrome://settings/cleanup, Windows) catches unwanted software a settings reset won't.
• A genuine burst of many tabs to ad/survey sites warrants a full OS-level malware scan, not just a browser fix.

Further reading: How to Fix an Unresponsive Tab in Chrome if a specific tab is frozen rather than multiplying, or How to Close All Tabs in Chrome at Once for clearing a burst of junk tabs fast.

Add Amazing Tabs to Chrome — free → Install from the Chrome Web Store. 100 saved links free, upgrade only if you want unlimited and cross-device sync. See pricing for the full breakdown — including the $99 lifetime deal (capped at 200 spots).