zen-browser/desktop

Moving Essential Tab to New Window removes it from Essentials

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#8309 opened on May 14, 2025

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 (15 comments) (5 reactions) (0 assignees)JavaScript (42,031 stars) (1,498 forks)batch import
Bugcomponent: tabsgood first issueplatform: linuxplatform: macOSplatform: windows

Description

Captchas

  • I have read the instructions.
  • I have searched existing issues and avoided creating duplicates.
  • I am not filing an enhancement request.
  • I have checked that this issue cannot be reproduced on Mozilla Firefox.
  • I have checked that this issue can be reproduced once I removed all my Mods and Custom CSS.

What happened?

Part of my workflow that I'm used to involves opening multiple windows at times, especially if I need to reference something from one site for another.

At the moment, I've found the easiest way is to use the "Move to a New Window" option in the context menu. But on essentials, that actually ends up removing it from essentials, and makes it become just a standard tab in the new window.

I think this could potentially be circumvented by adding a new option that allows you to "Duplicate" to a new window. But I do think the fact that this action by default is destructive to something that should be a bit harder to accidentally irreversibly alter is a big issue. Essentials should almost be set in stone unless explicitly changed by the user and not by some auxiliary action that doesn't imply such behaviour, so in my opinion I feel like the "Move" options should act like "Duplicate" when done on essentials.

Version

1.12.4b

What platform are you seeing the problem on?

Windows - x64

What component is this issue related to?

Tabs

Relevant log output if applicable

Contributor guide

Tech stack
javascripthtmlcss
Domain
frontenddesktop
Issue type
bug
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-3 hours
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
active
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
clear
Prerequisites
Familiarity with JavaScriptUnderstanding of browser tab concepts
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
65
Research direction
Investigate the 'Move to New Window' action in the tab context menu. Look for where essentials tabs are handled (likely in the tab state management files). The fix may involve adding a conditional to duplicate the essential tab instead of moving it. Review the issue comments for any maintainer suggestions or additional context.