Winger - A Window Manager — Lionel Wong

Divide-and-conquer tabs with windows that you name by topic, task, project, anything you wish.

Highlights

• Panel openable by keyboard shortcut (default: F1) and fully navigable with arrow keys.
• Most common functions in the panel – Help, switch windows, send/bring tabs between windows – are a click away.
• Memorable autocompleting slash commands available in the panel, e.g. /help.
• Right-click on a tab or a link on a page to get the Send to Window context menu as another way to send/bring tabs.
• Private window support: Tabs normally cannot move between private and normal windows, but Winger can automatically reopen them in windows you send/bring them to.
• Minimizing is meaningful! Minimized windows are grouped last in the panel for an additional dimension to window organisation.
• Stash windows you want to save and close; unstash anytime. Stashes preserve many details like pinned tabs, tab trees and containers.
  • Stashes are stored as bookmarks in folders, accessible outside Winger and even between devices via bookmark syncing.
• More comprehensive information and lots of tips in Winger Help!

Why manage windows?

Using multiple browser windows has long been a fine way to create groups of tabs, using an already familiar context with familiar browser-level and OS-level features (open, open private, close, minimize, move between desktops/workspaces, etc) and that is already easy to create (Ctrl/Cmd+N, drag tabs off the tab strip, etc). Winger provides extra features that reduce friction, increase usefulness and improve user experience. Window management done well begets viable tab management.

Windows are the "original tab groups" that continue to be practical even after native tab groups arrived in Firefox in May 2025; if not as a substitute that some prefer, then as an additional layer of tab organisation, a "workspaces" analogue and a "tab group grouper".

Can I use another window naming extension with Winger?

You probably don't need another one, but if you insist, here's how.

FYI, you can use the /extractallnames command (see /help for more info) to copy over names from the title prefaces set by another extension, and then you can remove that extension if you don't need it anymore.

Can I use a vertical/tree tabs extension with Winger?

Yes of course. Just note that some extensions (like Tree Style Tab) may apply automatic behaviours to actions (including Winger's) that you might not expect; e.g. when you send/bring a tab that has "descendants", all those tabs would also come along with it. Do check their settings and documentation.

Is Winger's stashing like the Tab Stash extension?

They are similar, both being bookmarks-based, but diverge significantly in approaches to state/property restoration and UI/UX. You can use them both, even integrate them by making Winger's stash home folder be the same as the Tab Stash folder (Winger settings: set the root to "Other Bookmarks" and subfolder name to "Tab Stash").

Required permissions

• Access browser tabs – To access tab urls for reproducing tabs into/out of private windows; tab urls and titles for the stash/unstash feature
• Access recently closed tabs – Refers to access to browser sessions, for storing window names that will persist across them

Optional permissions (Requested when relevant feature is enabled)

• Read and modify bookmarks – For the stash/unstash feature to create/remove bookmarks

No permissions provide Winger any access to web page content.