ReadyTab browser extension documentation
This page documents the implemented ReadyTab extension as it exists in the codebase. It covers the main interface, groups and item types, search flows, spaces, settings, managed boards, companion app integration, and important caveats.
Overview
ReadyTab replaces the browser new tab page with a dashboard organized into spaces, groups, and items. The main screen includes workspace tabs, an optional logo area, an optional web search bar, an optional clock, a floating Add Group button, a Spotlight search trigger, and settings.
Main interface elements
- Workspace tabs across the header
- Grid-based group layout
- Floating Add Group button
- Spotlight hint button
- Settings modal
Empty state behavior
- Empty spaces show a focused onboarding state
- Actions include Add Group, Import Bookmarks, and Start with Suggestions
- Session recovery is kept separate and does not appear in the empty state
Quick start
If you are setting up ReadyTab for the first time, this is the shortest path to a usable dashboard.
Before you start
Install and enable
- Install ReadyTab in your browser
- Make sure the extension is enabled
- Open a new tab to confirm ReadyTab loads
- If another extension replaces the new tab page, disable that conflict first
Good default expectation
- Your first space may be empty
- You can start with a group, bookmarks, or suggestions
- Settings, search, and spaces can all be adjusted later
- Most advanced features remain optional until you need them
- Open a new tab. ReadyTab loads as the new tab page.
- If your current space is empty, use the onboarding actions to + Add Group, Import Bookmarks, or Start with Suggestions.
- Add your first items inside that group, such as links, headers, text blocks, clipboard items, or launchers.
- Open Settings to configure search, appearance, backgrounds, spaces, data import and export, session recovery, and optional Pro features.
- Use Ctrl + Space or / to open Spotlight search and jump to saved links quickly.
Common first tasks
Create your first group
- Click + Add Group
- Name the group
- Add your first links or items inside it
Create a second space
- Open Settings → Spaces
- Create or import another space
- Use it for a separate context like work or personal
Import bookmarks
- Open Settings → Data
- Choose a bookmark folder
- Import it as a new group
Export a backup
- Open Settings → Data
- Use Export JSON
- Keep the file somewhere safe as a backup
Groups and items
Groups are the main containers in the grid. Each group holds a list of items. Groups can be styled, renamed, duplicated, collapsed, and deleted. There is also undo support for delete actions.
Group actions
- Rename a group
- Duplicate a group
- Collapse or expand a group
- Delete a group
- Undo a recent delete
- Set or clear accent colors
- Open the group style editor
Group style editing
- Card styling
- Header styling
- Link styling
- Copy style
- Paste style
Link
- Name and URL
- Optional description
- Optional open target override
- Icon picker and icon search
- Icon color and text color styling
- Duplicate, copy title, copy URL, and delete actions
Header
- No URL field
- Left, center, or right alignment
- Optional separator styling
Divider
- Visual separator only
- No name field
- No URL field
Text
- Plain text content
- Normal, bold, or italic styling
- No URL field
Todo list
- Optional dedicated group type for task-focused lists
- Quick Add task action at the bottom of the group
- Compact clear-all-tasks button with confirmation
- Todo groups can still contain headers, dividers, and text helper items
Todo
- Task name only
- Completed toggle in the editor
- Click directly on the task row to mark complete or incomplete
- Completed tasks stay in place and keep their saved state
Clipboard
- Stores text content
- Clicking the item copies the content to the clipboard
Launcher
- App URI or protocol launchers
- Folder launchers
- File launchers
- Command / script launchers
- Optional terminal visibility for command launchers
Search and add from anywhere
ReadyTab includes several ways to find existing links or add new ones without manually browsing through groups.
Spotlight search
- Open with Ctrl + Space
- Open with / when you are not typing in an input
- Fuzzy-matches saved links
- Supports arrow-key navigation
- Enter opens the selected result
- Escape closes the overlay
- Shows a web-search fallback row for non-empty queries
Spotlight on all pages
- Optional setting in General
- Works outside the new tab page
- Can search your saved links anywhere
- Includes an Add link section for the current page
- Lets you edit the title before saving
- Can add the current page to an existing group or create a new group
- New group names must be unique within the selected workspace
Browser context menu
- Right-click a page or link
- Choose Add to ReadyTab
- Select the workspace and group
- Confirm the name and URL before saving
Address bar integration
- Use the omnibox keyword rt
- Searches saved link names and URLs
- Suggestion list is capped
- Plain URLs open directly
- Other text falls back to a web search
Spaces
Spaces let you separate different contexts such as work, personal projects, side projects, or team boards.
Default behavior
- The default space is Start
- The default space can be renamed
- The default space cannot be deleted
- The default space stays first in ordering
Multi-space support
- Free includes 2 spaces
- Pro unlocks unlimited spaces Pro
- New spaces start empty
- Spaces can be renamed
- Spaces can be reordered
- Spaces can be shared as temporary import-code snapshots
- Spaces can be deleted except for the default space
- Groups can be moved between spaces
Protected spaces Pro
- Set a passphrase to protect a space
- Unlocking requires the passphrase
- Protected tabs show a lock indicator
- Canceling an unlock keeps your previous space active
Shared boards Pro
- Sharing creates an encrypted snapshot of one space
- Importing a code creates a local editable copy
- Codes expire after 30 days unless extended
- Manage created codes from Settings → Spaces → Shared boards
- Deleting a code prevents future imports only
Per-space visuals
- Theme settings can differ by space
- Backgrounds can differ by space
- Font size and compact mode can differ by space
- Tab underline and theme state can differ by space
Settings
ReadyTab settings are organized into tabs: General, Background, Design, Spaces, Data, and Account. The Design area also includes the theme editor.
General
- Global link target behavior
- Clock visibility, format, seconds, and date
- Logo upload and removal
- Web search bar settings
- Spotlight on all pages and search by group name
- Auto-grow groups when adding items
- Link health toggle Pro
Background
- Theme defaults
- Preset backgrounds
- Animated backgrounds
- Gradients and advanced gradients
- Solid color mode
- Custom CSS background value
- Custom image upload
- Apply background from another workspace
- Workspace background reset
Design
- Font size
- Compact mode
- Theme selection
- Apply theme to other spaces
- Tab underline style
- Link description visibility
- Auto-favicon on save
- Hover movement toggle for card and link slide/lift motion
- Reset design settings
Theme editor
- Saved theme strip
- Named theme save flow
- Unsaved changes indicator
- Custom CSS field for workspace-wide styling
- Theme export and import
- Reset theme values
Spaces
- Reorder spaces
- Rename spaces
- Protect, share, or delete spaces from the management list
- Import from code (creates a local copy) Pro
- Manage shared boards: copy, extend by 30 days, or delete created share codes Pro
- Subscribe to a managed board
- Managed boards appear in the same spaces management list
- Managed and read-only restrictions are shown in the UI
- Managed subscriptions can be removed without affecting the publisher
Data
- Export dashboard JSON
- Import dashboard JSON
- Import bookmarks as a new group
- Save current window as group
- Session recovery: view, restore, or clear the last session snapshot
- Compact layout tool
Account
- Activate a license key Pro
- Copy or remove a stored key Pro
- Cloud sync controls Pro
- Version history and restore Pro
- Managed board publishing tools Pro
- Source-bound board updates and restore-source actions Pro
- Companion app status and setup link
Managed boards
Managed boards let you subscribe to a read-only workspace that stays in sync with a published source. Publishing is a separate Pro workflow with source-bound updates and local restore safeguards.
Subscription flow
- Open Settings to the Spaces tab
- Enter a managed board token
- Subscribe to add the board as a workspace tab
- Password-protected boards can prompt for a password
Behavior after subscribing
- The board appears as a workspace tab
- The board also appears in the Spaces management list
- The workspace is read-only
- The tab shows a sync indicator
- Managed state and restrictions are shown in the UI
- The context menu is limited compared to normal spaces
- Managed-board branding can be applied
Publishing and updating
- Publishing and management live in Settings → Account Pro
- A published board is bound to the local source space it was created from
- Updating is only available when that exact source space is currently selected
- If the local source is deleted, the board stays published but must be restored locally before it can be updated again
Keyboard shortcuts
ReadyTab supports a small set of keyboard-driven actions for fast navigation.
Open Spotlight
Ctrl + Space
Open Spotlight on the new tab page
/
Move through Spotlight results
Up and Down
Open selected Spotlight result
Enter
Close Spotlight
Escape
Limits, caveats, and privacy
These notes reflect important implemented behavior that is worth knowing before you depend on a specific workflow.
- Folder, file, and command launchers require the companion app, available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- The all-pages Spotlight experience opens links in a new tab.
- The default space cannot be deleted and remains first.
- Managed boards are read-only once subscribed.
- Share codes import local copies; they do not create collaborative editing sessions. They expire after 30 days unless extended from Shared boards.
- Published managed boards are source-bound: deleting the local source does not revoke the board, but restoring the source locally is required before it can be updated again.
- Protected spaces use a passphrase-based protection flow and show lock indicators.
- Cloud sync is a Pro flow and is designed around encrypted client-side data handling.
- Background image uploads are validated in the extension.
FAQ and troubleshooting
ReadyTab did not replace my new tab page
Check that ReadyTab is enabled and that another extension is not also trying to replace the new tab page. If needed, disable the conflicting extension and open a new tab again.
Why do launcher items not open?
Folder, File, and command launchers require the companion app (Windows, macOS, and Linux). Use the Companion Setup Guide and then confirm the status in Settings → Account → Companion App.
Why is Spotlight opening links in a new tab?
That behavior applies to the all-pages Spotlight mode, because it runs outside the ReadyTab new-tab page. Inside the dashboard, normal link-target settings still apply.
Why can’t I see some features?
Some features are optional or gated. Extra spaces, cloud sync, managed-board publishing, and link health may depend on Pro, while launcher features depend on the companion app.
Can imported spaces stay synced?
No. Importing from code creates a local editable copy. If you need an ongoing read-only feed from a publisher, use a managed board subscription instead.
What should I do before making big changes?
Export a JSON backup from Settings → Data. That gives you a simple restore point before reorganizing spaces, editing many groups, or trying a new setup.
Support and bug reports
Running into a problem, or have an idea to make ReadyTab better? There are two easy ways to reach us.
Email support
For account, license, or purchase questions, email support@readytab.cloud. Please include your browser, the extension version (from Settings → Account), and a short description of what you expected versus what happened.
Report a bug or request a feature
Found a bug or want to suggest something? You are welcome to open a ticket on our public support tracker: github.com/yannkost/readytab-support. Search existing issues first in case it is already reported, then add steps to reproduce so we can fix it quickly.