Tabs
Tabs let you keep several browsing contexts open at once, such as different folders, split panes, or a saved workspace. Switch between them from the tab bar at the top of the window.
Open a tab
- Click + on the tab bar to open a new file explorer tab.
- Middle-click a row in the Navigator (favorite, location, or Vial) to open that path in a new tab.
Where a new tab starts depends on your settings. By default it opens your home folder (or another folder you chose in settings). You can also set new tabs to duplicate the current pane’s folder instead. See Default behaviors.
Switch tabs
Click a tab to make it active. Only the active tab’s panes are fully live; inactive explorer tabs stay open in the background so you can return without losing your place.
When you switch back to a tab you have not used for a while, Phials refreshes each pane’s file list from disk so you see current files.
Close a tab
- Click the tab’s ×.
- Middle-click a tab.
- Right-click the tab and choose Close Tab, Close Other Tabs, or Close Tabs to Right.
- Ctrl+W (Windows/Linux) or ⌘W (macOS) closes the active tab.
You cannot close the last remaining tab.
When you close the active tab, focus moves to the tab immediately to the right; if you close the rightmost tab, focus moves left. Closing an inactive tab does not change which tab is active.
Reorder tabs
Drag tabs along the bar to change their order.
Pin a tab
Right-click a tab and choose Pin Tab. Pinned tabs stay at the front of the bar and are less likely to be closed by mistake. Choose Unpin Tab to undo.
Duplicate a tab
Right-click a tab and choose Duplicate Tab. The copy opens with the same paths, pane layout, and view setup as the original, but it is an independent tab with its own file listings.
Split a tab into panes
To show two or more folders side by side within one tab, split the layout. That is separate from opening another tab. See Arranging panels.
Save a tab setup as a workspace
When a tab holds a layout you want to reopen later, save it as a workspace. Right-click the tab and choose Save as Workspace, or use the Workspaces section in the Navigator.