Tab Scrolling Not Working on Chrome and Brave [Fixed]

With the Chromium version 144, numerous users voiced their concern that the Tab Scrolling was no longer working in the Google Chrome browser. We did some digging and found out that the #scrollable-tabstrip flag has been removed from the browser [more on that later]. So many users decided to move over to another Chromium browser, Brave, only to find out that it has also been impacted by the said change.

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So, whether you’re using the arrow keys or the mouse scroll, you wouldn’t be able to scroll through your open tabs. All of them have been crammed into one single space, which has resulted in the tab’s size being so small that it is literally impossible to correctly click on a particular tab in one attempt. Fortunately, there are a couple of handy workarounds that will help you address this issue once and for all. So without any further ado, let’s check them out.

  • Fix Tab Scrolling Not Working on Chrome and Brave Chrome Fix Brave Fix Vertical Tabs
  • Is the Removal of the scrollable-tabstrip flag Intentional?

Fix Tab Scrolling Not Working on Chrome and Brave

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In order to rectify this issue, you need to downgrade Chrome and Brave to their older version. Here’s how it can be carried out: [before starting, please back up and sync your data, extensions, bookmarks, etc].

Chrome Fix

  1. First off, uninstall the current version of the browser.
  2. Next, download an older version from a third-party site like UptoDown .
  3. Now, launch Run via Win+R, type services.msc , and hit Enter to open Services.
  4. Then double-click on Google Update Service (gupdate) and Google Update Service (gupdatem) (if present).
  5. Next, go to the General tab, set Startup type to Disabled, and click OK. That’s it.

Brave Fix

  1. First off, uninstall the current version of the browser.
  2. Next, download the version 1.85.111 from GitHub releases .
  3. Now launch Run via Win+R, type services.msc , and hit Enter to open Services.
  4. Then double-click on Brave Update Service (brave) and Brave Update Service (bravem) (if present).
  5. Next, go to the General tab, set Startup type to Disabled, and click OK.
  6. Let’s now block the Updater via File Permissions as well. For that, go to: C:\Program Files (x86)\BraveSoftware\Update
  7. Then right-click the Update folder → Properties → Security → Advanced.
  8. Now, click Disable Inheritance → Remove all permissions → Apply.
  9. This will prevent Brave from modifying or downloading updates.

Vertical Tabs

You can also give a shot at Vertical Tabs until the issue has been addressed. For that, do check out our guide below:

How to Enable Vertical Tabs in Google Chrome

Is the Removal of the scrollable-tabstrip flag Intentional?

Yes, the scrollable-tabstrip flag has been intentionally removed by Google. But why did it do so? Well, Google is planning to improve on the infrastructure and the tech used in the tsb scrolling. And for that, removal of the old one is a must, as both the new and old cannot co-exist concurrently. According to the tech giant, it is only a matter of time before the new implementation is rolled out, and when that happens, the underlying issue should be fixed as well. Here’s what Google had to say in this regard:

Hi everyone, thanks for following up and sharing your feedback! We understand the frustration caused by the removal of tab scrolling, especially for those who rely on it for managing many tabs. To clarify the technical context: the previous implementation was an experiment built on legacy infrastructure that was no longer sustainable. To build a robust, high-quality version of tab scrolling that can eventually be stabilized for all users, we had to retire the existing code. Unfortunately, maintaining that legacy path while simultaneously developing the new architecture was not technically feasible due to mounting code conflicts and instability. Please be assured that this is a temporary state. There is an active, high-priority effort underway to bring back tab scrolling in a more reliable and polished form. While we know there isn’t a perfect substitute in the interim, we wanted to be transparent about the plan and the technical necessity of this change. We appreciate your patience and your passion for this feature—it helps us ensure we’re building the best possible experience for the future and that we are prioritizing the right efforts. Apologies again for the interruption to your workflow.

So this is all from this guide regarding the tab scrolling not working in Chrome or Brave. We will update this guide with more updates as and when they are live. In the meantime, the aforementioned workarounds should help you out.

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