# Tabhand

Tabhand lets an agent use your signed-in Chrome through background tabs. It helps with sites that require an account you already use.

- MCP server · `type=mcp` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf (Devin Desktop), Cline, Zed, Gemini CLI · ★ 3
- Author: tabhand
- License: MIT · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/tabhand/tabhand
- Updated: 2026-10-24
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/tabhand

## What it does

An agent can work with pages in your Chrome, including email and admin dashboards that are available after you sign in. Its tabs stay grouped apart from yours and do not take over the browser’s focus. The agent cannot reach your own tabs or tabs belonging to another session, and you do not give it your password.

Tabhand connects an MCP client to a Chrome extension through a local process and Unix socket. The documented setup uses macOS and Google Chrome; run `npx tabhand setup` to configure detected agents and open the extension page. Chrome is required for this setup. You can pause agents from the Tabhand button in the browser toolbar.

## Requirements
- Needs: Node.js (commands run via npx)

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

**Platform CLI**
```bash
claude mcp add tabhand -- npx -y tabhand
```

### Codex

**Platform CLI**
```bash
codex mcp add tabhand -- npx -y tabhand
```

### Cursor

**Config file**
File `.cursor/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "tabhand": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "tabhand"
            ]
        }
    }
}
```

### GitHub Copilot

**Config file**
File `.vscode/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "servers": {
        "tabhand": {
            "type": "stdio",
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "tabhand"
            ]
        }
    }
}
```

### Gemini CLI

**Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini mcp add tabhand npx -y tabhand
```

## When to use it
- let an agent work with pages in a signed-in Chrome session
- open agent pages in the background without changing browser focus
- keep agent tabs separate from personal tabs and other sessions
- pause agents from Chrome’s toolbar

## Example prompts
- Open the admin dashboard in Chrome and check the settings I can access.
- Find the relevant email in my Chrome session without bringing the tab forward.
- Open the account settings page in an agent tab and report what it contains.

## Similar
- [REA](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/rea.md) — MCP server · ★ 392262
- [GitHub](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/github.md) — MCP server · ★ 33989
- [Netdata](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/netdata.md) — MCP server · ★ 81163
- [browser-use](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/browser-use.md) — MCP server · ★ 119231
- [Codebase Memory](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/codebase-memory.md) — MCP server · ★ 47577
- [mcp-server](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/mcp-server.md) — MCP server · ★ 43902

---
NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md