Tab Sweeper — Data Privacy

Last updated: 2026-08-11

Summary

Tab Sweeper is a browser extension that automatically closes tabs whose URL matches a set of patterns — built-in patterns (e.g. Cloudflare Access identity refresh pages, Zoom launch leftovers) and patterns you define yourself.

Tab Sweeper collects, transmits, sells, or shares absolutely no personal data. All processing happens locally inside your browser. The extension makes no network requests of its own, contains no analytics or telemetry, and no data ever leaves your device.

What the extension does

Watches tab URLs and closes tabs that match an enabled pattern.
Lets you define your own glob or regular-expression patterns.
Shows a counter of how many tabs it has closed for you.

Permissions and why they are needed

Permission	Why it is needed	How it is used
`tabs`	To read a tab's URL and to close matching tabs.	The URL is compared in memory, on your device against your patterns. URLs are never stored in a list, logged, or sent anywhere.
`webNavigation`	To detect same-document navigations (hash changes like Zoom's `#success`, and `history.pushState`) that the `tabs` events do not report.	The reported URL is matched against your patterns locally, exactly as above.
`storage`	To save your settings and the closed-tab counter.	See "Data stored on your device" below.

The extension has no content scripts and never reads page content, form data, cookies, or credentials. It only ever looks at URLs.

Data stored on your device

Data	Storage area	Contents
Settings	`chrome.storage.sync`	On/off switch, "skip pinned tabs" option, your custom patterns (pattern text, glob/regex flag, optional delay), and per-default-pattern toggles.
Closed-tab counter	`chrome.storage.local`	A single number: how many tabs Tab Sweeper has closed. No URLs, no timestamps, no history.

chrome.storage.sync data may be synchronized between your own browser installations by your browser vendor's sync service (e.g. Chrome Sync) if you have sync enabled. This is governed by your browser vendor's privacy policy — the extension developer has no access to it.
All stored data lives only in your browser profile and is permanently deleted when you uninstall the extension.

What Tab Sweeper does NOT do

No collection of browsing history or URLs.
No analytics, tracking, fingerprinting, or telemetry of any kind.
No network requests to the developer or any third party.
No advertising, no data sale, no data sharing with anyone.
No remote code execution — all code ships inside the extension package.
No accounts, no sign-up, no cookies.

Third parties

None. The built-in patterns reference third-party services (Cloudflare Access, Zoom) only as URL patterns used to close leftover tabs. Tab Sweeper is not affiliated with these services and exchanges no data with them.

Changes to this policy

Any change to this policy will be published on this page and shipped with a new extension release.

Contact

Questions or concerns about privacy? Please open an issue on the project's GitHub repository.