Enable Vertical Tabs in ULAA Browser: Full Guide

How to enable vertical tabs in the Ulaa browser?

How to Enable Vertical Tabs in Zoho's Ulaa Browser

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How to Enable Vertical Tabs in Zoho's Ulaa Browser (And What to Do If You Can't)

Originally published at How to turn Vertical Tabs in ULAA Browser? on Reddit's r/Zoho community.


If you've seen screenshots or videos of Ulaa browser with tabs neatly stacked along the side of the screen and wondered "how do I get that?" — you're not alone. Vertical tabs in Ulaa are a real, documented feature, but there's an important catch that trips up many users: not every version of Ulaa supports it the same way.

This guide cuts through the confusion. We'll explain exactly what Ulaa is, which editions support vertical tabs, how to enable them step by step, and what to do if the option simply isn't showing up for you.


What Is Ulaa Browser? (A Quick Primer)

Before diving into the how-to, it's worth establishing the basics — because Ulaa is still relatively new and many users encounter it for the first time through Zoho's ecosystem.

Ulaa is a privacy-first, Chromium-based web browser developed by Zoho. It was built to address the growing frustration with browsers that monetize your browsing data. Zoho's stated position is simple: Ulaa does not track or share your browsing data with third parties.

Beyond privacy, Ulaa is a capable productivity browser. Key features include:

  • Built-in ad and tracker blocking — blocks advertising, third-party scripts, pop-ups, and fingerprinting attempts by default
  • Isolated Browsing Modes — separate Work, Personal, Developer, Open Season, and Kids modes, each with their own cookies, history, and session data
  • Tabs Manager — a central hub for organizing, grouping, pinning, pausing, and saving tabs
  • Smart Grouping — automatically clusters related tabs to reduce clutter and memory usage
  • Zoho Account Sync — end-to-end encrypted synchronization of passwords, bookmarks, history, and settings across devices
  • Zoho Notebook integration — take notes without leaving the browser
  • Zia Search — AI-powered search deeply integrated with the Zoho ecosystem

Ulaa is built on Chromium, so it supports the same websites and extensions you'd use in Chrome or Edge — while adding a layer of privacy and Zoho-native productivity on top.

New to Ulaa? You can explore the full Zoho product suite, including Ulaa, through Zoho One — a single subscription that bundles 45+ Zoho applications for your business.


The Critical Distinction: Ulaa vs. Ulaa Enterprise

Here's the piece of information that resolves most of the confusion around vertical tabs:

Vertical tabs are officially documented as a desktop feature of Ulaa Enterprise, Zoho's managed browser edition for organizations. The feature is listed in Ulaa Enterprise's release notes as:

"Vertical Tabs | Desktop | Organizes browser tabs vertically for improved navigation and workspace management."

This means:

Edition Vertical Tabs Support
Ulaa (Consumer) May not be available or may be limited by version
Ulaa Enterprise Officially supported on desktop

If you're using the standard consumer version of Ulaa and can't find vertical tabs, this is almost certainly why. The feature exists — it’s just gated to the Enterprise edition or newer builds.


How to Enable Vertical Tabs in Ulaa (Step-by-Step)

If your version of Ulaa supports vertical tabs, here's how to enable them:

Method 1: Via the Tabs Manager

  1. Open Ulaa on your desktop (Windows or macOS)
  2. Locate the Tabs Manager — look for the tab icon in the toolbar or sidebar area
  3. Open the Tabs Manager panel
  4. Look for a layout toggle — this may appear as "Vertical Tabs," "Tab Layout," or a sidebar icon
  5. Select "Vertical Tabs" to switch from the horizontal tab strip to a vertical side panel
  6. Optionally configure whether the panel stays expanded or auto-collapses when not in use

Method 2: Via Browser Settings

  1. Open Ulaa and click the main menu (three-dot or hamburger icon in the top-right corner)
  2. Navigate to Settings
  3. Go to Appearance or Tabs section
  4. Look for Tab Layout or Vertical Tabs toggle
  5. Enable the option and restart the browser if prompted

Method 3: Right-Click the Tab Bar

Some Ulaa builds allow you to right-click directly on the tab strip to access layout options:

  1. Right-click on the tab bar (the area where your open tabs appear)
  2. Look for "Show Tabs on Side", "Vertical Tab Layout", or similar option
  3. Select it to switch to vertical mode

Pro Tip: If you're on Ulaa Enterprise, your IT administrator may control tab layout settings centrally via policy. Check with your admin if the option appears greyed out.


What to Do If Vertical Tabs Aren't Available

Don't panic if you've followed the steps above and still can't find the vertical tabs option. Here's a structured troubleshooting path:

✅ Step 1: Update Ulaa to the Latest Version

Ulaa is actively developed, and features are added regularly. An outdated build may simply not include vertical tabs yet.

  • Open Ulaa's main menu
  • Navigate to Help → About Ulaa (or similar)
  • Check for and install any available updates
  • Restart and try again

✅ Step 2: Confirm Which Edition You're Using

  • Consumer Ulaa (downloaded from ulaa.com) — vertical tabs may not be available
  • Ulaa Enterprise (deployed by your organization) — vertical tabs are officially supported

If you're on the consumer edition and need vertical tabs, consider whether upgrading to Ulaa Enterprise makes sense for your workflow.

✅ Step 3: Check the Official Ulaa Support Portal

The Ulaa Support Portal is the most reliable source for version-specific documentation. Search for "vertical tabs" to find the latest instructions for your exact build.

✅ Step 4: Post in the Ulaa Community

The Ulaa community forum is active and monitored by the Zoho team. Other users and Zoho staff can confirm whether vertical tabs are available in your specific version and how to access them.

✅ Step 5: Use a Workaround in the Meantime

If vertical tabs aren't yet available in your edition, Ulaa's Tabs Manager provides a similar organizational benefit — giving you a structured, searchable view of all open tabs without requiring a full vertical layout.


Ulaa's Tab Management Features (Even Without Vertical Tabs)

Even if vertical tabs aren't available in your current build, Ulaa's tab management capabilities are genuinely impressive:

  • Smart Grouping — automatically clusters related tabs (e.g., all your research tabs together)
  • Pinned Tabs — keep frequently used pages anchored at the top
  • Paused Tabs — suspend inactive tabs to free up memory
  • Saved Tabs — bookmark tabs for later without cluttering your bookmarks bar
  • Tabs Manager Panel — a bird's-eye view of everything open across all modes

For power users managing dozens of tabs across multiple projects, these features alone make Ulaa worth exploring — vertical tabs or not.


Why Ulaa's Privacy-First Approach Matters for Business Users

For business users evaluating Ulaa, the privacy architecture deserves special attention. Unlike Chrome (which feeds data back to Google's advertising ecosystem), Ulaa is built by a company — Zoho — that has no advertising business model. Zoho's revenue comes entirely from software subscriptions, which means there's no financial incentive to monetize your browsing behavior.

Specific business-relevant privacy features include:

  • Multi-ID Protection — periodically refreshes browser identifiers to prevent cross-session tracking
  • Encrypted Sync — all synchronized data (passwords, bookmarks, history) is protected by end-to-end encryption and a user-controlled passphrase
  • Isolated Modes — keep your work browsing completely separate from personal browsing at the browser level, not just the tab level
  • No DNS Prefetching — prevents your browsing intentions from being inferred before you've even clicked a link

For organizations already using Zoho's suite of business tools, Ulaa Enterprise adds centralized policy management, audit logs, controlled extension deployment, and Zia-powered security features like real-time phishing detection.


Ulaa in the Context of the Zoho Ecosystem

Ulaa isn't a standalone product — it's designed to work with the broader Zoho platform. If your business already uses tools like Zoho CRM, Zoho Projects, or Zoho Workplace, Ulaa adds a browser layer that keeps your work context intact.

Zia Search, for example, lets you search across your Zoho apps directly from the browser's address bar — without switching tabs or logging into separate portals. For teams that live inside Zoho's ecosystem, this kind of integration is a genuine productivity multiplier.


Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is Ulaa free to use?
A: The consumer version of Ulaa is free. Ulaa Enterprise is available as part of Zoho's enterprise offerings — contact Zoho for pricing.

Q: Is Ulaa available on all platforms?
A: Ulaa is available on Windows, macOS, and Android. Check the official Ulaa website for the latest platform availability.

Q: Can I use Chrome extensions in Ulaa?
A: Yes. Because Ulaa is built on Chromium, it supports Chromium-compatible extensions.

Q: Does Ulaa sync with my Zoho account?
A: Yes. Signing in with your Zoho Account enables encrypted sync of passwords, bookmarks, history, and settings across devices.

Q: Are vertical tabs available on mobile?
A: Vertical tabs are documented as a desktop feature. Mobile tab management works differently by design.


Key Takeaways

  • Ulaa is a real, actively developed browser made by Zoho — not a niche or unverified tool
  • Vertical tabs are an officially documented feature, but currently confirmed for Ulaa Enterprise desktop builds
  • Consumer Ulaa users may not see vertical tabs yet — update to the latest version and check the support portal
  • Ulaa Enterprise users should look in the Tabs Manager or Settings → Appearance for the vertical tab layout toggle
  • Even without vertical tabs, Ulaa's Smart Grouping, Tabs Manager, and Pinned/Paused Tabs provide powerful tab organization
  • For businesses, Ulaa's privacy architecture and Zoho ecosystem integration make it a compelling alternative to Chrome or Edge

Need Help Configuring Ulaa for Your Business?

If you're evaluating Ulaa Enterprise for your organization — or looking to integrate Ulaa with your existing Zoho stack — the team at Creator Scripts can help. We specialize in Zoho implementations, customizations, and workflow optimization.

You might also find these related guides helpful:


This article is based on verified Zoho documentation, the official Ulaa support portal, and community research. Originally inspired by the discussion at How to turn Vertical Tabs in ULAA Browser? on Reddit's r/Zoho community. Feature availability may vary by Ulaa version and edition — always check the official Ulaa support portal for the most current instructions.