OpenAI updates ChatGPT Atlas with tab groups and smarter search switching

Atlas browser

OpenAI is rolling out another noteworthy update to ChatGPT Atlas, its AI-powered browser for Mac, continuing to flesh out the product months after its first major release.

According to the latest release notes, Atlas now supports tab groups, making it easier to organise large browsing sessions. The update also addresses issues with vertical tab “mini mode” and simplifies the right-click context menu for tabs, reducing visual clutter.

Search is another focus area in this release. Atlas now includes an “Auto” search mode that automatically switches between ChatGPT and Google depending on the nature of the query. OpenAI says the browser will decide which engine is better suited for the request, rather than forcing users to choose manually. The search results interface has also been refreshed, with a new vertical layout that surfaces links more prominently within answers.

There are smaller but practical improvements elsewhere. Users migrating from Safari will now be prompted to install the iCloud passwords extension during onboarding, smoothing the transition for those already embedded in Apple’s ecosystem. OpenAI has also simplified the address bar context menu, fixed crashes, updated translations, and added support for macOS keyboard text replacements on webpages.

This update follows Atlas’s first major feature drop in November, which introduced vertical tabs, iCloud Passkey support, and the option to use Google as the default search engine.

For now, ChatGPT Atlas remains exclusive to macOS. OpenAI has previously said versions for Windows, iOS, and Android are in development, but there’s still no timeline for when those will arrive.