What if your browser was more than just a passive window? That’s the question we asked ourselves when we set out to redesign Shift. Today, we’re proud to take a closer look at this milestone launch, a browser reimagined entirely by you.
Imagine a browser that reflects exactly how you think. A completely custom setup that allows you to switch between lives with just a click, and flow between tasks without friction. A browser that adapts to you, whether you’re a software engineer, freelancer, student, marketer, or entrepreneur.
In the all-new Shift, you have the power to shape your browser however you want. Drag and drop apps, bars, and controls anywhere in your browser. Reimagine what your browser looks like, how it functions, and how it serves you so it’s not just a passive window or a search portal—it’s a personalized command center.
If you want to get a jumpstart on building a custom layout, Shift now offers layout templates designed to reflect different browsing styles. Here are a few top picks from Shift’s new templates:
- The Original Shiftie: You'll recognize this one if you’re a long-time Shift user. Apps and Spaces are pinned on your sidebar, making it seamless for you to context-switch between all the projects you have on the go.
- The Creative: Get the best of both worlds: a distraction-free workspace and a collapsible sidebar with all your tools. When you need to focus, this template is a blank canvas but your sidebar stays on standby for when you’re ready to turn ideas into action.
- The Maverick: Like to do things a bit differently? Turn organization upside down with a layout for multi-taskers who like breaking out of the norm. Support flexible, experimental workflows with your apps and Spaces pinned to the bottom of your browser.
Take our quick quiz to reveal the other three templates and find out which template matches your browsing style the best.
Don’t need all the bells and whistles of a template? Remove, add, reorganize—simply drag and drop to make it your own. But how did this personalized browser come to life? We’re ready to tell you.
The big idea: your browser, your way
Tangled tabs, windows, logins, and apps, workarounds, incognito windows, work bleeding into personal life—does that all sound familiar? The browser, once the gateway to the internet, has become a passive container: bloated, inflexible, and indifferent to how you use the internet. We set out to solve that problem.
In today’s one-size-fits-all browser landscape, it's normal to retrofit your browser with extensions, hacks, and tab organizers. There are over 1110,000 Chrome extensions available today, with more than half dedicated to productivity—clear proof that people are patching together workflows that should be streamlined. But patch fixes aren't the long-term solution.
58% of users feel overwhelmed while browsing, and 83% want a browser that “makes them feel better,” highlighting the emotional toll of digital clutter. The problem is so widespread that 82% of users see browser clutter as an issue. The need was clear: more control, more autonomy. Users want more say in what’s clutter and what’s a shortcut, so everything you see on your screen is intentional and empowers you to think bigger, focus deeper, and well…feel better about opening your browser.
In the end, it came down to a single idea: browsers shouldn’t serve the web, they should serve you. With the all-new Shift, you can build your browser for how you actually use the internet.
Behind the scenes of the all-new Shift
As Michael Foucher (VP of Product) recalled, when the idea for a fully customizable browser came about, “it seemed audacious at first—no one had tried this level of customization before, but the potential felt too big to ignore.”
As we explored the market, we realized that while other browsers offered surface-level personalization, “no one lets you move the bars or every UI element,” Michael said. That gap shaped Shift’s goal: become the first browser where layout is entirely user-defined.
Michael Foucher, VP of ProductEvery user seems to have one thing in Shift that they would like to change and now this capability would allow them to do it.
Behind the scenes, the path to launch was far from simple. For the level of customization we were shooting for, “We had to build a layout engine fast enough to keep Shift stable even while you drag the entire interface around,” Michael said. Then came the UX challenge of infinite freedom: guardrails and reset options had to keep experimentation fun, never frustrating. Shift’s interface needed to be capable of handling limitless configurations.
Michael Foucher, VP of ProductNo one had quite tried to do this level of customization before.
Early prototypes went straight to our existing Shift users. Watching testers in real-time exposed hidden snags—for example, many didn’t realize they could nudge bars into unconventional spots. The team turned that insight into clearer demo videos and support docs so newcomers could grasp the full range of movement.
“Throughout the project, I expected pushback from developers when confronted with such a complex vision,” Michael recalled. “Instead, a senior dev stood up and said, ‘We can do this.’ That moment captured the mindset of all the people behind Shift—fearless, driven, and unwilling to settle for the status quo.”
Michael’s personal setup is based on The Creative template, one of Shift’s pre-built templates designed to reflect different browsing styles (shown below). This particular layout draws from some of the most innovative new design principles in the browser space, giving him a creative canvas to organize tabs, apps, and bookmarks exactly how his mind maps the web.
Looking ahead, Michael’s advice for anyone diving into Shift for the first time is, “Don’t be constrained by your previous concepts of what a browser is. Think hard about how you want the internet to work for you, and then let your creativity fly on our customization engine of the Internet.”
Create your custom browser
Ready to reimagine your browser? Test out the all-new Shift and create a setup that reflects how you use the internet. Because Shift users don’t just browse the web. You orchestrate it.
