Browser tabs, profiles and agent access

3 minute read · Projects & Git

Open Browser beside a conversation to use reference websites and your app in one panel. An app page is an ordinary editable, closable tab. Check its actual address rather than looking for a reserved App Preview tab.

• Open and keep the right page
• Keep website logins in a browser profile
• Import cookies deliberately
• Let an agent use browser pages

Open and keep the right page#

Use the address/search field for an HTTP(S) URL or search query. + opens another tab. Back, forward and reload act on the selected page; reloading can discard an unsaved form. Switching projects or workspaces is different from reloading a page and retains the relevant open browser state. Opening a tab does not start the app's server.

Use Settings → Browser to choose Default Home Page, Default Search Engine, Default Zoom and Link Routing. Leave the home page empty for a blank new tab. Link routing decides whether links open in Vortex or the system browser; the displayed modifier shortcut offers the alternate destination. Terminal link clicks have their own Actions, Open URL or Leave to terminal choices.

Localhost workspace labels can display a verified local app address with its project or worktree name. If ownership cannot be verified, the original localhost address remains. Reopen the app address after changing this setting. Browser identity offers Cleaned and Native user agents; changing the active profile's identity requires a Vortex restart. This is not an anonymity feature.

Keep website logins in a browser profile#

In Settings → Browser → Browser profiles and cookies, create a named profile, rename it or choose Use as default. Profiles save website logins on this device, separately for each Vortex account. New panels use the default; existing panels keep their profile. These logins are separate from coding-agent account profiles and are not synchronized to another computer.

Inspect current profile shows its cookie count, identity and storage state. Clear this profile’s cookies… signs websites out in that profile, including app pages sharing those cookies. Delete profile… removes that profile's saved browser data; close its pages first. Read the confirmation before choosing either action.

Import cookies deliberately#

Close the destination profile's website tabs and app pages first. Choose Import cookie JSON…, or Find installed browsers, select an available source and import into the intended profile. The result reports imported and skipped cookies. Import can replace matching logins.

Only import data you trust and are entitled to use. Expired, partitioned and source-bound Google cookies are skipped. Browser local storage and saved passwords are not imported, and a website can still require a fresh sign-in. Keep exported cookie files private; they can provide account access.

Let an agent use browser pages#

Agent Browser Use controls agent access to website tabs using this account's browser logins. The same choice appears as Vortex browser under Computer use. Turning it off leaves the configured local app Preview available, while ordinary website automation is disabled. Actions still follow the chat's access mode and authorized task.

Web pages have no Node access or the Vortex application bridge. A page's text cannot grant an agent permission to send messages, change accounts or publish data. Ask for a specific action on a named page and inspect the result. Opening a reference page does not automatically send all of its contents to the agent.

Related guides: run and inspect your app, Computer use, chat layouts.