leafOfTree · Oct 17, 2026 · Oct 17, 2026
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,63 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## v2026.10.17-beta.1 — 2026-10-17 (preview)
+
+Changes since v2026.10.10-beta.1, including those first shipped in v2026.10.13-beta.1.
+This remains a preview release.
+
+### Grouping and app rules
+
+- Group different apps together automatically: App rules now has Groups across apps,
+  where named groups are edited inline and apps are added from the running ones.
+  Rules match apps by executable name, and apps in a cross-app group keep their tabs.
+- Remember groups across restarts. Groups made by dragging tabs come back when their
+  windows reopen, matched by app and window title, and can be ungrouped in one click
+  from App rules.
+- Group windows by virtual desktop: a window opened on another desktop starts its own
+  group, and automatic groups of one app that end up on the same desktop merge.
+- App rules lists only running apps, folds the rest under one row, shows Windows
+  (Store) apps with their own icon and explains both kinds of grouping on hover.
+  Task Manager can have tabs when WindowTabs runs elevated.
+
+### Workspaces
+
+- Show the restore result in front of the restored windows, with counts and every
+  window that was not found or failed.
+- Restore windows whose title changed by matching their app.
+- Offer to launch apps that are not running, wait for their windows and add them to
+  the restored groups. Windows (Store) apps are not offered.
+
+### Tabs, taskbar and shortcuts
+
+- Keep drag-selecting text working in apps that run with a different permission level
+  than WindowTabs, such as Word while WindowTabs runs as administrator. Such groups
+  keep separate taskbar buttons.
+- Keep groups with combined taskbar icons on their own virtual desktop. Clicking a
+  taskbar thumbnail opens that tab, and every thumbnail shows again after the group's
+  thumbnails close. Minimized tabs show their app icon.
+- Show the front app's icon with the next app's icon in its corner on a combined
+  taskbar icon, or choose an icon file for the group from the tab menu.
+- Add vertical tabs on the left or right, with resizable, scrolling columns that stay
+  on their monitor. Each group remembers its tab layout across restarts and workspace
+  restores.
+- Keep tabs stable when minimizing, maximizing and snapping, and line up grouped
+  windows by their visible frames.
+- Add a Close tab shortcut (Ctrl + Alt + W) and a setting to turn off middle-click
+  closing. Choose switching tabs by number from off, Ctrl + 1-9 or Alt + 1-9.
+- Tab search can switch directly to matching windows in any app, sorts results by
+  match while typing and marks windows on other virtual desktops.
+- Simplify the tab menu, which now names the app, and round both ends of spaced tabs.
+
+### Startup and releases
+
+- Starting WindowTabs while it runs makes the running copy exit and takes over;
+  run at startup points to the copy started last.
+- On exit, restore every window's virtual desktop and taskbar button.
+- Drop the Json.NET dependency, making WindowTabs.exe 0.7 MB smaller.
+- Release executables can be signed through SignPath.
+
+Exit WindowTabs before replacing the exe. Existing settings are kept.
+
 ## v2026.10.10-beta.1 — 2026-10-10 (preview)
 
 Changes since v2026.10.07. This remains a preview release.

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ between them with a click or a shortcut.
 [![Build](https://github.com/leafOfTree/WindowTabs/actions/workflows/build.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/leafOfTree/WindowTabs/actions/workflows/build.yml)
 
 > [!IMPORTANT]
-> **v2026.10.10-beta.1 preview**: improved file drops, themed tab and tray menus, taskbar
-> previews and tab switching. [What's changed →](CHANGELOG.md)
+> **v2026.10.17-beta.1 preview**: group different apps together, remembered groups,
+> vertical tabs and workspace restores that launch missing apps. [What's changed →](CHANGELOG.md)
 
 <a href="docs/images/light.png"><img src="docs/images/light-rounded.svg" width="600" alt="Light tabs grouping three File Explorer windows" /></a>
 
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ the top edge to show them, or set **Auto-hide tabs** to **Never**.
 | New window of the current app | Ctrl + Alt + N |
 | Switch tabs with the mouse | Scroll over the tab bar, or Shift + scroll over the window |
 | Move the current tab | Ctrl + scroll over the tab bar |
-| Close a tab | Middle-click |
+| Close a tab | Ctrl + Alt + W, or middle-click |
 
 Change any shortcut under **Settings → Shortcuts**. If Ctrl/Alt + number conflicts
 with an app, turn it off for that app from the tab's right-click menu.
@@ -55,8 +55,11 @@ right-drag asks, and **Ctrl + Z** in Explorer undoes it.
 
 - **Appearance:** light, dark or follow Windows; Joined, Folder or Floating tabs;
   per-tab or per-app colors.
-- **App rules:** choose which apps get tabs and which group automatically. In the Grouping rules tree below, create named groups and add applications to them. Each app belongs to one rule group and disables Group by app while its rule is enabled. The new-app default at the top keeps existing app choices unchanged.
-- **Workspaces:** save groups and window positions, then restore them onto open windows.
+- **App rules:** choose which running apps get tabs and which group automatically.
+  Under **Groups across apps**, create named groups so windows of different apps join
+  one group. Groups made by dragging tabs are remembered and listed there too.
+- **Workspaces:** save groups and window positions, then restore them onto open windows;
+  apps that are not running can be launched and their windows restored.
 - **Taskbar:** optionally combine each group into one taskbar button.
 - **Languages:** English, 中文, 日本語.