# Visual Basic > Visual Basic .NET >  [RESOLVED] Delete tab control and keep controls in place

## vbcub

I have a form with 4 tabs with controls on each tab.  I want to remove the tabs and just have the form with the controls from the first tab only; no tabs.  I know I can remove the last 3 tabs and controls easily.  It is the first tab that I want to remove.  Is there a simple way of removing a tab and leaving the controls?  Thanks.

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## jmcilhinney

You cannot delete a container without deleting its children, so the obvious solution is to move those children from the TabPage to the form first, then delete the TabControl. Don't cut and paste them if you have any event handlers for any of them, because the link will be lost. Select all the controls and then drag them onto the form, then delete the TabControl. You can then move the controls to the appropriate place on the form, either as a group or one by one. If you need to temporarily increase the size of the form so that you have room to move the controls then do that. There's nothing stopping you reinstating the original size once you're done.

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## vbcub

Thank you.  I was hoping there was a way to separate the controls from the tab. Have a Happy New Year!

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## Peter Porter

Removed what I wrote before here.

I'm sure you know how to manually select your controls.

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## vbcub

Yep, thanks for replying.  I made my form size 3600x900 and started on the right side.  I moved the right column of controls from the tab to the form.  I then shrunk the right side of the tab to the left and moved the second right column of controls to the form. Then shrunk the tab and moved the third right column of controls.  Shrunk the tab one last time.  Moved the remaining controls to the form, held my breath, and deleted the tab.  Success!  Then I moved the controls to the left side of the form and made the form 1500x900.  Thanks for explaining it to me how parent and child controls work.

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## jmcilhinney

For the record, you ought to be using some form of source control, even if you're just a beginner hobbyist. That way, you wouldn't have hold your breath. If it didn't work, you'd simply roll back the changes.

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