A method and apparatus for presenting a tab-based graphic user interface (GUI) having more tabs than can be fitted across a screen side for a computer system. The computer system can be handheld devices such as personal digital assistants (PDA's) and cell phones. The tab-based GUI displays as many tabs as possible on the screen side. The on-screen tabs are arranged in a sequence on a side of the display screen wherein each of these displayed tabs is adapted to be selected by a user for entering into a file category. The off-screen and on-screen tabs form a circular array conceptually such that a portion of the circular array being displayed on the screen side is the sequence of the on-screen tabs. In response to the selection of a on-screen tab, the selected on-screen tab is automatically scrolled to the center position of the screen side. In response to the selection of another on-screen tab, the newly selected on-screen tab is automatically scrolled to the center position of the screen side. Any tab, whether on-screen or off-screen, can eventually be selected by repeatedly selecting a tab on-screen on the left-most position of the screen side until the desired tab is on-screen for selection.