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How can I make Firefox stay on the current webpage when I right click a link and then select 'Open link in new Tab?'

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  • 2 have this problem
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  • Last reply by cor-el

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A good example is found by looking at this link to Ticketmaster for the current Metallica tour https://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/735647?tm_link=tm_homeA_header_search. If I right click on any of the blue rectangles that say "See Tickets" and right click "open link in new tab," it will open a new tab but it will also DISPLAY that new tab on my screen, taking me away from the original screen (in this case the one with all the tour dates) and I have to click back to the original screen to view it's contents. I want to be able to stay on the original screen while opening 1 or several new links in new tabs that do NOT take the focus away from the first page. Then I can view those new tabs when I'm ready. Chrome already does this if that helps at all. I'm running Windows 10 Pro. Thank you very much for any help you can provide.

A good example is found by looking at this link to Ticketmaster for the current Metallica tour https://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/735647?tm_link=tm_homeA_header_search. If I right click on any of the blue rectangles that say "See Tickets" and right click "open link in new tab," it will open a new tab but it will also DISPLAY that new tab on my screen, taking me away from the original screen (in this case the one with all the tour dates) and I have to click back to the original screen to view it's contents. I want to be able to stay on the original screen while opening 1 or several new links in new tabs that do NOT take the focus away from the first page. Then I can view those new tabs when I'm ready. Chrome already does this if that helps at all. I'm running Windows 10 Pro. Thank you very much for any help you can provide.

Chosen solution

Hi Silver303, I think normally Firefox would open that tab in the background so you can stay on the current tab and look at the new tab later. If yours isn't doing that, could you check this setting:

  • Windows: "3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Options
  • Mac: "3-bar" menu button (or Firefox menu) > Preferences
  • Linux: "3-bar" menu button (or Edit menu) > Preferences
  • Any system: type or paste about:preferences into the address bar and press Enter/Return to load it

After the Startup section you should see the Tabs section. Make sure the following box is NOT checked:

"When you open a link in a new tab, switch to it immediately"

(or check and uncheck it, like turning it off and on again)

Does that help?

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Seçilmiş Həll

Hi Silver303, I think normally Firefox would open that tab in the background so you can stay on the current tab and look at the new tab later. If yours isn't doing that, could you check this setting:

  • Windows: "3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Options
  • Mac: "3-bar" menu button (or Firefox menu) > Preferences
  • Linux: "3-bar" menu button (or Edit menu) > Preferences
  • Any system: type or paste about:preferences into the address bar and press Enter/Return to load it

After the Startup section you should see the Tabs section. Make sure the following box is NOT checked:

"When you open a link in a new tab, switch to it immediately"

(or check and uncheck it, like turning it off and on again)

Does that help?

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Thank you jscher2000. What's weird is I tried that solution a few days ago, and then again a second time. Seemed like it should have been a pretty easy and obvious fix. Couldn't understand why it wouldn't take. But what finally did the trick, thanks to your suggestion, was turning it on/off a few times until it 'stuck.' Working fine now. Thank you!

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There are other things that need attention.

The System Details list shows an outdated Flash plugin.

  • Shockwave Flash 30.0 r0

You can download the latest Flash player plugin for Firefox on this page.