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How can you set FireFox to automatically close the new tab that opens when opening a pdf file

  • 2 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by davey0110

davey0110
davey0110
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Hi, I work in tech support, and one of the user's I work with received a new computer. She has to open hundreds of pdf files a day for her job role. On her old computer, when clicking on a pdf file in Firefox, a new tab would open very briefly, and then close, taking her back to the original website she was on, with the standard "Open With or Save File" window. On the new computer, when clicking on a pdf file, the new (blank) tab stays open until she manually closes it. I feel like there should be an easy way to prevent that new tab from staying open, but I have toggled every setting in Firefox that is available to me regarding opening new tab or windows, and what to do when opening pdf files, but the new tab / window always stays open. I was going to start toggling the settings in about:config, but wanted to crowd source ideas before making some potentially damaging changes.

Any help would be greatly appreciated on this matter. I know that her old computer would have been updated to FF 52 from an older version, and I noticed yet some of the settings were the same as older versions (i.e. the menu bar was still active) where the new computer had a fresh install of FF 52.

Thanks, David

Hi, I work in tech support, and one of the user's I work with received a new computer. She has to open hundreds of pdf files a day for her job role. On her old computer, when clicking on a pdf file in Firefox, a new tab would open very briefly, and then close, taking her back to the original website she was on, with the standard "Open With or Save File" window. On the new computer, when clicking on a pdf file, the new (blank) tab stays open until she manually closes it. I feel like there should be an easy way to prevent that new tab from staying open, but I have toggled every setting in Firefox that is available to me regarding opening new tab or windows, and what to do when opening pdf files, but the new tab / window always stays open. I was going to start toggling the settings in about:config, but wanted to crowd source ideas before making some potentially damaging changes. Any help would be greatly appreciated on this matter. I know that her old computer would have been updated to FF 52 from an older version, and I noticed yet some of the settings were the same as older versions (i.e. the menu bar was still active) where the new computer had a fresh install of FF 52. Thanks, David

All Replies (2)

jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
  • Top 25 Contributor
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Here's my experience:

  • If the new tab is generated by the link having a target="_blank" attribute, Firefox usually will close the tab automatically when it realizes it's a download.
  • If the new tab was generated by the user using Ctrl+click or middle-click on a link, or by an extension that forces non-targeted links to a new tab, then Firefox often does not remove the tab in that case.
davey0110
davey0110 Question owner
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Thank you for your quick reply. We have targeted the same pdf link on both the old computer and new computer, and only the new computer leaves the blank "new tab" open. I tried ctrl-clicking, shift-clicking and regular clicking, and they will open either a new tab, or a new window depending on the click, but never closes the tab/window like the old computer used too.