This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Wo archive tread sia. Meɖekuku bia biabia yeye ne ehia kpeɖeŋu.

Middle click on link not opening in new tab

  • 7 ŋuɖoɖowo
  • 4 masɔmasɔ sia le wosi
  • 4 views
  • Nuɖoɖo mlɔetɔ cor-el

soundwave
soundwave
more options

Normally, middle clicking on a link will open the link in a new tab - that's what I want it to do. But some days middle clicking on a link will act like left clicking on a link, opening the page in THIS tab instead of a new one (leaving the page I was on). Anywhere else in the OS middle click is acting normally; it's a firefox problem.

Normally, middle clicking on a link will open the link in a new tab - that's what I want it to do. But some days middle clicking on a link will act like left clicking on a link, opening the page in THIS tab instead of a new one (leaving the page I was on). Anywhere else in the OS middle click is acting normally; it's a firefox problem.

All Replies (7)

edmullen
edmullen
more options

Enter about:config in the address bar. In the search panel enter "click" w/o quotes. Make sure browser.tabs.opentabfor.middleclick is set to true.

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

Start Firefox in Safe Mode to check if one of the extensions ("3-bar" menu button or Tools -> Add-ons -> Extensions) or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem.

  • Switch to the DEFAULT theme: "3-bar" menu button or Tools -> Add-ons -> Appearance
  • Do NOT click the "Refresh Firefox" button on the Safe Mode start window

It is possible that there is JavaScript onclick is involved in the link that overrides this behavior.

Does this happen randomly or can you reproduce this on specific web pages?

soundwave
soundwave Biabia la
more options

I found out that I can reproduce it on specific web pages. Middle click on any of the word rectangles here: http://www.thesaurus.com/browse/bug?s=t (but other links like in the menu etc do not have the problem)

Also, on that page right clicking on links acts like left click too! (But I know I have seen pages where middle click acts like left click and right click acts properly - I know because I was right clicking and choosing open in new tab)

Feels like a bug in firefox because I see nothing odd about the html for those links.

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

All those links have a JavaScript onclick event listener attached that intercepts all mouse click and opens the link in the current tab.

soundwave
soundwave Biabia la
more options

What in that code indicates to you that the links have javascript onclick event listeners attached to them? (I would like to learn how to spot it)

I wonder if there is an addon to force proper behaviour

edmullen
edmullen
more options

soundwave said

What in that code indicates to you that the links have javascript onclick event listeners attached to them? (I would like to learn how to spot it) Right-click an empty spot on the page and choose View Page Source. Do CTRL+F and search for onclick. I wonder if there is an addon to force proper behaviour

The Web Developer extension's toolbar has a Disable button where you can easily disable/enable Javascript.

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

The 'ev' button that you see in the screenshot at the end of a line shows that an onclick handler is attached.