Hi,

You can perform on a link to open it in a new tab either:

• CONTROL + 1 mouse click
• Right click and "Open in a new tab"

best regard #fxhelp #Firefox64SUMOWeek

I know about the workarounds. I want to know how to make the options built into Firefox to actually work.

Hi, try https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/tab-mix-plus-webextension/

After installation, open the 3-bar menu > Add-ons, and set-up its Options.

If your question is resolved by this or another answer, please help other users by marking the best reply as Solved. Thank you!

Note that you can hold the Shift key and left-click a link to force a new window.

See also these prefs on the about:config page:

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/browser.link.open_newwindow
• 1: current tab; 2:new window; 3:new tab;

For links opened via JavaScript you can look at this pref:

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/browser.link.open_newwindow.restriction

You can use the button on the "Help -> Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page to go to the current Firefox profile folder or use the about:profiles page.

• Help -> Troubleshooting Information -> Profile Directory:
  Windows: Show Folder; Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox

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 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

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/troubleshoot-firefox-issues-using-safe-mode
• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/troubleshoot-extensions-themes-to-fix-problems

rogerVJO said

I know about the workarounds. I want to know how to make the options built into Firefox to actually work.

Hi rogerVJO, I wanted to mention that the word "instead" is the key to the built-in preference. Some websites code links specially to open in a new window using one of these methods:

• adding a target attribute to the link
• using the script command window.open()

What the preference does is instruct Firefox to divert the new window to a new tab instead.

What the preference does NOT do is launch ALL links into a new window or a new tab. For that, you would need an add-on.

I think that most such extensions only work with tabs and not with a new window (i.e. in the past is was hard to find an extension that forces a new window).

If this worked previously then you may have (had) an extension that supported this feature and that either no longer works or its settings have changed possibly after an update. So maybe you should check the settings of your extensions.

I didn't have any extensions, but I now think my problem isn't really something that can be fixed with a Firefox setting. Since posting my original question, I have found that some websites do open in a new window, apparently due to the way those sites are configured.

Those that do not open in a new window cannot be forced to do so with a Firefox setting. Using the Ctrl or Shift keys before clicking on the link, or by right-clicking and choosing "new tab" or "new window" from the drop down menu are workarounds, and maybe an extension will provide an easier way.

I'll keep looking.

Thanks for the suggestions.

By the way, for search engine results pages there usually is a setting (in the site's settings) to open results in new windows instead of replacing the current page. This usually is stored in a cookie, so if you clear cookies often, you may need to revisit the settings often, too.