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.

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

How to open email links in a new tab? (Not an exisiting tab)

  • 6 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 4 views
  • Last reply by anndtman

more options

After adding a few new plug-ins yesterday, I discovered that links in my email program [Eudora] are now opening in an existing FF tab, not a new tab, which is what I prefer.

(1) Where can I change the default setting in FF to have email links open in a new tab?

(2) If there is no FF setting I can change to fix this problem, what other options do I have in terms of adjusting/tweaking my plugins?

Thanks, Metta

Windows 7 FF 3.6.18

After adding a few new plug-ins yesterday, I discovered that links in my email program [Eudora] are now opening in an existing FF tab, not a new tab, which is what I prefer. (1) Where can I change the default setting in FF to have email links open in a new tab? (2) If there is no FF setting I can change to fix this problem, what other options do I have in terms of adjusting/tweaking my plugins? Thanks, Metta Windows 7 FF 3.6.18

All Replies (6)

more options

Attempt using middle mouse button.

more options

Change the setting in about:config for this parameter:

  • browser.link.open_external - set to 3
more options

anndtman: Middle mouse button did nothing at all. Sorry.

finitarry: Your suggestion was partially helpful: Now links are opening in a new window (not a new tab) with browser.link.open_external set to either 2 or 3 .

Any other suggestions that will get links to open into a new tab -- not a new window and not an existing tab?

more options

Check your FF options and see if one of the add-ons changed your tab controls. If "open in new tab" is still checked, disable or uninstall your new add-ons and see if the problem still exists. If not reinstall(enable) one at a time and establish which is the problem. Uninstall is the better way over disable. You should be able to open in new tab a)middle click b)options/tabs/open in new tab c)right click menu/open in new tab. Hope this helps.

Modified by anndtman

more options

Thanks, anndtman.

Looks like all is well now. Originally the "open in a new tab" option had been checked and wasn't working. However, I did not realized that this setting defaulted to unchecked when I changed my about:config settings -- and checking it again just now did the trick!

Many thanks to you and finitarry both for coming up with a combined fix! :-D

more options

Glad to help.