How do I set new windows to open my homepage, but new tabs to open blank?
I have my browser set to restore the previous session when I open Firefox, and new tabs to open blank. With these settings, I used to be able to open new windows and have my homepage load, while keeping the behaviors previously mentioned intact, but when I open a new window now, I get a blank page.
Is there any way to restore the previous behavior, or are all tabs now seen as the same now, whether they're opened as part of new windows or existing windows?
Chosen solution
You must change the string "browser.newtab.url" by clicking twice on it and then write "about:blank"...now the newtab will open with a blank page..To change the homepage will appear in a new window see how to How to set the homepage How to set the home page ~J99
Solved?
All Replies (19)
Maybe you are speaking about new tab that you open...try to follow this steps:
# In the Location bar, type about:config and press Enter. The about:config "This might void your warranty!" warning page may appear.
- Click I'll be careful, I promise!, to continue to the about:config page.
Then search the string "browser.newtab.url"..what url you see?
I want new tabs (Ctrl+T) to open blank, but I want new windows (Ctrl+N) to open in my homepage. I did not make any settings changes before this stopped working. The only changes have been an update to Firefox 24 and just today, the Mac OS installed a security update. The security update may have caused this behavior to change, but I'm not sure.
Probably the update of firefox have changed some settings...Have you check? On my firefox i change settings and now i can open new tab with blank screen and new windows open my homepage.
Modified by Nellus
I've checked the settings, but I'm not seeing anything that specifically applies to new windows and the new page. I have no idea what settings to change.
Chosen Solution
You must change the string "browser.newtab.url" by clicking twice on it and then write "about:blank"...now the newtab will open with a blank page..To change the homepage will appear in a new window see how to How to set the homepage How to set the home page ~J99
Solved?
Modified by John99
(1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter. Click the button promising to be careful.
(2) In the search box above the list, type or paste newtab and pause while the list is filtered
(3) Double-click the browser.newtab.url preference and change from the default (about:newtab) to about:blank.
You can test immediately by pressing Ctrl+t or clicking the "+" button.
If the change does not work, one of your extensions might be controlling the new tab page. You can review, configure, disable, and remove most extensions here:
(MAC) Tools menu > Add-ons, on the left side, click the Extensions category
If the change is reverted the next time you start Firefox, a user.js file might be overriding your personal preferences. This article describes how to find and remove that: How to fix preferences that won't save.
Firefox opens the home page by default in a new window.
So if that new window stays blank then you need to check the home page setting.
- https://support.mozilla.org/kb/How+to+set+the+home+page
- Firefox > Preferences > General > Startup: Home page
Thanks, but the problem has already been fixed. That, and I already had the home page set to what I wanted.
Thank-You Very Much davidkingster! Very easy to understand and exact fix. You're Awesome!
Modified by Rico64
I'm having this problem too, and don't know where to find the string you are talking about. I just want my same tabs to open each time, and when I open a NEW tab, I want it to be blank.
To tielfeathers, the fix that worked for me is what is described in the Chosen Solution. Prior to that, you must open a new window or tab and browse to about:config.
Note tat the about:newtab page can also be disabled and enabled via an icon in the top right corner of that page (pref: browser.newtabpage.enabled).
when I double clicked on that url, a little box came up with a bunch of codes in it and I didn't care change that long url to about:blank in case I was in the wrong spot
When you navigate to about:config, there should be a search bar at the top of the page. Type "browser.newtab.url" into that box (or just newtab), then double click on the line with the text "browser.newtab.url" and type "about:blank".
Upgrading to Firefox 25.0.1 brought this behavior back. I made no changes from Firefox 24, and opening new windows is again opening blank pages instead of the homepage. "browser.newtab.url" is still set to "about:blank" and "browser.newtabpage.enabled" is true.
Only a new tab opens with the page as set via the browser.newtab.url pref.
A new window always open with the Home page, so check the home page setting as well (pref: browser.startup.homepage).
If you do not keep changes after a restart or otherwise have problems with preferences, see:
I've already checked the Homepage setting. It's set to www.google.com. New windows are not opening with the home page. This behavior only began after I restarted Firefox after a crash today. After opening a new window, I can click 'Home' to open my homepage.
Modified by G David T
If a new window doesn't open with the home page then it is likely that you have an extension that is making this happen.