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FF opening link in new window instead of new tab

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When I click the option to open a link in a new tab, it opens the link in a new window instead. What's up with that?

When I click the option to open a link in a new tab, it opens the link in a new window instead. What's up with that?

All Replies (10)

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This usually happens when trying to open the link in a new tab where the link is already coded or set (for example under a site's settings) to open in a new tab. Have you tried clicking directly (left-click) on the link?

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I did not have this problem until I upgraded to FF 7.0.1.

I did try as you suggested and even tried the open in new window option to see if somehow it was coded backwards.

Thanks.

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Could be because of an entirely different reason. One last thing that comes to my mind is to try toggling the 'Open new windows in a new ab instead' option under 'Tools' > 'Options' > 'Tabs'.

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Thanks. I checked that and found that the option to open links in a new tab was ticked - so I unticked it (and all the other options that I had ticked) then clicked OK and it seems to be working now.

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Since I restarted my computer, Firefox won't open links in tabs. My previous session was restored along with its tabs, but I can't get any new tabs to open via link.

It opens a new (blank) tab, but opens the new page in a separate window. So I don't get the convenience of tabs and I get the added inconvenience of having to close blank tabs when I get back to my home base.

The first thing I did was check the options and I've ticked and unticked the "open in a new tab instead" option several times. Neither way makes the slightest difference.

Any thoughts, anyone?

ETA: After reading something else, I tried Ctrl-Click on links, which does open them in a new tab, but it doesn't automatically switch to that tab... and I have the options set to immediately switch when I click on a new link.

Modified by TheAntiM

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You can check the browser.link.open_newwindow prefs on the about:config page.

There are three prefs, accessible via the about:config page, to control the focus if you click a link.

  • browser.tabs.loadInBackground (normal links)
  • browser.tabs.loadDivertedInBackground (javascript)
  • browser.tabs.loadBookmarksInBackground (bookmarks and searchbar)

See also http://kb.mozillazine.org/about%3Aconfig_entries

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Tabs work when I'm in "Safe Mode, add-ons disabled". Is there a quick way to see which add-on is the problem?

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If it does work in Safe-mode then disable all extensions and then try to find which is causing it by enabling one at a time until the problem reappears.

  • Use "Disable all add-ons" on the Safe mode start window to disable all extensions.
  • Close and restart Firefox after each change via "File > Exit" (Mac: "Firefox > Quit"; Linux: "File > Quit")

If you have many extensions then first enable half of the extensions to test which half has the problem.
Continue to divide the bad half that still has the issue until you find which one is causing it.

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Thanks. It took awhile but I found the "offender". Nice to have my tabs back.