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

Mulongo oyo etiyamaki na archive. Tuna motuna mosusu soki osengeli na lisalisi

How do you disable a new tab from opening when a search link is clicked?

  • 7 biyano
  • 97 eza na bankokoso oyo
  • 1 view
  • Eyano yasuka ya widnas

more options

It seems like every time I click a link in a search page, whatever the provider, it opens a new tab. I've gone into "about:config" changed the browser.search.tab to "true" without any change. What is with this? The earlier versions of FF allowed me to click a link in Google or where ever and it opened in the same tab. I need help with this issue. Is there a bug no one knows about? I've followed all suggestions on the forums and nothing seems to change. I did find however that "Youtube" links do open in the same tab. Strange!

Please help, getting overloaded with too many tabs.

Erik Ater

It seems like every time I click a link in a search page, whatever the provider, it opens a new tab. I've gone into "about:config" changed the browser.search.tab to "true" without any change. What is with this? The earlier versions of FF allowed me to click a link in Google or where ever and it opened in the same tab. I need help with this issue. Is there a bug no one knows about? I've followed all suggestions on the forums and nothing seems to change. I did find however that "Youtube" links do open in the same tab. Strange! Please help, getting overloaded with too many tabs. Erik Ater

All Replies (7)

more options
  1. In the Location bar, type about:config and press Enter. The about:config "This might void your warranty!" warning page may appear.
  2. Click I'll be careful, I promise!, to continue to the about:config page.

Search this string "browser. link. open_newwindow". Change the value and insert 1. Press ok and restart firefox. Solved?

more options

You can also check the Google Search Settings page.

more options

In my case setting the digit to -1 works. Setting it to 1 does not solve the problem and still gives me a new tab.

more options

Only 1, 2, and 3 are valid values for the browser.link.open_newwindow pref.

  • 1: current tab; 2:new window; 3:new tab;

This pref applies to links opened via JavaScript:

more options

I know this, however when I change back to 1 it does not solve the tab problem. I still get a new tab for every link clicked.

The -1 solution worked for only a few minutes yesterday.

How to solve this problem?

Firefox 27. on Mid-2012 Macbook Pro running OS X 10.9.1

more options

If the link specifies a target window or a generic _blank then Firefox will open the link in a new tab.

For the Google website you can change this behavior in the Google search settings.

more options

Not sure if you will see this but THANK YOU! I was going nuts!