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.

Avatar for Username

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

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

How do I get FF to open a new window on my current screen when I press Command-N, rather than on another screen where FF already has a window open?

  • 2 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 2 views
  • Last reply by wbreeze

wbreeze
wbreeze
more options

On the Mac, iOS 10.13.4 (High Sierra) and FireFox 59.0.2, and on every version of FF I've ever used, pressing Command-N on a screen that does not have a FF window opens the new window on a screen where FF already has another open window. The window doesn't open on the current screen.

So after pressing Cmd-N, FF has changed my screen. To get back, I have to show screens (four finger swipe up), and drag the newly opened window back to the screen where I originated Cmd-N.

It isn't terribly broken. It's just a poor user experience.

On the Mac, iOS 10.13.4 (High Sierra) and FireFox 59.0.2, and on every version of FF I've ever used, pressing Command-N on a screen that does not have a FF window opens the new window on a screen where FF already has another open window. The window doesn't open on the current screen. So after pressing Cmd-N, FF has changed my screen. To get back, I have to show screens (four finger swipe up), and drag the newly opened window back to the screen where I originated Cmd-N. It isn't terribly broken. It's just a poor user experience.

All Replies (2)

Tonnes
Tonnes
  • Locale Leader
more options

I didn’t investigate thoroughly nor do I use a Mac, but perhaps you could take a look at this bug and express your thoughts? Does the behavior depend on whether or not windows are maximized?

Additionally (and I don’t know how this is implemented in the Firefox code), I do know default application behavior sometimes is to open a second instance on the primary screen, i.e. regardless of any present window’s size, screen position or screen, even for corporate applications. That means you could consider switching the primary and secondary screen at hardware level as a workaround if that makes any difference.

I also found a report of an add-on called Monitor Master which is unfortunately no longer supported as of Firefox Quantum (57+). I couldn’t find another one but maybe there is one that could help.

Hope this helps a bit anyway.

wbreeze
wbreeze Question owner
more options

Thank you Tonnes, for your response.

Because you don't use a Mac, it's hard to understand the problem. "Screen" in this context is multiple desktops on one device, not multiple display devices as in the bug that you referred to. There is however some possibility that the two are related.