When Firefox is set to "Save tabs from last time" it re-opens the tab if there is only one tab open and it is closed. This behavior is not ideal.
I'll try to explain this in better detail as it's hard to pose as a question. The behavior when closing the final tab is strange when Firefox is set to "Remember tabs from last time". If I have one tab open and I close it with the "x" the entire browser is closed, as expected. However, when Firefox is re-opened this tab is restored when it should not be since it was closed. This is the only browser I have found to have this odd quirk when closing your final tab.
All Replies (10)
You can toggle a pref to make it possible to close the last tab.
You can set this pref to false on the about:config page
- browser.tabs.closeWindowWithLastTab = false
You can open the about:config page via the location/address bar. You can accept the warning and click "I accept the risk!" to continue.
Thank you for sharing this setting however that now requires an extra click to close the last tab and then the entire browser. So this is still not ideal.
What does your screen shot of the settings look like? It sounds like that page was saved as your homepage or something. What is the page it is saving? I think a screen of the setting page for homepage might show what is happening.
WestEnd said
What does your screen shot of the settings look like? It sounds like that page was saved as your homepage or something. What is the page it is saving? I think a screen of the setting page for homepage might show what is happening.
https://gyazo.com/59db97b441273485a7a32bea41ca35ad
It doesn't matter what site it is, just if you close the last tab.
This is normal behavior. If you use "Show my windows and tabs from last time" and have set Firefox to close when you close the last tab (browser.tabs.closeWindowWithLastTab = true) then this last tab will be reopened automatically on the next start. You can select another startup setting or open a blank tab or the home page when you want to close Firefox and close this tab as the last tab.
cor-el said
This is normal behavior. If you use "Show my windows and tabs from last time" and have set Firefox to close when you close the last tab (browser.tabs.closeWindowWithLastTab = true) then this last tab will be reopened automatically on the next start. You can select another startup setting or open a blank tab or the home page when you want to close Firefox and close this tab as the last tab.
I am sure it is "normal" but it is not really standard. Every other browser I've used will open the new tab page when your last tab is closed regardless if it is set to remember them or not. I just figured I'd post my opinion on Mozilla's implementation of this.
mluck94 said
cor-el saidThis is normal behavior. If you use "Show my windows and tabs from last time" and have set Firefox to close when you close the last tab (browser.tabs.closeWindowWithLastTab = true) then this last tab will be reopened automatically on the next start. You can select another startup setting or open a blank tab or the home page when you want to close Firefox and close this tab as the last tab.I am sure it is "normal" but it is not really standard. Every other browser I've used will open the new tab page when your last tab is closed regardless if it is set to remember them or not. I just figured I'd post my opinion on Mozilla's implementation of this.
If you don't pick the right settings then it will do as you left it as. Not sure exactly what you trying to do here but the settings you have it set as will do just as it says. Opinion aside that is a user settings and as the other reply said if you set that as is then it will do just exactly as it is set at. It's the user settings that set it. If your having issues then set a Homepage and have it open that when you open FF. If I recall a new install will put a Mozilla Homepage not what your saying it does.
WestEnd said
mluck94 saidcor-el saidThis is normal behavior. If you use "Show my windows and tabs from last time" and have set Firefox to close when you close the last tab (browser.tabs.closeWindowWithLastTab = true) then this last tab will be reopened automatically on the next start. You can select another startup setting or open a blank tab or the home page when you want to close Firefox and close this tab as the last tab.I am sure it is "normal" but it is not really standard. Every other browser I've used will open the new tab page when your last tab is closed regardless if it is set to remember them or not. I just figured I'd post my opinion on Mozilla's implementation of this.
If you don't pick the right settings then it will do as you left it as. Not sure exactly what you trying to do here but the settings you have it set as will do just as it says. Opinion aside that is a user settings and as the other reply said if you set that as is then it will do just exactly as it is set at. It's the user settings that set it. If your having issues then set a Homepage and have it open that when you open FF. If I recall a new install will put a Mozilla Homepage not what your saying it does.
I don't know what is so confusing about this. Open Chrome and turn on "Continue where you left off" go to a website and close the tab. When you re-open Chrome it will start on the new tab page. This is the behavior I want to mimic in Firefox.
Here is a recording of Chrome and how it handles closing your final tab. Notice when it is the final tab that is closed, when Chrome is re-opened it will start at the new tab page even if it is set to remember tabs from last time: https://gyazo.com/ee1009d18b69b863473405a0d42ea75a
Now I will record the same process in Firefox: https://gyazo.com/847701765d9135ac3350e23d909fc156
For good measure, let's throw in Microsoft Edge as well. It also does the same behavior that Chrome does: https://gyazo.com/0f303ffd7afc8a5aa3d359c317187ea3
See the difference now? Firefox is clearly the odd man out here. I much prefer Chrome's or Microsoft's implementation as you are CLOSING a TAB, so I should expect to not see it when I open the browser back up again. The way Firefox does it, is it treats the x button on the tab to be the same function as the x on the browser itself, which is a strange design choice especially for people who are moving from Chrome who have been used to the way Chrome has done it for years. I'm sure I'm stepping on people's feet here as this forum is no doubt full of Firefox fans, but this is a legitimate criticism I have with this implementation of tab management. The user setting that was given to me in a previous post DOES NOT achieve what I have shown in the recordings above.
Ilungisiwe ngu mluck94
Bump - is there really no possible way I can make Firefox do as I've shown in my recordings above?
Hello,
the issue is up to date?
Best regards, David-Walczysko Volunteer supporter