Tab preferences and settings

Revision Information
  • Revision id: 78848
  • Created:
  • Creator: Lan
  • Comment: Tab previews in Windows taskbar option is not available in XP
  • Reviewed: Yes
  • Reviewed:
  • Reviewed by: heyjoni
  • Is approved? Yes
  • Is current revision? No
  • Ready for localization: No
Revision Source
Revision Content

The Tabs panel of the Options window is where you'll find all the settings related to how tabs work.The Tabs panel of the Preferences window is where you'll find all the settings related to how tabs work. We'll explain what all these settings do.

Note: Missing the setting to hide the tab bar? See How to hide the tab strip when you only have one tab.

TabsPanel-Fx4Win7TabsPanel-Fx4Mac

Fx 15 Tab Options - WinFx 15 Tab Options - Mac

Fx 23 Tab Options - WinTabs Mac Fx23Tabs Linux Fx23

  • Open new windows in a new tab instead: This optionpreference controls whether links from other applications or from web pages which request to open them in new windows are opened in a new window or a new tab in the most recent window.
    Note: If you have chosen to open pages in new tabs, Firefox will ignore this optionpreference and will open a new window from a link if the page author specified that the new window should have a specific size, because some pages can only be displayed correctly at a specific size.
  • Warn me when closing multiple tabs: When you close a window with multiple tabs, Firefox will ask you to confirm your choice. This prevents you from accidentally closing the whole window when you intended to only close the current tab. Uncheck this optionpreference to disable this warning and have Firefox automatically close the window.
    Note: This setting has no effect on the warning when closing other tabs in a window.
  • Warn me when opening multiple tabs might slow down Firefox: When you open a large number of tabs at once, Firefox will ask you to confirm your choice. This prevents you from accidentally slowing down your system while the pages are loading. Uncheck this optionpreference to disable this warning.
  • Always show the tab bar: If you're only viewing one web page in a Firefox window, the tab bar is not normally shown. Check this optionpreference to always show the tab bar, including when only the Firefox window contains only one page.
  • When I open a link in a new tab, switch to it immediately: When you middle-click on a Web link (or hold down Ctrlcommand while clicking with the left mouse button), the page will be opened in a new tab. That page will not be displayed and will load in a background tab. Check this optionpreference to load and display the page in a new foreground tab instead.
  • Show tab previews in the Windows taskbar: When you move your pointer over the Firefox icon in the Windows 7 taskbar, Windows will show you a preview of the Firefox window. With this option check marked, Windows will show you a separate preview for each tab.
  • Open new windows in a new tab instead: This optionpreference controls whether links from other applications or from web pages which request to open them in new windows are opened in a new window or a new tab in the most recent window.
    Note: If you have chosen to open pages in new tabs, Firefox will ignore this optionpreference and will open a new window from a link if the page author specified that the new window should have a specific size, because some pages can only be displayed correctly at a specific size.
  • Warn me when closing multiple tabs: When you close a window with multiple tabs, Firefox will ask you to confirm your choice. This prevents you from accidentally closing the whole window when you intended to only close the current tab. Uncheck this optionpreference to disable this warning and have Firefox automatically close the window.
    Note: This setting has no effect on the warning when closing other tabs in a window.
  • Warn me when opening multiple tabs might slow down Firefox: When you open a large number of tabs at once, Firefox will ask you to confirm your choice. This prevents you from accidentally slowing down your system while the pages are loading. Uncheck this optionpreference to disable this warning.
  • Always show the tab bar: If you're only viewing one web page in a Firefox window, the tab bar is not normally shown. Check this optionpreference to always show the tab bar, including when only the Firefox window contains only one page.
  • Don't load tabs until selected: Firefox will only load the active tab when it starts or restores your previous session. This can make startup much faster if you are restoring many tabs. The other open tabs will be loaded as you click on them.
  • When I open a link in a new tab, switch to it immediately: When you middle-click on a Web link (or hold down Ctrlcommand while clicking with the left mouse button), the page will be opened in a new tab. That page will not be displayed and will load in a background tab. Check this optionpreference to load and display the page in a new foreground tab instead.
  • Show tab previews in the Windows taskbar: When you move your pointer over the Firefox icon in the Windows 7 taskbar, Windows will show you a preview of the Firefox window. With this option check marked, Windows will show you a separate preview for each tab.
  • Open new windows in a new tab instead: This optionpreference controls whether links from other applications or from web pages which request to open them in new windows are opened in a new window or a new tab in the most recent window.
    Note: If you have chosen to open pages in new tabs, Firefox will ignore this optionpreference and will open a new window from a link if the page author specified that the new window should have a specific size, because some pages can only be displayed correctly at a specific size.
  • Warn me when closing multiple tabs: When you close a window with multiple tabs, Firefox will ask you to confirm your choice. This prevents you from accidentally closing the whole window when you intended to only close the current tab. Uncheck this optionpreference to disable this warning and have Firefox automatically close the window.
    Note: This setting has no effect on the warning when closing other tabs in a window.
    If you want to disable the warning when closing other tabs, set a preference to false:
    1. Type about:config in the address bar and press EnterReturn.
      A warning page may appear. Click Accept the Risk and Continue to go to the about:config page.
    2. In the Search field box at the top, type browser.tabs.warnOnCloseOtherTabs.
    3. Double-click the browser.tabs.warnOnCloseOtherTabs preference to set its value to false.
  • Warn me when opening multiple tabs might slow down Firefox: When you open a large number of tabs at once, Firefox will ask you to confirm your choice. This prevents you from accidentally slowing down your system while the pages are loading. Uncheck this optionpreference to disable this warning.
  • Always show the tab bar: If you're only viewing one web page in a Firefox window, the tab bar is not normally shown. Check this optionpreference to always show the tab bar, including when only the Firefox window contains only one page.
  • Don't load tabs until selected: Firefox will only load the active tab when it starts or restores your previous session. This can make startup much faster if you are restoring many tabs. The other open tabs will be loaded as you click on them.
  • When I open a link in a new tab, switch to it immediately: When you middle-click on a Web link (or hold down Ctrlcommand while clicking with the left mouse button), the page will be opened in a new tab. That page will not be displayed and will load in a background tab. Check this optionpreference to load and display the page in a new foreground tab instead.
  • Show tab previews in the Windows taskbar: When you move your pointer over the Firefox icon in the Windows 7 taskbar, Windows will show you a preview of the Firefox window. With this option check marked, Windows will show you a separate preview for each tab.
  • Open new windows in a new tab instead: This optionpreference controls whether links from other applications or from web pages which request to open them in new windows are opened in a new window or a new tab in the most recent window.
    Note: If you have chosen to open pages in new tabs, Firefox will ignore this optionpreference and will open a new window from a link if the page author specified that the new window should have a specific size, because some pages can only be displayed correctly at a specific size.
  • Warn me when closing multiple tabs: When you close a window with multiple tabs, Firefox will ask you to confirm your choice. This prevents you from accidentally closing the whole window when you intended to only close the current tab. Uncheck this optionpreference to disable this warning and have Firefox automatically close the window.
    Note: This setting has no effect on the warning when closing other tabs in a window.
    If you want to disable the warning when closing other tabs, set a preference to false:
    1. Type about:config in the address bar and press EnterReturn.
      A warning page may appear. Click Accept the Risk and Continue to go to the about:config page.
    2. In the Search field box at the top, type browser.tabs.warnOnCloseOtherTabs.
    3. Double-click the browser.tabs.warnOnCloseOtherTabs preference to set its value to false.
  • Warn me when opening multiple tabs might slow down Firefox: When you open a large number of tabs at once, Firefox will ask you to confirm your choice. This prevents you from accidentally slowing down your system while the pages are loading. Uncheck this optionpreference to disable this warning.
  • Don't load tabs until selected: Firefox will only load the active tab when it starts or restores your previous session. This can make startup much faster if you are restoring many tabs. The other open tabs will be loaded as you click on them.
  • When I open a link in a new tab, switch to it immediately: When you middle-click on a Web link (or hold down Ctrlcommand while clicking with the left mouse button), the page will be opened in a new tab. That page will not be displayed and will load in a background tab. Check this optionpreference to load and display the page in a new foreground tab instead.
  • Show tab previews in the Windows taskbar: When you move your pointer over the Firefox icon in the Windows 7 taskbar, Windows will show you a preview of the Firefox window. With this option check marked, Windows will show you a separate preview for each tab.