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

Ctrl-Shift-Click to open link in new tab (v10)

  • 6 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 87 views
  • Last reply by cor-el

more options

I came back to Firefox recently after trying to use Chrome for awhile. I was gratified by my return, except that in the update from v9 to v10, I found that one of my favorite keyboard shortcuts no longer worked as it had.

In v9 and previous, Ctrl-Shift-Click opened a link in a new tab and switched to it immediately. In v10, Ctrl-Shift-Click still opens the link in a new tab, but does not switch to it, even with Options: Tabs: When I open a link in a new tab, switch to it immediately enabled.

When using the mouse method of opening a link in a new tab, it does switch to it immediately as expected.

I thought I was going to have to live with this (or not), but then found a bit of documentation noting that Ctrl-Click now provides the functionality I was used to.

Great! But on the other hand, backward compatibility with the old functionality would have spared me some temporary disappointment and some extra digging.

BTW, I note in another post several of the reasons why I came back to Firefox from Chrome.

I came back to Firefox recently after trying to use Chrome for awhile. I was gratified by my return, except that in the update from v9 to v10, I found that one of my favorite keyboard shortcuts no longer worked as it had. In v9 and previous, Ctrl-Shift-Click opened a link in a new tab and switched to it immediately. In v10, Ctrl-Shift-Click still opens the link in a new tab, but does not switch to it, even with '''Options: Tabs: When I open a link in a new tab, switch to it immediately''' enabled. When using the mouse method of opening a link in a new tab, it does switch to it immediately as expected. I thought I was going to have to live with this (or not), but then found a bit of documentation noting that Ctrl-Click now provides the functionality I was used to. Great! But on the other hand, backward compatibility with the old functionality would have spared me some temporary disappointment and some extra digging. BTW, I note in another post several of the reasons why I came back to Firefox from Chrome.

Chosen solution

Both key combinations seem to work the same in Firefox 8, 9. and 10 to me.

Changing When I open a link in a new tab, switch to it immediately from disabled to enabled reverses the functions of {Ctrl + Click} and {Ctrl + Shft + Click}.

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (6)

more options

Chosen Solution

Both key combinations seem to work the same in Firefox 8, 9. and 10 to me.

Changing When I open a link in a new tab, switch to it immediately from disabled to enabled reverses the functions of {Ctrl + Click} and {Ctrl + Shft + Click}.

more options

Thanks, Edmeister, that info about the setting reversing the effects of the two key combo's is useful.

Having just installed FF 10 on a fresh installation of Windows, I see that the default setting for When I open a link in a new tab, switch to it immediately is un-checked, and Ctrl-Shift-Click switches to the new tab as I had come to expect.

But on my own existing installation, that setting is checked. So if your observation about the behavior being uniform across v 8, 9 and 10 is correct, then I guess I must have changed this setting when I upgraded to v.10, or else the setting somehow "slipped" during the upgrade.

more options

Type about:config in the URL bar and hit Enter.
If you see the warning, you can confirm that you want to access that page.

Filter = browser.tabs.loadInBackground = default = true
That is with When I open a link in a new tab, switch to it immediately un-checked.

AFAIK, that hasn't changed since Firefox 2, when that pref was changed from what was used in the 1.5 and earlier versions of Firefox.

If that pref shows as user set, either you or an add-on changed that pref to false.

more options

Thanks for a very complete reply. I or an add-on must have changed the default setting.

I marked your first reply as the solution.

more options

You're welcome.

more options

For JavaScript window.open links you can check this pref: browser.tabs.loadDivertedInBackground