
I updated Firefox and now all links open in a single tab.
I've used the community here and I get 4 year old answers, some of which do not fir the current settings lists, those do not help. I have tried everything and the only thing that works is to force the new tab by right clicking and forcing open in new tab.
All Replies (3)
Could you describe this problem in more detail. For example:
(1) Search engine results used to open in a new tab, but now they open in the same tab, replacing the results list.
Usually, there is a site setting to choose between these behaviors. For example, on https://www.google.com/preferences#tabVal=1 or https://www.bing.com/account/general
(2) In other apps, when you click a link to a web page and Windows sends it to Firefox, Firefox used to open a new tab new tab in the active Firefox window, but now it replaces the page in the last active tab.
There is a hidden setting that can cause this. Notes below the line on how to check/reset it.
(3) Links in Firefox that should open a new window or tab instead open in the same tab.
I have a test page at https://www.jeffersonscher.com/res/popit.html which should open new tabs/windows. If these are staying in the same tab, check the notes below the line.
(4) Something else (please describe).
If you need to check/change the behavior for links that pages have directed to open in a new window, here is the "back door" way to do that:
(1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter/Return. Click the button accepting the risk.
More info on about:config: Configuration Editor for Firefox. The moderators would like us to remind you that changes made through this back door aren't fully supported and aren't guaranteed to continue working in the future.
(2) In the search box in the page, type or paste open_new and pause while the list is filtered. Firefox should list five matching preferences; ignore the box at the bottom with Boolean Number String.
(3) For browser.link.open_newwindow, the default value is 3 (on the Settings page, this will be a checkmark in the box for "Open links in tabs instead of new windows"). Looks like this will already be normal on yours. However, if it is not set to 3, click the left-arching Reset arrow button at the right end of the row to restore the default value, or you can double-click to edit it manually.
(4) For browser.link.open_newwindow.override.external, the default value is -1, which means that links from external applications should follow the setting in #3. If you want external links to behave differently, you can double-click the preference to display an editing field, and change the value as desired, then press Enter or click the blue check mark button to save the change. The valid values are:
- 3 => New tab in the active window
- 2 => New tab in a separate new window
- 1 => Replace the page in the active tab
(5) There's usually no need to change browser.link.open_newwindow.restriction from its default value of 2, but if you are getting popups in a window with very limited toolbar controls and prefer that it opens in a tab, you can change this to 0.
It's simple, I've followed at least 6 google searches, I included a jpeg of my settings in Firefox on my original post. I have tried multiple settings changes. I start with MSN as my home page. Any link I open on that home page opens the link in the current tab. I have tried to force it by the edits given to no avail. I'm about ready to make the switch to Edge, Firefox is so damn temperamental after updates. Attached is my settings. Your links opened in new tabs.
sroper2 said
I start with MSN as my home page. Any link I open on that home page opens the link in the current tab.
Firefox does not have a setting to force all links to open in a new window or tab, it only has settings to manage what should happen when the site coded the links to open in a new window.
When I check MSN (https://www.msn.com/ and also the News page), the story links do open in a new tab. The links are coded with target="_blank" to trigger that. Is it possible you have any add-ons that might modify how links work?