How do I prevent Ctl_w from closing Firefox?
Alt_F4 is used to end an application. Ctl_W should close only a tab, not the entire application. Ctl_W should not close Firefox.
All Replies (17)
Are you using Ctrl-w or Ctrl-Shift-W? The latter will close the window. This extension might help to disable the shortcut: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/customizable-shortcuts/
Ctl_w closes the current tab. Shift_Ctl_w closes all tabs and Firefox. I am using Ctl_w.
How do I find out what "Customizable-Shortcuts" does without first installing it?
Set the browser.tabs.closeWindowWithLastTab pref to false on the about:config page to prevent closing the last tab from closing that window and make a close button appear if only one tab is open.
You can open the about:config page via the location/address bar. You can accept the warning and click "I'll be careful" to continue.
About:config lists the option as true but does not allow me to change it.
What does the Status column show for this pref?
What items are enabled in the right-click context menu?
Do you have any tab related extensions?
Start Firefox in Safe Mode to check if one of the extensions (Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Extensions) or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem.
- Switch to the DEFAULT theme: Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Appearance
- Do NOT click the Reset button on the Safe Mode start window
I tried resetting Firefox once and still have not gotten it back where I was. Won't try that again.
browser.tabs.closeWindowWithLastTab;true
What is "the right-click context menu"?
cor-el said
What does the Status column show for this pref?
robmm76 said
browser.tabs.closeWindowWithLastTab;true
The status column is the one that says something like default, user set, locked, or something else. Usually if you see true, double-clicking will switch it to false.
What is "the right-click context menu"?
The context menu is the menu displayed when you right-click on something. It's called that because it changes depending on the context (depending on what you clicked).
OK. It took several times but I got it changed to false. What a chore. But instead of warning me, it simply puts up another new tab page instead of leaving the final window. I can't back up to the page I was on which is usually Hotmail.com. Fortunately, I can use the Home Page button to get it back without having to log on again. Well that's some progress.
Thanks for your support. It's what makes Firefox my preference.
Unfortunately, If I ever have to go through this again, I will not remember all the steps.
robmm76 said
But instead of warning me, it simply puts up another new tab page instead of leaving the final window. I can't back up to the page I was on which is usually Hotmail.com.
Actually, having the window stay open with a new tab does give you a very useful option: you can right-click that "new tab" and choose Undo Close Tab, or you can twist your fingers to press Ctrl+Shift+t which does the same thing.
I had never noticed the undo button. Another feature which would be useful is to clear (delete) all the "unpinned" links. After a few days there are hundreds of them and no way to get to the most recent additions.
There is an item in the right-click context menu of the tab bar to "Close Tabs to the Right".
That closes tabs, not the links on the new-page tab.
The new tab page is populated based on history. I'm not aware of a way to change the behavior of the page to "show only pinned pages and leave the rest blank" which I think is what you would prefer. Perhaps a custom style rule could do it.
You can pin about:blank pages to tiles that you want to keep empty. You can add an anchor or some GET parameter (about:blank?1) to make each of them different.
There is no way out. What's there doesn't matter. The problem is that, once your page is set up, the only link you might want to keep is the latest one and it is buried. It's not that bad. I just go to the history and copy the top link onto something that I no longer want.
Thanks for your persistence.