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

Lolu chungechunge lwabekwa kunqolobane. Uyacelwa ubuze umbuzo omusha uma udinga usizo.

How do I make EVERYTHING open in a new tab >>as the default action<<?

more options

Links to the same site, links to other site, links in webmail, bookmarks, history, media files, popups, pages opened locally through the file menu. Everything.

I never, as far as I can discern since beginning to use Firefox, have ANY need or desire for a new page to take over an existing tab. This seems to defeat the entire point of having tabs in the first place. And Firefox pre-57 did it just fine, with no noticeable problems.

The question has been asked before, https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1109391 but no one ever seems to either give a straight answer, or to say "no, we are not going to support that", let alone explain WHY they aren't going to support it.

So I am no longer expecting a simple answer. How do I do it? Do I have to edit some configuration file like userchrome.css manually? Do I have to literally compile my own private fork of Firefox?

Links to the same site, links to other site, links in webmail, bookmarks, history, media files, popups, pages opened locally through the file menu. Everything. I never, as far as I can discern since beginning to use Firefox, have ANY need or desire for a new page to take over an existing tab. This seems to defeat the entire point of having tabs in the first place. And Firefox pre-57 did it just fine, with no noticeable problems. The question has been asked before, https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1109391 but no one ever seems to either give a straight answer, or to say "no, we are not going to support that", let alone explain WHY they aren't going to support it. So I am no longer expecting a simple answer. How do I do it? Do I have to edit some configuration file like userchrome.css manually? Do I have to literally compile my own private fork of Firefox?

All Replies (4)

more options

Xiuywft said

Links to the same site, links to other site, links in webmail, bookmarks, history, media files, popups, pages opened locally through the file menu. Everything.

You are missing "Tab Mix Plus" like many other people. Here are some of the answers:

Links and Tabs

By default, Firefox intercepts links that sites send to a new window and opens them in a new tab instead. Sites do that in two ways:

  • Setting a target attribute on the link, such as target="_blank"
  • Using the script method window.open(), which creates a popup window

But when a site has not specially coded the link, you would normally have to divert it to a new tab yourself by holding down the Ctrl key when clicking, or middle-clicking with the mouse scroll wheel.

There is an add-on to take care of that automatically ("Open Link with New Tab"):

https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/open-link-with-new-tab/

After installing, you need to use the Add-ons page to set your preferred behavior. Either:

  • Ctrl+Shift+a (Mac: Command+Shift+a)
  • "3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Add-ons
  • type or paste about:addons in the address bar and press Enter/Return

In the left column of the Add-ons page, click Extensions. Then find the extension on the right side and click its Options button or More link. That should take you to the panel where you can adjust its settings.

Scripted Popups

If scripted popups still launch in a new window, refer to the thread you mentioned and change the setting (B) to 0.

Bookmarks and Tabs

Left-clicking a bookmark normally open it in the same tab; you can hold down the Ctrl key to direct it to a new tab, or middle-click it with the mouse scroll wheel.

There is a setting to change that so you get a new tab for a regular left-click:

(1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter/Return. Click the button promising to be careful or accepting the risk.

(2) In the search box above the list, type or paste tabs and pause while the list is filtered

(3) Double-click the browser.tabs.loadBookmarksInTabs preference to switch its from false to true

History

No known workaround. Use Ctrl+click, middle-click, or right-click context menu.

Media Files

Are these different from links?

Pages opened locally through the file menu

Do you mean from within Firefox, "Open File"? Open a new tab first (e.g., Ctrl+t).

more options

Okay, so the answer is "no, it can't be done". Not good, but better than not having an answer.

Actually, "media files" was an oversimplification of a different question I can ask elsewhere, which is how do i get a choice of opening an MP3, for example, in a firefox tab with its built-in player, OR with another player, OR download said MP3 without opening it. So that's not relevant here.

more options

Hi, this maybe what you are looking for to do that : https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/open-link-with-new-tab/?src=search

Please let us know if this solved your issue or if need further assistance.

more options

Xiuywft said

Okay, so the answer is "no, it can't be done". Not good, but better than not having an answer.

Gee, hopefully my reply was more useful than those 5 words.

Actually, "media files" was an oversimplification of a different question I can ask elsewhere, which is how do i get a choice of opening an MP3, for example, in a firefox tab with its built-in player, OR with another player, OR download said MP3 without opening it. So that's not relevant here.

You can disable the "stand alone" player so MP3s don't play in a tab. Then following a link to the MP3 will treat it as a download (open/save/cancel). But to override that and play it in a tab anyway probably would require an add-on that builds a skeletal page for the media.

To experiment:

(1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter/Return. Click the button promising to be careful or accepting the risk.

(2) In the search box above the list, type or paste alone and pause while the list is filtered

(3) Double-click the media.play-stand-alone preference to switch the value from true to false