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How do I configure Firefox 57 to automatically open links to other sites in new tabs?
Firefox on my Windows PC just updated to 57 so TabMixPlus is no longer available. The one option from TabMixPlus that I must have is the ability to open links to other sites in new tabs just by clicking on them without holding down Control. Is there some WebExtension that provides this ability in Firefox 57?
Mafitar da aka zaɓa
If all else fails...
It is not too difficult for a script to recognize links in a page which go to a different server. So a user script likely could find those links and modify them with a target="_blank" attribute which would direct them to a new window/tab. (Example: Force Offsite Links to Open in a New Window - Greasemonkey Hacks)
Unfortunately, sites can attach a script to a link which cancels the normal link navigation and launches the link in a different way. These are the sites where you Ctrl+click to direct a link to a new tab and it opens in the same tab anyway. Annoying! That's more difficult to override, but might be too rare to worry about.
Karanta wannan amsa a matsayinta 👍 2All Replies (15)
Right click the link, click on open link in new tab!
Not sure if or how in Firefox but you could try this to find similar extension.
Can use google search terms : Firefox Extension <old extension name> Comparable
It seems to work will with that term.
Please let us know if this solved your issue or if need further assistance.
I already knew I could do that. What I want is for the browser to behave as it did when I had TabMixPlus available. That is, when I click a link normally, I want the browser to behave differently depending on whether it's a link to a page on the same site or a link to a page on a different site.
Zaɓi Mafita
If all else fails...
It is not too difficult for a script to recognize links in a page which go to a different server. So a user script likely could find those links and modify them with a target="_blank" attribute which would direct them to a new window/tab. (Example: Force Offsite Links to Open in a New Window - Greasemonkey Hacks)
Unfortunately, sites can attach a script to a link which cancels the normal link navigation and launches the link in a different way. These are the sites where you Ctrl+click to direct a link to a new tab and it opens in the same tab anyway. Annoying! That's more difficult to override, but might be too rare to worry about.
Was it really solved?
I found a new-ish extension in a search that you could try:
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/open-link-with-new-tab/
It appears you may 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.
If you try it, let us know if it works for you.
Since I've upgraded to FF57, I can no longer open links. I have installed the addon mentioned above. It has been difficult for me to navigate this support site, in that new tabs do not open. The error isn't consistent. e.g. when I try to open a tab from Pinterest, the browser opens a window for an instant and immediately closes it, but other links open just fine. This behavior occurs even when I try to open a link on the same (next) page. It occurs whether or not I use the center (wheel) to open or a left click.
Hi rminor, that sounds pretty broken. I don't know whether it's a settings/add-ons issue, or a program files issue, or something else. A window opening and closing sounds like possibly an overly aggressive pop-up blocker.
Could you test in Firefox's Safe Mode? In Safe Mode, Firefox temporarily deactivates extensions, hardware acceleration, and some other advanced features to help you assess whether these are causing the problem.
If Firefox is not running: Hold down the Shift key when starting Firefox. (If you've switched to Mac, hold down option/alt instead of Shift.)
If Firefox is running: You can restart Firefox in Safe Mode using either:
- "3-bar" menu button > "?" button > Restart with Add-ons Disabled
- Help menu > Restart with Add-ons Disabled
and OK the restart.
Both scenarios: A small dialog should appear. Click "Start in Safe Mode" (not Refresh).
Any improvement?
So far so good. I'll play around with it and see what happens.
After a bit of playing, I now have everything, as far as I can tell, opening in new tabs.
With the Open Link in New Tab add-on, go to about:config and make sure that the value of "browser.link.open_newwindow" is 3. This has nothing to do with the specific option you use because I'm using the 2nd option, Open a link to a different site in a tab.
To set Bookmarks to open in a new tab, in about:config, set "browser.tabs.loadBookmarksInTabs" to true.
While I want to open in a new tab most of the time, there are times when I want to follow the web page open instructions. For example, when I do a Google search, I want the links to open in new tabs, but when I look at a news site, sometimes I want a new tab and sometimes the same tab. By using the default setting, the first option, in the Open Link in New Tab add-on preferences, I get most of that. Between that and the two about:config settings it's close to what I had before Firefox 57. Your mileage may vary.
Switch to WaterFox v56. It is a FireFox workalike that still supports all pre-57 addons. Mozilla has already lost the lead to Chrome and this idiocy of cutting off almost all of the critical addons is just going to make it worse.
Sad to see people with the mentality "Don't make it simple and efficient when you can make it complex and 'wonderful'".
Just look at how the users' rejection of the upgrade from dBase III to dBase IV opened the door for Paradox and Access!
BTW, loading and installing Waterfox allows you to elect to port ALL of your Legacy settings from the Firefox profile. Your bookmarks, toolbars, rss feeds, legacy add-ons, history, and everything else - even your theme - is already there. AioS has the same icons, Classic Theme Restorer is already configured, it's like a perfect regression to Firefox pre-57. It functions exactly the same way FF does only with an orange & white "Waterfox" dropdown list button in the upper left hand corner. The add-on bar I liked at the bottom and the vertical toolbar I had on the right side of the frame are also intact, complete with all icons in place. Even add-ons I had to disable in FF 56 were re-enableable.
Bye bye, Mozilla. It's been a great ride until now. Waterfox is now my default browser.
For some Bizarre and Inexplicable reason Mozilla has chosen to Hide this useful function, which is a Built In Feature of Firefox 57, in a configuration file instead of listing it in the options menu. The link below will show you how to activate it.
https://winaero.com/blog/open-bookmarks-always-new-tab-firefox/
An gyara
bobbd dijo
After a bit of playing, I now have everything, as far as I can tell, opening in new tabs. With the Open Link in New Tab add-on, go to about:config and make sure that the value of "browser.link.open_newwindow" is 3. This has nothing to do with the specific option you use because I'm using the 2nd option, Open a link to a different site in a tab. To set Bookmarks to open in a new tab, in about:config, set "browser.tabs.loadBookmarksInTabs" to true. While I want to open in a new tab most of the time, there are times when I want to follow the web page open instructions. For example, when I do a Google search, I want the links to open in new tabs, but when I look at a news site, sometimes I want a new tab and sometimes the same tab. By using the default setting, the first option, in the Open Link in New Tab add-on preferences, I get most of that. Between that and the two about:config settings it's close to what I had before Firefox 57. Your mileage may vary.
Really really thank you!! It worked perfectly
You're most welcome.
I have found that if I type something directly in the address bar, it doesn't open in a new tab, but in the tab that is currently active. I'll see if I can find a solution.
The other thing that's different than Tab Mix Plus is that when you open a list of bookmarks when there's only a blank tab, that tab does not get used. I suppose that makes sense since we want everything to open in a new tab. I also found that when opening a list of bookmarks, that sometimes the last bookmark ends up as the second tab, with the first being the original empty tab. Since I wanted the tabs in the same order as the list, I added a link to a blank tab at the end of my list as a workaround.
Found at least a partial solution to the address bar issue. This was reported in another thread: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1170645 The add-on is New Tab from Location Bar https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/new-tab-from-location-bar/
It may take a bit of fiddling with the options to get the operation you want. I suggest reading through the thread regarding other issues.