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Links in Hotmail emails don't open in new tab
Someone apparently made changes in about:config settings. I opened my home page MSN and when I clicked on Hotmail link, the Hotmail sign in page opened in a new tab. Previously when I clicked on teh Hotmail link on MSN home page, the sign in page would open in a new window in the same tab. I made a change in about:config and fixed that, though I cannot remember exactly what I did. Sorry for that! Now when I read one of my Hotmail messages, and I click on a link in one of them, the link opens in a window in the same tab. Until last night (after I returned from being out shopping) the link in a Hotmail message would open in a new tab. That's how I'd like it. I'd also like the Hotmail sign in page to open in a new window in the same tab when I click on the Hotmail link on the MSN homepage.
Can anyone tell me what I need to change in about:config to do this?
This happened
Not sure how often
== last night after I got home from shopping
All Replies (18)
Hello Dawna.
Go into Tools > Options > Tabs > Open links that open in a new window on:new tab. That should fix your issue.
In any case, you can always middle-click any links you want to open in a new tab. Middle-clicking is pressing the scroll-wheel on your mouse.
Hello Morbus, and thank you for your reply. That box is already checked, as are all the other boxes under TOOLS> OPTIONS> TABS. The middle wheel suggestion sounds good, but I use a touch pad instead of a mouse. I'm pretty set in my way of using the touch pad (several years) and I'm really not willing to try and retrain my brain as far as that goes.
I think some changes were made in about:config by another unauthorized user to my computer, and I would really like to know how to remedy things using about:config.
If that's the case, we should be able to detect it: please type about:support in your address bar and press ENTER, then click "Copy all to clipboard". Then paste here. Hopefully that will give me a bit more information to work with.
Hotmail uses JavaScript to open those links, so you can't middle-click them as that will give an empty tab. A normal left click should work though AFAIK.
Start Firefox in Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode to check if one of your add-ons is causing your problem (switch to the DEFAULT theme: Tools > Add-ons > Themes). See Troubleshoot extensions, themes and hardware acceleration issues to solve common Firefox problems and Troubleshoot issues with plugins like Flash or Java to fix common Firefox problems
same problem just started - firefox opens a new tab when i click hotmail on msn.com. what a nuisance
I have this problem too. I can't figure it out. Instead of opening in a new tab, it opens in a new window after I did the about: config thing. I have those tabs in the tools areas checked too.
I don't have browser.link.open_external on mine. I have browser.link.open_newwindow and browser.link.open_newwindow.restriction
It's so annoying!
Hi Morbus,
Please forgive the very delayed response. It is due to illness. I have copied and pasted the information as you instructed, and maybe you might have some insight as to what is going on. Any input is much appreciated.
Application Basics
Name Firefox
Version 3.6.3
Profile Directory
Open Containing Folder
Installed Plugins
about:plugins
Build Configuration
about:buildconfig
Extensions
Name
Version
Enabled
ID
Microsoft .NET Framework Assistant 1.2.1 true {20a82645-c095-46ed-80e3-08825760534b}
HP Smart Web Printing 4.60 false smartwebprinting@hp.com
Google Toolbar for Firefox 7.0.20100326W true {3112ca9c-de6d-4884-a869-9855de68056c}
KeyScrambler 2.6.0.0 true keyscrambler@qfx.software.corporation
BetterPrivacy 1.47.4 true
DownloadHelper 4.7.3 true
Java Console 6.0.18 true
ColorfulTabs 4.6 true {0545b830-f0aa-4d7e-8820-50a4629a56fe}
Personas 1.5.3 true personas@christopher.beard
Open Profile Folder 1.3.2 false
Java Console 6.0.20 true
Fasterfox 3.8.4 false
Aviary 0.8.7.2 true
Flash Killer 1.2.1 true flashkiller@joli.clic
Fasterfox (EladKarako Mod) 3.1.2b true
Skype extension for Firefox 4.2.0.5198 true
Modified Preferences
Name
Value
browser.history_expire_days_min 1
browser.link.open_newwindow 1
browser.places.importBookmarksHTML false
browser.places.smartBookmarksVersion 2
browser.startup.homepage http://www.msn.com/
browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone rv:1.9.2.3
browser.tabs.loadInBackground false
dom.event.contextmenu.enabled false
extensions.lastAppVersion 3.6.3
font.name.serif.x-western Palatino Linotype
font.size.variable.x-western 17
general.useragent.extra.microsoftdotnet ( .NET CLR 3.5.30729)
network.dnsCacheEntries 512
network.dnsCacheExpiration 3600
network.http.max-connections 40
network.http.max-connections-per-server 16
network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-proxy 12
network.http.pipelining true
network.http.pipelining.firstrequest true
network.http.pipelining.maxrequests 6
network.http.proxy.pipelining true
places.last_vacuum 1276093538
print.print_printer HP Officejet J4500 Series
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_bgcolor true
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_bgimages true
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_command
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_downloadfonts false
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_edge_bottom 0
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_edge_left 0
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_edge_right 0
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_edge_top 0
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_evenpages true
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_footercenter
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_footerleft &PT
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_footerright &D
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_headercenter
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_headerleft &T
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_headerright &U
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_in_color true
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_margin_bottom 0.5
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_margin_left 0.5
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_margin_right 0.5
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_margin_top 0.5
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_oddpages true
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_orientation 0
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_pagedelay 500
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_paper_data 1
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_paper_height 11.00
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_paper_size_type 0
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_paper_size_unit 0
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_paper_width 8.50
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_reversed false
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_scaling 1.00
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_shrink_to_fit true
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_to_file false
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_unwriteable_margin_bottom 0
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_unwriteable_margin_left 0
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_unwriteable_margin_right 0
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_unwriteable_margin_top 0
privacy.cpd.extensions-betterprivacy true
privacy.cpd.siteSettings true
privacy.sanitize.migrateFx3Prefs true
privacy.sanitize.timeSpan 0
security.warn_viewing_mixed false
It seems it's the browser.link.open_newwindow string. It should be set to 3. Do you need help with setting it to 3?
I did that and now it opens in a new tab which was my original problem! I want my e-mail (Hotmail) to open in the same tab, not a new one!
You appear to have the Fasterfox extension installed, currently disabled.
You should reset the network.http prefs that have been changed by that extension to the default.
If you want links to open in the current tab then use a value of 1 for the pref browser.link.open_newwindow
See also:
Novain'i cor-el t@
Morbus! That fixed it. I know to type in about:config in the address box and I went in there and changed browser.link.open_newwindow to 3, and that was the solution. Thank you very much for your help.
cor-el, thank you also for your help.
Same problem, but on a Mac, started last night
I want hotmail to open in a new tab NOT a new window. It used to do that and even though I have the box checked for open in new tab, it doesn't work in firefox.
I have the same exact problem. Hotmail opens a new window and not a new tab or in the same window. Why is this happening? Thanks!
oh this fixed my problem below.
typed in about:config in the address box and then I changed browser.link.open_newwindow to 3
you can change it to 3 to open in new tab or to 1 and it will open in same window. thanks for the solution because the was really annoying.
So I tryed typing 1 so when I click on the hotmail link it will stay in the same window but it still opens in a new window. WTF happened does anyone know how to fix. pls
Don
Don--I have the same problem. It's so annoying!
Similar problem. Can open links with a right click and then open in new tab but left clicks only cause it to open in same window but do not load. Ends up a blank tab. Have to backspace then reload to get Hotmail back open.
Clicking the mouse wheel opens the link in a new tab so I just have to make that a new habit and I'll be ok I guess. Just don't know why it stopped working.