It's not Firefox, it's the web page. Some links open a new window. Some don't. If you have a 3 button mouse, the middle button opens to a new tab.

It's happening on all web pages.

That preference refers to links that are coded to launch in a new window: launch them in a new tab instead of a new window.

Unfortunately, there's no built-in setting for links that are coded to launch in the same tab to launch them in a new tab instead of in the same tab. You would need an add-on for that.

Normally I would suggest checking out Tab Mix Plus as the "Swiss Army knife" of tab-related features, but lately it has a little bug so if it hasn't been updated in recent days, you might hold off on using it.

What are the settings of theses prefs?

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/browser.link.open_newwindow
• 1: current tab; 2:new window; 3:new tab;

For links opened via JavaScript you can look at this pref:

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/browser.link.open_newwindow.restriction

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

• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Safe+Mode
• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Troubleshooting+extensions+and+themes

I don't feel comfortable going to safe mode. If I have to keep right clicking to open things in a new tab, that's what I'll do.

Did you check the values of the prefs I mentioned above on the about:config page?

• browser.link.open_newwindow
• browser.link.open_newwindow.restriction

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.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/about:config

You can middle-click a link with the mouse scroll wheel or hold Ctrl and left-click to open the link in a new tab.

Firefox's Safe Mode is not really that scary. When you're in Safe Mode and you exit Firefox, it starts up normally the next time (assuming you don't hold down the Shift key). Of course, watch out for a choice between Safe Mode and a Refresh, since a Refresh removes all your add-ons. I think the buttons are labeled clearly.

In case it's useful, you can hold down Ctrl and left-click a link to direct it to a new tab. Or if your mouse has a click wheel, you can "middle-click" the link with the wheel to open it in a new tab.

jscher2000 said

That preference refers to links that are coded to launch in a new window: launch them in a new tab instead of a new window. Unfortunately, there's no built-in setting for links that are coded to launch in the same tab to launch them in a new tab instead of in the same tab. You would need an add-on for that. Normally I would suggest checking out Tab Mix Plus as the "Swiss Army knife" of tab-related features, but lately it has a little bug so if it hasn't been updated in recent days, you might hold off on using it.

THANK YOU jscher2000!!!

I've been sick for a couple weeks so I had not bothered to come in and try to deal with this problem. When I got back on the computer again I was just right clicking to open things in tabs again. While emptying hundreds of pieces of mail I came across your suggestion and decided that it looked easy enough to try out, and I knew if it didn't work it was easy enough to get rid of. Thank you so much because it appears to be working so far. What a relief!

FredMcD said

It's not Firefox, it's the web page. Some links open a new window. Some don't. If you have a 3 button mouse, the middle button opens to a new tab.

Honestly, it was completely unpredictable. Some days it worked and some days it did not. Some websites in worked part time.

cor-el said

Did you check the values of the prefs I mentioned above on the about:config page?

• browser.link.open_newwindow
• browser.link.open_newwindow.restriction

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.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/about:config

You can middle-click a link with the mouse scroll wheel or hold Ctrl and left-click to open the link in a new tab.

I just wasn't willing to accept the warning/risk.

For me, one of the great pleasure of Mozilla is it independence. It has its price, e.g. that a clicked hyper-link doesn't open in a new tab. Very frustrating! I do think it's unbelievable that you, all the beautiful Mozilla-experts, don't have a solution to this very fundamental handicap of Mozilla. Is there a add-on which tackles this problem?

Hi astrohubble, the default position is that Firefox handles links the way pages specify, except that "new window" is usually interpreted as "new tab." There are extensions such as Tab Mix Plus that let you override this approach and drive everything into a new tab.

Thank you, jscher 2000, but this Tab Mix Plus doesn't work in my browser!

astrohubble said

Tab Mix Plus doesn't work in my browser!

Is your browser Firefox 43?? I haven't seen other threads mentioning that problem (although, I can't read everything). You might want to start a new question and include your Firefox configuration details. You can use the Ask a Question link at the top of any support page; scroll down past article suggestions to find the next part of the form.