Firefox 38.0.5 Won't Open Tabs, Only New Windows

June 18, 2015 6:44 AM

I can't get any tabs to open in Firefox 38.0.5 (Windows 7); it keeps opening new windows instead.

I’ve tried the following:

• checked “Open new windows in a new tab instead”
• updating my add-ons
• starting in safe mode
• making sure that browser.link.open_newwindow is set to “3” in about:config
• clean uninstall/reinstall
• rebooting numerous times

This has been going on for 4 days now. I've asked in the Firefox support forums and have gotten no response. Any ideas?

posted by Amy NM to Computers & Internet (3 answers total)

Best answer: You want the default behaviour for opening new windows to open a new tab instead? and you are normal clicking on that link? and this demo does not open a new tab?

Can you also start Firefox with a new profile and see if you get the same problem?
posted by gorcha at 7:04 AM on June 18, 2015

Response by poster: I went to start a new profile as gorcha suggested and saw the "Refresh Firefox" (which I had also done before and forgot to mention). I refreshed *again* and lo, the problem was solved.

Thanks so much, gorcha, for (indirectly) solving a problem that I've been wrestling with for 4 days!
posted by Amy NM at 7:33 AM on June 18, 2015

And, from my Firefox days, go get the Tab Mix Plus add-on and use it. I really wish Chrome had it as an add-on, because I love it. Bookmarks to tabs in background? Yes. Links which want to open new windows? Background tab please!
posted by Fortran at 11:09 AM on June 18, 2015