How do get PDFs to open in new windows instead of new tabs? (Mac)
January 20, 2023 8:41 AM Subscribe
When I open a PDF in Preview, how do I get it to open in a new window, as opposed to as a new tab in another PDF that is already open? Mac with Monterey.
Response by poster: Preview -> Preferences -> Images -> "Open each file in its own window"?
I have this selected and it's not doing it correctly (for either PDFs or images).
posted by andoatnp at 9:15 AM on January 20, 2023
I have this selected and it's not doing it correctly (for either PDFs or images).
posted by andoatnp at 9:15 AM on January 20, 2023
Not sure whether this helps, but it seems like the tab behavior is specific to double-clicking a file from the Finder. Either right-click -> “Open With” -> Preview, or dragging it to Preview in the dock, opens it in a separate window (for me, at this moment, under OS 12.6.2).
posted by staggernation at 9:26 AM on January 20, 2023
posted by staggernation at 9:26 AM on January 20, 2023
I don't know how to get Preview to behave, and it's part of the reason I use Skim instead.
posted by nat at 9:31 AM on January 20, 2023
posted by nat at 9:31 AM on January 20, 2023
Best answer: I find this happens when I have a large number of preview windows already open. Like, at a certain point, it switches to opening in a tab rather than a new window.
posted by litera scripta manet at 10:04 AM on January 20, 2023
posted by litera scripta manet at 10:04 AM on January 20, 2023
This might be Ventura-specific and not in Monterey (don't have a Monterey machine nearby to check), but maybe System Settings -> Desktop & Dock -> Windows & Apps -> "Prefer tabs when opening documents"?
posted by hanov3r at 10:42 AM on January 20, 2023
posted by hanov3r at 10:42 AM on January 20, 2023
Best answer: This is a long-standing bug in Preview. Saw it years ago in High Sierra and it still happens in Ventura. It starts happening when you have 15 windows. It doesn't matter if you double-click in the Finder, right-click > Open in the Finder, or File > Open in Preview, the behavior is the same once you reach 15 windows. You can drag the tabs out into new windows (so there isn't, like, a hard maximum of 15) but I have never found a way to make the setting actually stick beyond that point.
posted by bcwinters at 10:42 AM on January 20, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by bcwinters at 10:42 AM on January 20, 2023 [2 favorites]
Best answer: maybe System Settings -> Desktop & Dock -> Windows & Apps -> "Prefer tabs when opening documents"?
Turning this off does not affect the issue in Preview, unfortunately.
it's part of the reason I use Skim instead.
Skim is free and great, I second this recommendation.
posted by bcwinters at 10:58 AM on January 20, 2023
Turning this off does not affect the issue in Preview, unfortunately.
it's part of the reason I use Skim instead.
Skim is free and great, I second this recommendation.
posted by bcwinters at 10:58 AM on January 20, 2023
Response by poster: I find this happens when I have a large number of preview windows already open. Like, at a certain point, it switches to opening in a tab rather than a new window.
This might be what is going on, as I closed all my preview windows and now it seems to be working as I would like.
posted by andoatnp at 11:22 AM on January 20, 2023
This might be what is going on, as I closed all my preview windows and now it seems to be working as I would like.
posted by andoatnp at 11:22 AM on January 20, 2023
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by hanov3r at 9:07 AM on January 20, 2023