FIXED(?) problem in Firefox -- not platform-specific, AFAIK. No longer automatically switches to new tab when opened.

[eppur_se_muova]

Last edited Sun May 5, 2024, 04:38 PM - Edit history (2)

I have my Settings set to automatically switch to a new tab when it is opened, but it quit working a couple of months ago. There have been two or three upgrades since, and it still doesn't work.

I tried using about:config to change these two preferences:
change browser.tabs.loadInBackground to true
browser.tabs.loadDivertedInBackground to true

I also tried another setting, but I don't think it was related.

At first neither of these changes seemed to have any effect. But .... when I went back to look at my Settings, I found "immediately switch to new tab" was now unchecked ! I checked the box to turn it on again and now it works. Earlier, I had tried turning it off, closing Settings, turning it back on and closing Settings, but it had no effect. Hmmmmm. It's like one of my choices in about:config jiggled a switch loose, or something. :/

Any idea what happened here?


THANKS for all who made suggestions. It's still a little unclear if the fix is permanent -- I already had it fail once, but seemed to work reliably after that. Fingers crossed.

[bucolic_frolic]

1. I use an extension called New Tab Homepage

Used it for about 7 years. No problems. It would override FF internal settings, and you can set the homepage it opens to anything you want.

[EYESORE 9001]

2. I've used Firefox for several years now

and ive noticed this as well. It seems almost random, but I’m guessing it’s in the coding how Firefox handles URLs. I’ve never been so vexed by it that I’ve gone to such lengths to remedy the problem. Id be interested in what you find to fix this issue (if there is one).

[canetoad]

3. My first thought

Was to use tab.focus in some way. I found a page which tells you how to turn OFF focus on new tab, so figured the reverse would be true to turn it on.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1408432

This says to use Settings / General / Tabs .... When you open a link, image..etc switch to it immediately.

[eppur_se_muova]

4. browser.link.open_newwindow is now set to the value of 3.

The last line of your post is what I had already done, over and over. It just didn't "take" until I had gone into the config editor for some reason.

Thanks, I think this would have fixed it if I hadn't already fortuitously fixed it by repeated permutations and combinations.