It's not a built-in feature to open a bookmark in a new tab automatically. Perhaps you were using an extension like Tab Mix Plus which, among its many other features, has a setting to always open a bookmark in a new tab?

OK - thanks, maybe I did not remember correctly. You did not answer if there's a description of Tab options? Would be nice. Like the the Ctrl+bookmark click, I learned from just one post.

I do not understand what the last option does either:

"When I open a link in a new tab, switch to it immediately"

Seems to open immediately regardless of setting.

Hi, I use https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/open-bookmarks-in-new-tab/

Here's a description of tab options - Startup, home page, tabs, and download settings.

Thanks...I came across that, but it would not install - message was it was corrupt. There were number of comments that it did not work for others as well. What OS and FF ver is it working with?

Scribe said

Hi, I use https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/open-bookmarks-in-new-tab/ Here's a description of tab options - Startup, home page, tabs, and download settings.

jscher2000 said

It's not a built-in feature to open a bookmark in a new tab automatically. Perhaps you were using an extension like Tab Mix Plus which, among its many other features, has a setting to always open a bookmark in a new tab?

Can I ask again: what's the difference between having "Open new windows in a new tab instead" checked and not checked?

Is it only for links within already open webpage? If so, it does not say anywehre. This is why I asked about detailed description of these options - if there's NONE - please say so :-)

Open new windows in a new tab instead: This option controls whether links from other applications or from web pages which request to open them in new windows are opened in a new window or a new tab in the most recent window. Note: If you have chosen to open pages in new tabs, Firefox will ignore this option and will open a new window from a link if the page author specified that the new window should have a specific size, because some pages can only be displayed correctly at a specific size.

Strange that add-on is throwing an error, because I've used it for years on Win7 and since October on Win10 - currently running FF53. I see you are using FF45 but don't see why that should be an issue, since it works in much earlier versions. I also know that an earlier version of the add-on works in Pale Moon. It may be that there is a conflict with one of your other add-ons - if you have any, so if you want to pursue it, you could see if it will download with them disabled.

photonak said

Can I ask again: what's the difference between having "Open new windows in a new tab instead" checked and not checked?

Is it only for links within already open webpage? If so, it does not say anywehre. This is why I asked about detailed description of these options - if there's NONE - please say so :-)

I don't know if there is a detailed description somewhere. Often there's only a brief description.

The starting point is: why would a link open in a new window? There are two possible scenarios:

(1) The link has a target attribute that contains either the "_blank" keyword or the name of a window (e.g., "mydialog"). Browsers will normally open the linked page in a new window.

(2) The link has a script attached that calls the window.open() script method, commonly used to create popup windows.

The preference to open the page in a new tab instead of a new window will usually divert the new window to a tab. The exception is for #2, if certain parameters are set like height and width, Firefox will go ahead and launch a new window, on the theory that it may be a dialog box you want to view in the context of the page. There is a way to override that so you ALWAYS get a new tab if you like (using about:config).

There are three prefs, accessible via the about:config page, to control the focus if you click a link (open link in background or foreground). You can toggle the default action by holding the Shift key down.

• browser.tabs.loadInBackground (normal links)
• browser.tabs.loadDivertedInBackground (javascript)
• browser.tabs.loadBookmarksInBackground (bookmarks)
• browser.search.context.loadInBackground

FYI, if the current tab is PINNED, the bookmark will open in a new tab instead of the pinned one. Too bad there isn't an option or add-in that will do this for all tabs.

I just upgraded to 59.0 and it is unfathomable to me that automatically opening a bookmark in a new tab is no longer available - what were you guys thinking???. Anyway I went to the add-ons to download something that makes this work but they all say that it's not compatible with my version of Firefox; help!!

Hi Discloop, Hi sieb, this is an old thread you have revived.

There actually is a BRAND NEW preference in Firefox 57 (I think you have 57, unless you installed "Nightly") for this:

(1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter/Return. Click the button promising to be careful or accepting the risk.

(2) In the search box above the list, type or paste intab and pause while the list is filtered

(3) Double-click the browser.tabs.loadBookmarksInTabs preference to switch the value from false to true

Thank you so much, that did it quick and easy!

ThankyouThankyouThankyou!

Agree this hint posted by jscher2000 works - many thanks.

However, I am also hopeful that the TabMixPlus extension with its many useful features will be upgraded to work with latest Firefox - it is presently parked in the Legacy extensions area of my Add-ons.