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How do I get the option back in the drop down menu to open a bookmark link in a new tab? . When I right click, the menu options are 'grayed out. Thanks!

  • 4 replies
  • 7 have this problem
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  • Last reply by cor-el

Kyli902
Kyli902
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Yesterday I was using my bookmarks to open links in a new tab. But tonight when I right click to open up the drop down menu options and try to select 'new tab', it won't allow me to open a link in a new tab. All the options are showing 'grayed out'. As if those options are no longer available.

I haven't changed anything in my settings (at least not deliberately, perhaps by mistake?), so I have no idea why the drop down menu options are showing as 'grayed out'. I can open other things within Firefox in a new tab, but not anything in my bookmarks.

I have not tried closing out the browser and opening it up again, to check and see if there's a glitch. It just seems rather odd that all of a sudden I cannot open bookmark links in a new tab.

Thanks for any help you can give me to fix this. It's a pain not being able to open bookmark links in a new tab, like I was always able to do before tonight.

Yesterday I was using my bookmarks to open links in a new tab. But tonight when I right click to open up the drop down menu options and try to select 'new tab', it won't allow me to open a link in a new tab. All the options are showing 'grayed out'. As if those options are no longer available. I haven't changed anything in my settings (at least not deliberately, perhaps by mistake?), so I have no idea why the drop down menu options are showing as 'grayed out'. I can open other things within Firefox in a new tab, but not anything in my bookmarks. I have not tried closing out the browser and opening it up again, to check and see if there's a glitch. It just seems rather odd that all of a sudden I cannot open bookmark links in a new tab. Thanks for any help you can give me to fix this. It's a pain not being able to open bookmark links in a new tab, like I was always able to do before tonight.

Chosen solution

Does it work if you middle-click a link?

Start Firefox in Safe Mode to check if one of the extensions ("3-bar" menu button or Tools > Add-ons > Extensions) or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem.

  • Switch to the DEFAULT theme: "3-bar" menu button or Tools > Add-ons > Appearance
  • Do NOT click the "Refresh Firefox" button on the Safe Mode start window
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All Replies (4)

jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
  • Top 10 Contributor
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Is this on the Bookmarks menu that drops down from the classic menu bar? There is a glitch where if you use the Customize feature in that window, the right-click context menu items become grayed just for that one menu. Some possible workarounds:

  • use the Bookmarks toolbar button (looks a bit like a clipboard, to the right of the star icon)
  • use the Bookmarks sidebar (Ctrl+b usually opens and closes it)
  • launch a new window where you haven't used Customize (you can drag existing tabs from the tab bar of the first window to the tab bar of this new window if you like)

Do any of those work?

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
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Chosen Solution

Does it work if you middle-click a link?

Start Firefox in Safe Mode to check if one of the extensions ("3-bar" menu button or Tools > Add-ons > Extensions) or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem.

  • Switch to the DEFAULT theme: "3-bar" menu button or Tools > Add-ons > Appearance
  • Do NOT click the "Refresh Firefox" button on the Safe Mode start window

Modified by cor-el

Kyli902
Kyli902 Question owner
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Thanks for the information. I had been playing around with the customize area to the right of the Firefox toolbar. That's probably why, as you stated, the next time I wanted to open a bookmarked link in a new tab, the area was 'grayed out'. Never had that happen before, so had NO idea how to fix it.

Actually I did end up closing the browser to do something else. And when I loaded out Firefox again, the 'glitch' was gone and I was once again able to right click and open a bookmarked link in a new tab.

I am experiencing issues with that customized icon though. It involves two add-on's and my AOL toolbar. The AOL toolbar and those add-on icons disappeared, but found out yesterday that IF I go into customize mode on the menu icon..... then exit customization, those two add-on icons AND my AOL toolbar show up again.

It's a big pain having to enter customization then exit, to get those items to show up every time I launch the browser. But at least it's a work around for now. The issue started after my last Firefox update.

Thanks for your help with the bookmarks and new tab problem. Appreciate your feedback and information.

cor-el
cor-el
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  • Top 10 Contributor
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Try to reset the browser.uiCustomization.state pref on the about:config page. Note that this will reset the toolbar customization. Close and restart Firefox to see if this is saved.

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.

If you do not keep changes after a restart or otherwise have problems with preferences, see: