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Mouse-click + modifier key to open a link in private mode?

  • 3 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by TAP

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I'd like to be able to open a link in private mode by holding down some modifier key, then clicking on the link. There are many times that I want to open a link in private mode, and a keypress + click would be the quickest way to do it given that one hand typically remains at the keyboard while I use the mouse/trackpad.

I've even added a toolbar button to open a new private browsing window, then dragged and dropped a link onto the button, but that gets a circle with slash icon and nothing more.

Others have asked this question, so, to be clear, none of the following address my question: copying the link then opening the private browsing window & pasting the link, using a customized shortcut/bookmark, opening Firefox in private mode via command line, right-clicking the link then selecting "Open link in new private window".

Thanks for any advice and thank you, Mozilla, for Firefox!

I'd like to be able to open a link in private mode by holding down some modifier key, then clicking on the link. There are many times that I want to open a link in private mode, and a keypress + click would be the quickest way to do it given that one hand typically remains at the keyboard while I use the mouse/trackpad. I've even added a toolbar button to open a new private browsing window, then dragged and dropped a link onto the button, but that gets a circle with slash icon and nothing more. Others have asked this question, so, to be clear, none of the following address my question: copying the link then opening the private browsing window & pasting the link, using a customized shortcut/bookmark, opening Firefox in private mode via command line, right-clicking the link then selecting "Open link in new private window". Thanks for any advice and thank you, Mozilla, for Firefox!

Chosen solution

Right-click the link then press the P key.

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All Replies (3)

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I can't think of any built-in option for this. It's not listed in the help article: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/mouse-shortcuts-perform-common-tasks#w_links

Mozilla has a product suggestion site at https://connect.mozilla.org/. I think if you have time, it would be a good idea to post this request there to get into the current feedback stream. Use the "Ideas" section of the site.

TAP said

I've even added a toolbar button to open a new private browsing window, then dragged and dropped a link onto the button, but that gets a circle with slash icon and nothing more.

When it comes to dragging, if you have a private window open, you can drag and hold the link over its button on the taskbar and when it comes up, you can drop the link into the current tab to replace that page, or drop it all the way up on the tabs bar to open the link in a new tab. You normally need to hold down the shift key to open the link in a new active tab, otherwise it opens in a background tab.

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Chosen Solution

Right-click the link then press the P key.

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Thanks @zeroknight, your suggestion works well enough to satisfy my need. I laughed when I realized the the P key is underlined in the context menu, yet I never thought to press it.

Working from your suggestion, I also found that, if the cursor isn't already in a text box, one can hold down/press P, then right-click the link, and the link will be opened in a Private Browsing window. Again, the cursor cannot be in a text box for this to work.

Thank you, too, @jscher2000. I will submit a feature request.