We're calling on all EU-based Mozillians with iOS or iPadOS devices to help us monitor Apple’s new browser choice screens. Join the effort to hold Big Tech to account!

Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

new tab configuration

droliff
droliff
more options

hi all,

I am running Firefox v 48. When I opened a new tab recently, instead of just seeing my 4 'pinned' sites in the top row of tiles and the rest of the tiles blank, all the tiles were filled in with sites that had not been manually added. I clicked on the red x in the right hand corner and another previously visited site automatically went in to that tile. I kept clicking on the red x until finally a 'blank' tile appeared. How do I prevent the empty tiles from automatically filling in, in the future ( i have the 'include suggested sites' box unchecked ).

thanks.

hi all, I am running Firefox v 48. When I opened a new tab recently, instead of just seeing my 4 'pinned' sites in the top row of tiles and the rest of the tiles blank, all the tiles were filled in with sites that had not been manually added. I clicked on the red x in the right hand corner and another previously visited site automatically went in to that tile. I kept clicking on the red x until finally a 'blank' tile appeared. How do I prevent the empty tiles from automatically filling in, in the future ( i have the 'include suggested sites' box unchecked ). thanks.

All Replies (2)

FredMcD
FredMcD
more options

With Firefox 41 (and higher), it's no longer possible to customize the page shown in a new tab via changing the preference browser.newtab.url in about.config. Because of the fact that hijackers abused the preference in the past, Mozilla decided to remove it (see bug 1118285). Fortunately, by removing it, Mozilla also introduced a new API to bring this functionality back to life as an add-on. This add-on allows the user to choose a certain page in a new tab.

New Tab Override (browser.newtab.url replacement) https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/new-tab-override/

This is also available using Classic Theme Restorer (Customize Australis) {web link} Restore squared tabs, appmenu, add-ons bar, small button view and more on Australis UI (Windows/MacOSX/Linux + Fx 29+).

jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

Hmm, I don't know of any built-in setting to prevent history tiles from being displayed automatically AND still having the ability to interact with tiles you add yourself.

In past threads, I think someone mentioned that one workaround would be to pin a blank page (or other temporary placeholder of your choice) in the other rectangles so there was no room for history tiles to be added, but I haven't gone back and searched for the steps to do that.