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With Firefox update 41.0 new tabs open to most used sites even though I have it set to open to about:home.

  • 16 replies
  • 3 have this problem
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  • Last reply by Jaywalker

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After I updated Firefox to 41.0 I cannot get the new tabs to open to the Firefox Start Page. I checked the settings in about:config and they are correct, but new tabs still open to most used sites. Below are the instructions I followed to set up Firefox to open to the Firefox Start Page, which was working until the update.

Hello EdPontiac, you mean to open a new tabs with firefox start page ? Go to about:config copy the next bold preference browser.newtab.url and paste it in the search area of about:config page. Now doube-click on it and write the next about:home

Click Ok, to save it and you are OK.

thank you

Any help would be appreciated.

After I updated Firefox to 41.0 I cannot get the new tabs to open to the Firefox Start Page. I checked the settings in about:config and they are correct, but new tabs still open to most used sites. Below are the instructions I followed to set up Firefox to open to the Firefox Start Page, which was working until the update. Hello EdPontiac, you mean to open a new tabs with firefox start page ? Go to about:config copy the next bold preference browser.newtab.url and paste it in the search area of about:config page. Now doube-click on it and write the next about:home Click Ok, to save it and you are OK. thank you Any help would be appreciated.

Chosen solution

hi, the browser.newtab.url preference no longer exists in firefox 41 - please use an addon instead if you want to set a custom new tab page: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/new-tab-override/

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All Replies (16)

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Chosen Solution

hi, the browser.newtab.url preference no longer exists in firefox 41 - please use an addon instead if you want to set a custom new tab page: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/new-tab-override/

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Thank you Philipp!

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I have installed New Tab Overrride (NTO) and it appeared to work at first, but has now stopped working. I checked the NTO page for the correct URL and it is there - it just stopped working. It sends me to the suggested pages tab, not my specified tab.

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Hi Jaywalker, another user reported a similar problem, that New Tab Override was a little flaky, but he wasn't able to spot a pattern. Have you noticed any pattern, i.e., stops working in the same window but works in a new window, or vice versa?

If you want to use your home page as your new tab page and don't need to specify a different address or blank page, you could uninstall New Tab Override and try this simpler one: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/new-tab-homepage/

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The simpler one works - at least for now - so I'll keep New Tab Homepage. Thanks.

As for patterns, it's difficult to say as the only way I command a new tab (OS X 10.10.5) is Command-T, which worked earlier but not now. I did notice that NTO would accept Blank Page from the options and would open a blank page. The only other observation I have is that it worked on install today, then I shut the cover of my laptop putting it to sleep for four hours or so. Some time after that I noticed the discrepancy, which might or might not have happened immediately had I commanded a new tab. Sorry.

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Hi Jaywalker

Did you check for issues caused by other extensions?


You can check the current new tab page setting with code in the Browser Console.

Toggle devtools.chrome.enabled to true on the about:config page to enable the command line in the Browser Console.

You can open the Browser Console (Firefox/Tools > Web Developer). Paste the JavaScript code in the command line and press the Enter key to evaluate the code.

  • NewTabURL.get();
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Ah, I did post a response, but that included some disappointment with FF, so I suppose the whole response was deleted.

In it I included my current add-ons and the response in the browser console was my current home page, duckduckgo.

Thanks for the help - despite my disappointment, I do appreciate it.

Modified by Jaywalker

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Jaywalker said

Ah, I did post a response, but that included some disappointment with FF, so I suppose the whole response was deleted.

I've never seen a response deleted that wasn't spam or malvertising, so more likely the forum glitched. One issue with this forum software is there's no warning before leaving a preview or half-finished reply and when you use Back, a reload sets you back to an empty box. I hate that.

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Note that you should probably be cautious and not install more than one extension that modifies the new tab page via NewTabURL.override() as you never know in what order extensions are installed an initialized. It is likely that a lot of extensions that deal with tabs may include such a fix. The Classic Theme Restorer also includes this feature.

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I see. Well, the list of add-ons I tried to post did indeed include Classic Theme Restorer, so maybe that's it. New Tab Homepage seems to continue to work.

Browser console yields: "https://duckduckgo.com/?q=&t=ffsb"

About:config NewTabURL -> two instances of extensions.classicthemerestorer, plus a suffix for each.

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Classic Theme Restorer:

In CTR version 1.3.9 you can find the "New tab page url" in the Tabs (1) window.

Modified by cor-el

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cor-el,

Sorry, Can't find UI 2.

Now newtab homepage isn't working either. Browser Console NewTabURL.get(); yields -> "about:newtab"

I presume this means I have a choice between Classic Theme Restorer and selecting my own new tab page. If so, do I need a clean profile (hinted at on your classicthemerestorer add-on link)?

ETA: Disabled CTR and the homepage generates in the new tab, at least for now. (It's hard to describe just how much I dislike "Tabs on Top.")

Modified by Jaywalker

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The location of the new tab page has changed in later releases. In CTR version 1.3.9 you can find the "New tab page url" in the Tabs (1) window.

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cor-el,

Sorry, but I don't understand what you're telling me. A little more info would be helpful.

Modified by Jaywalker

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See this screenshot of the CTR Options/Preferences window.

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Okay, thanks. I couldn't see preferences when I disabled CTR. It's enabled again with the home page as new tabs. I'll try it again for awhile.

Thanks again - I thought it was worth telling you I didn't understand...

ETA: Failed again - I'm back to New Tab Homepage which still seems to work when CTR isn't enabled. Thanks, guys.

Modified by Jaywalker