# IE7 configuration:  New tab instead of new window?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ie7-configuration-new-tab-instead-of-new-window/407862>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 13, 2007, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ie7-configuration-new-tab-instead-of-new-window/407862 "2007-06-13T15:41:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ie7-configuration-new-tab-instead-of-new-window/407862/1 "2007-06-13T15:41:02Z")

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Many web sites (like this one) include HTML tags that opens a link in a new browser window. I have IE 7 and would prefer this tag to open a new tab, instead of a new window. Is there any IE configuration that tells it how to handle a

target="\_blank"

option in a link?

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**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ie7-configuration-new-tab-instead-of-new-window/407862/2 "2007-06-13T16:23:31Z")

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Tools\>Internet Options\>General\>Tabs\>Settings\>“A new tab in the current window”

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ie7-configuration-new-tab-instead-of-new-window/407862/3 "2007-06-13T17:01:39Z")

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[QUOTE=Fear Itself]  
Tools\>Internet Options\>General\>Tabs\>Settings\>“A new tab in the current window”  
[/QUOTE]  
That is how mine is already set. I think this might refer to something like double clicking on an HTML file on your desktop or in Windows Explorer, which \*does \* result in a new tab in existing window for me.

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**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ie7-configuration-new-tab-instead-of-new-window/407862/4 "2007-06-13T18:58:02Z")

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Right click and select “Open Page In A New Tab”  
Possibly middle click but I haven’t a middle-clicker on this machine to try it.