# Tabbed mozilla question.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tabbed-mozilla-question/272989>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 4, 2004, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tabbed-mozilla-question/272989 "2004-11-04T16:27:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tabbed-mozilla-question/272989/1 "2004-11-04T16:27:20Z")

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When I click on a link, and open in a new tab, how do I stop switching focus to the new tab? I want to remain on the current page, and have the new tab open in the background. At the moment it goes straight to the new tab, and I have to wait several seconds before I can switch back th the original.

I’m pretty sure that new tabs _used_ to open in the background, but stopped after a crash and reinstalling the software.

I’m using Mozilla firebird, with the extension _Tabbrowser Extensions._

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**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tabbed-mozilla-question/272989/2 "2004-11-04T16:48:12Z")

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Edit - Preferences - Navigator - Tabbed Browsing - Focus, and choose your options

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**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tabbed-mozilla-question/272989/3 "2004-11-04T16:49:36Z")

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Oh, that’s on Mozilla not Firefox, but it should be similar

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**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tabbed-mozilla-question/272989/4 "2004-11-04T17:45:38Z")

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Tools - Options - Advanced - Browsing

Uncheck “Select new tabs opened from links”

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**Author:** ![Omphaloskeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bcef8e/32.png) [@Omphaloskeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omphaloskeptic)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tabbed-mozilla-question/272989/5 "2004-11-04T21:48:38Z")

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Actually, this is a little harder to find with the Tabbrowser Extensions package installed. From the “Edit \> Preferences” window, select the Tabbrowser Extensions \> Use Tab \> Links menu and the “Advance…” button. You probably want the first and third options checked (“Load new tab… in background” and “Middle-click … of links”).

Tabbrowser Extensions is great, but it has a truly overwhelming preferences menu. I’m sure there’s an option in there somewhere for “Ctrl-Shift-Middle Button opens all the links I’m interested in and highlights the good parts”… tell me if you see it.

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**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tabbed-mozilla-question/272989/6 "2004-11-04T22:04:45Z")

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> [@Omphaloskeptic](#):
>
> I’m sure there’s an option in there somewhere for “Ctrl-Shift-Middle Button opens all the links I’m interested in and highlights the good parts”… tell me if you see it.

Don’t worry, you’ll soon find the “triple-right-click for lots of porn” option soon enough…