Subscribe to How-To Geek

Recommended: Click Here to Run a Free Scan for Common PC Errors   [Sponsored Link]

You Really Want to Completely Disable Tabs in Firefox?

From the unsure why you'd want to do this department comes this tip on how to completely disable tabbed browsing in Firefox. I've gotten quite a number of requests for this over the last few months, so I'm finally breaking down and writing an article about it.

It's extremely simple, actually… just install the Tab Killer extension which will remove every trace of tabs from your Firefox. If you middle-click on a link, it'll open the link in a new window instead of a new tab.

Look, no tabs!

image

This is probably useful if you are trying to convert somebody that is used to IE6 and doesn't understand the concept of tabs.

Install the Tab Killer Extension from Mozilla Add-ons

The Geek is the founder of How-To Geek and a geek enthusiast. When he's not coming up with great how-to articles, he's probably writing at his personal blog. This article was written on 07/18/07 and tagged with: Firefox, Firefox & Internet

Comments (7)

  1. Albert

    Thanks for such a quick response to my question!

  2. mysticgeek

    Once you go tabbed you never go back!

  3. Jake

    Ummm…I'm pretty sure removing the tabs in Firefox is illegal in most states…:-P

  4. The Geek

    Jake: That's hilarious…

  5. Lucid

    Tabs are cute, but not terribly useful unless you come from Windows perspective where the UI options have always been limited.
    But for experienced Mac users, tabs are equally as tidy as they are useless. Most spatial orientation is lost and one can't easily scan multiple windows. I can see where tabs fill a UI need for Windows, but in the Mac world it's really a hack that ineptly tries to provide functionality already in the OS.

    Still, there are Mac users who like them, just as there for any OS. But the intransigeant mindset of FF developers, in not making the disabling of tabs a core configuration choice, is unforgiveable. Such narrow-minded, smug evangelism calls to mind the Bush administration.

  6. Kyang

    Lucid: Lol, if you, yourself do not like to use something, then do not use it. Do not go around belittling others for their choices, and then go around trying to tie in your other views on completely unrelated topics, trying to make them seem relevant.

  7. K Benderson

    Many of the chronic security issues in Firefox are directly related to tabs. Lots of exploits. I still use tabs anyway and keep up with updates. But the more security conscious users may want to disable tabs alltogether.


Leave a Comment




Leave your friendly comment here. If you have a computer help question, leave it on the forums instead.

Note: Your comment may not show up immediately on the site.

Copyright © 2006-2008 HowToGeek.com. All Rights Reserved.