MacinTopics

Synopsis:

Some websites insist on opening links in new browser windows. Find out how to have links open in new tabs instead.

Let's Begin:

Websites can choose how clicked links are opened.  Most of the time, clicked links take you to the new page in the same browser window, but sometimes the website codes the link such that it causes a new browser window to pop up. If you find this annoying and would like new tabs to be opened instead of new windows, then there are two easy things you can do about it:

First, you can direct Safari to open a clicked link in a new tab by holding down the command key (cmd) as you click the link. This will always cause the link to open in a new tab.

Second, if you only want those links that would have caused a new browser window to pop up to instead open in a tab, then there’s a hidden preference setting you can make using the Terminal command. (See Using the Terminal App if you’re not familiar with using command line mode in the Terminal.) First, quit Safari if it’s running, then launch the Terminal app and copy and paste this command into the Terminal window exactly as shown:

defaults write com.apple.Safari TargetedClicksCreateTabs -bool true

You can now quit Terminal and re-launch Safari. From now on when you click a link that would have opened in a new window, it will open in a new tab instead. If you ever want to revert to the old behavior, just go back into Terminal and run the above command again changing the word “true” to “false”.