Internet Explorer 7: Open New Windows in Tabs in IE7

Contributor Icon Contributed by David Kirk     
Tag Icon Tagged: Internet Explorer IE7  

Either you use tabs or you don’t. If you are a tab user, you will naturally want all your new windows and pop-ups to open in tabs. Right? Here is how to fix this default behavior.


I believe there are two type of browser users. Either you have multiple browser windows open at once… or you would rather have multiple browser tabs open at once. Previously only firefox had the tab option; now IE7 users have it as well.

However, by default in IE7 tabs are enabled but a request for a new browser session opens a new window? Why?

If you hit CTRL and a link, you should expect a new tab to open, not a new window.

Here’s how to have new windows and pop-ups to default to new tabs:

    1. Open IE7
    2. Click Tools
    3. Click Internet Options
    4. Click Settings
    5. Select Always open pop-ups in new tab
    6. Click OK until you are back in your browser

You can hold CTRL and click on a link to test. If setup correctly, that should open the link in a new tab instead of in a new window.

 

12 Comments -


  1. Truth said on November 16, 2008

    What if I want the opposite, and new windows are opening as tabs?

  2. GlobeSpot said on January 16, 2009

    I had new pages in tabs, now my IE7 crazed :)

  3. Really Ticked Off said on January 22, 2009

    I know this is how is should work but I have adjusted these settings and some links still open in a new window. It used to work normally but all of a sudden I’ve got this annoying problem ( and I didn’t make any changes that could have caused it)…..Arrrrgh!

  4. Matt said on February 16, 2009

    i follwed advice above as my IE7 doesnt show tabs for browsing.. but in “Internet opotions/settings” i dont have option to allow tabs… in fact nothing about tabs.. any suggestions any one?

  5. Pete said on March 24, 2009

    Good Job
    got it first click on your instructions

  6. charles said on April 6, 2009

    Thanks buddy it really works fine.

  7. Qureshi said on June 16, 2009

    Thanks buddy :)

  8. Khairul said on July 8, 2009

    There are THREE ‘Settings’ buttons. You need to pick the third and last one, the one underneath the ‘Tabs’ section. Let me know if this helps or not.

  9. MMORPG said on October 17, 2009

    Meh Firefox did it better

  10. Bernalrm said on August 12, 2010

    wht if i just want a blank tab???

  11. loop said on February 23, 2011

    thanks!…but how abt opening links in new tabs by right clicking and selecting “open in a new tab”? Doesnt that exist at all in IE7? If it does, how does one set that?

  12. Use Firefox or Chrome Instead said on March 24, 2011

    Please people DO NOT USE IE anymore as per Microsoft, they realised the browser sucks..

 

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