topic Re: Ctrl+Click in History since redesign does not open a new tab (like before) in Discussions

Ctrl+Click in History since redesign does not open a new tab (like before)

Aphix — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 22:11:10 GMT

Ctrl+clicking an item in the history menu used to open a new tab, like any other link; this seems broken since the new redesign. It just does nothing now. Please fix.

Re: Ctrl+Click in History since redesign does not open a new tab (like before)

Aphix — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 22:14:28 GMT

CORRECTION: It's a ctrl selection, which makes only makes sense for...I guess deleting multiple entries? But IMO another key combo should be used. One option that matches something like Discord: Shift hold -> change icon on right to little trash can icon -> every click deletes immediately.

Either a key is a universal modifier or it's unclear what the intent of the key is, reducing hotkey usage and hurting user expectation. It now matches multiselect combobox elements and OS file browser usage, which is different than expected in a browser context.

Re: Ctrl+Click in History since redesign does not open a new tab (like before)

Aphix — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 22:17:23 GMT

Re: Ctrl+Click in History since redesign does not open a new tab (like before)

Aphix — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 22:19:42 GMT

Running Developer edition, to be clear.

Re: Ctrl+Click in History since redesign does not open a new tab (like before)

nalwoz — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 17:43:05 GMT

Has same issue, manage to fix it by -

1.Open Advanced Settings: Type about:config into your Firefox address bar and press Enter.
2.Bypass Warning: Click Accept the Risk and Continue.
3.Locate Sidebar Setting: Search for sidebar.revamp in the search box at the top.
4.Disable New Sidebar: Double-click sidebar.revamp (or click the toggle button) to change its value from true to false.

Re: Ctrl+Click in History since redesign does not open a new tab (like before)

Agentvirtuel — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 19:05:28 GMT

Bonsoir

157.0 https://www.firefox.com/en-US/firefox/157.0/releasenotes

While we continue to refine the new design, the previous sidebar version can still be restored by setting sidebar.revamp to false in about:config. This also turns off vertical tabs. The preference will remain available until the end of 2027.

Re: Ctrl+Click in History since redesign does not open a new tab (like before)

nalwoz — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 19:08:46 GMT

Which is what i already said.

Re: Ctrl+Click in History since redesign does not open a new tab (like before)

Agentvirtuel — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 19:17:15 GMT

My answer, this is an official release notes.

Re: Ctrl+Click in History since redesign does not open a new tab (like before)

TechHorse — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 19:32:20 GMT

The ability to multi-select multiple items in the sidebar was added as there are legitimate usage cases for performing bulk operations.

Not just deleting several items at once, but for cut, copy and paste operations, opening the selected items all at once, copying their URLs to the clipboard etc. Some of these operations a person may not want to have to perform one item at a time.

As noted, ctrl is an established modifier for selecting and deselecting individual items in lists that allow multi-selection.

That said, if someone prefers ctrl+click to open the item in a new tab, then it would be useful for them to have that choice. Just please don't take away the current multi-select capability.

Re: Ctrl+Click in History since redesign does not open a new tab (like before)

nalwoz — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 19:38:02 GMT

The thing is, for years ctrl+click has been used to open a history page in new tab, so multi-select should use a new hotkey, not take that one.

Re: Ctrl+Click in History since redesign does not open a new tab (like before)

TechHorse — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 21:31:42 GMT

nalwoz, the old sidebar allowed multi-selection with the keyboard using the ctrl key as a modifier.

Pressing ctrl+space selects / deselects the current item. Also, holding down the ctrl key while arrowing through the list does not disrupt the current selection, and again, pressing space with the ctrl key still held down adds / removes the currently focused item to / from the selection.

This keyboard functionality has also been in Firefox for years, and is an established multi-selection technique, found in other places such as in File Explorer etc.

ctrl+click is also established in other places as an item selector / deselector for lists.

Changing the multi-select modifier from ctrl to something else might be jarring for those who use it.

So again, perhaps the best course of action is just to give people the choice as to what they want ctrl+click to do. Do they want it to open the link in a new tab as it did with the old sidebar, or do they want it to replicate the ctrl+space multi-select functionality that has also been present for years.