To make Ctrl+Tab switch tabs in the order you last used them, open the Firefox menu, choose Settings, click Tabs and browsing, and check Ctrl+Tab cycles through tabs in recently used order. Uncheck it if you want Ctrl+Tab to move to the next tab in the tab bar instead.
All of Firefox’s tab options live in the same place. This guide walks through each one, including taskbar previews and whether new tabs open in the background, following Mozilla’s tab preferences and settings article.
How to Change the Ctrl+Tab Order in Firefox
- Click the menu button (three horizontal lines) in the top-right corner of Firefox.
- Choose Settings.
- Click Tabs and browsing on the left and go to the Tabs section.
- Under Interaction, check or uncheck Ctrl+Tab cycles through tabs in recently used order.
Result: With the box checked, Ctrl+Tab jumps between tabs in the order you viewed them. With it unchecked, Ctrl+Tab moves to the tab on the right and Ctrl+Shift+Tab moves to the tab on the left. Mozilla says to clear this box if you want Ctrl+Tab and Ctrl+Shift+Tab to move through tabs in tab-bar order.
All Firefox Tab Settings Explained
Mozilla groups the tab options into three areas.
Opening
- Open links in tabs instead of new windows: Links that would open a new window open in a new tab in your most recent window instead. Firefox may still open a window if the page asks for a specific size.
- When opening links or media in a new tab, switch to it immediately: Leave this unchecked to open middle-clicked or Ctrl-clicked links in the background, or check it to jump to them right away.
- Open links from apps next to your active tab: Links from other apps open beside your current tab instead of at the end of the tab bar.
- Warn you when opening multiple tabs might slow down Firefox: This only appears if you turned off that warning before, and lets you turn it back on.
Interaction
- Ctrl+Tab cycles through tabs in recently used order: Explained above.
- Show an image preview when you hover on a tab: Firefox shows a thumbnail when your pointer rests on a tab. Uncheck it to turn the previews off.
- Drag tabs together to create tab groups: Lets you group related tabs by dragging one onto another.
- Use AI to suggest tabs and a name for tab groups: Suggests names and tabs for groups. Mozilla says this is rolling out gradually, so you may not see it yet.
- Show tab previews in the Windows taskbar: On Windows, hovering over the Firefox taskbar icon normally shows one preview for the whole window. Check this to see a separate preview for each tab.
Closing
- Ask before closing multiple tabs: Shows a warning before you close a window with several tabs open, so you don’t lose them by accident.
How to Stop Firefox From Switching to New Tabs
- Open Settings > Tabs and browsing.
- Under Opening, uncheck When opening links or media in a new tab, switch to it immediately.
Result: New tabs from links open in the background, and you stay on the page you’re reading.
Other Ways to Customize Firefox
- Change your home page so new windows open where you want.
- Switch to the dark theme.
- Show the menu bar if you prefer File, Edit and View menus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can’t I find the taskbar preview option?
It only appears on Windows, because it controls the Windows taskbar.
Firefox feels slow when I type. Is that a tab setting?
Not usually. See how to fix delayed typing in Firefox.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.