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.
These steps are for Firefox on Windows, Mac, and Linux computers, using the labels in Mozilla’s tab preferences and settings article. On a Mac, the keyboard shortcut uses the Control key, so it reads Control+Tab. Older versions of Firefox put the same options under Options or Preferences > General > Tabs.
How to Change the Ctrl+Tab Order in Firefox
- Click the menu button (three horizontal lines) in the top-right corner of Firefox. On a Mac, you can also click Firefox in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
- Choose Settings. The Settings page opens in a new tab.
- 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. Firefox saves the change right away, so you can close the Settings tab.
- Switch to another page and press Ctrl+Tab to test it.
What Each Ctrl+Tab Mode Does
The checkbox changes two shortcuts, not one.
| Shortcut | Box checked (recently used order) | Box unchecked (tab bar order) |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl+Tab | Goes back to the tab you used before this one | Moves to the tab on the right |
| Ctrl+Shift+Tab | Shows a list of all your tabs | Moves to the tab on the left |
Recently used order works like Alt+Tab in Windows. Tap Ctrl+Tab once to bounce between your two most recent tabs. Keep holding Ctrl and press Tab again to step further back through your history, then let go of Ctrl to open the tab you stopped on.
Which should you pick? If you usually flip between two pages, such as an email and a document you’re copying from, recently used order saves keystrokes. If you think of your tabs as a row and want predictable left and right movement, leave the box unchecked.
Other Keyboard Shortcuts for Switching Tabs
These work no matter how the checkbox is set, according to Mozilla’s Firefox keyboard shortcuts list:
- Next or previous tab in tab bar order: Ctrl+Page Down or Ctrl+Page Up (Control+Page Down or Control+Page Up on a Mac).
- Jump to tab 1 through 8: Ctrl+1 through Ctrl+8 (Command+1 through Command+8 on a Mac).
- Jump to the last tab: Ctrl+9 (Command+9 on a Mac).
- Reopen the tab you just closed: Ctrl+Shift+T (Command+Shift+T on a Mac).
If you like recently used order but sometimes need to move left or right, Ctrl+Page Up and Ctrl+Page Down give you both.
All Firefox Tab Settings Explained
Every option below is in Settings > Tabs and browsing > Tabs, grouped 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 you click in other apps, such as an email program, 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: With this on, dragging one tab onto another and waiting for the highlight starts a tab group that you can name and color.
- Use AI to suggest tabs and a name for tab groups: Suggests names and related tabs for a group. Mozilla says this is rolling out gradually, so you may not see it yet.
- Show tab previews in the Windows taskbar: On Windows only. 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.
- Ask before quitting with ⌘Q (Mac) or Ask before quitting with Ctrl+Q (Linux): Shows a warning before the quit shortcut closes Firefox with several tabs open. Uncheck it to quit without the prompt.
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.
New tabs from links open in the background, and you stay on the page you’re reading. Check the box again if you’d rather go straight to each new tab.
How to Turn On Taskbar Tab Previews in Windows
This option only appears in Firefox on Windows. It gives each open tab its own thumbnail when you hover over the Firefox icon on the taskbar.
- Click the menu button (three horizontal lines) and choose Settings.
- Click Tabs and browsing on the left and go to the Tabs section.
- Under Interaction, check Show tab previews in the Windows taskbar.
- Hover over the Firefox icon on the taskbar. Each tab now shows its own preview. Uncheck the box to go back to one preview per window.
Troubleshooting
- Ctrl+Tab doesn’t do what you chose: Open Settings > Tabs and browsing again and confirm the box is set the way you want. Then click inside the web page and press the shortcut again, holding Ctrl down until the tab you want appears.
- You see Options or Preferences instead of Settings: Your Firefox is out of date. Check for updates in Firefox to get the current labels and security fixes.
- A setting is missing or won’t stay changed on a work computer: Your organization can manage Firefox settings. Ask your IT team.
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
How do I get the old Ctrl+Tab behavior back?
Uncheck Ctrl+Tab cycles through tabs in recently used order in Settings > Tabs and browsing. Ctrl+Tab then moves one tab to the right again, and Ctrl+Shift+Tab moves one tab to the left.
Why does Ctrl+Shift+Tab show a list of tabs?
That happens when recently used order is turned on. In that mode, Ctrl+Shift+Tab shows all tabs. Uncheck the option if you want it to move one tab left.
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. If typing does lag, try these fixes for delayed typing in Firefox.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are checked step by step against the device or app maker’s own documentation and tested on his own devices whenever he has the hardware or software, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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