Have you checked these settings in about:config?

• middlemouse.openNewWindow - should be true
• middlemouse.contentLoadURL - should be false
• middlemouse.paste - should be false
• middlemouse.scrollbarPosition - should be false

Can you open a new tab if you hold down the Ctrl key and left-click the link?

Start Firefox in Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode to check if one of the extensions (Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Extensions) or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem (switch to the DEFAULT theme: Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Appearance).

• Do NOT click the Refresh button on the Safe Mode start window.

• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Safe+Mode
• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Troubleshooting+extensions+and+themes

Also make sure that all mouse buttons have the default action.

• Windows Control Panel > Mouse

Are you saying:

• middle-click loads the link in the same tab
• middle-click loads the link in a new tab and switches to it immediately

The first one is clearly wrong, but some sites intercept clicks with a script that forces the new page to open in the same tab. If you only see this issue on one or a couple sites, that could be the problem. Or it might be one of the settings in the above first reply.

The second one is in the Options dialog Tab panel:

"3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Options > Tabs

Uncheck this box: "When I open a link in a new tab, switch to it immediately"

What I need and I had for awhile is for the middle wheel when pressed on a link will open that link without leaving the page I'm currently on.

Hi Vicky, could you check the setting in Options to make sure it is what you want:

"3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Options > Tabs

Uncheck this box: "When I open a link in a new tab, switch to it immediately"

That is the current setting in Options/Preferences > Tabs?

• [] "When I open a link in a new tab, switch to it immediately"

Note that you can toggle (override) this choice by holding down the Shift key when middle-clicking the link.

There are three prefs, accessible via the about:config page, to control the focus if you click a link.

• browser.tabs.loadInBackground (normal links)
• browser.tabs.loadDivertedInBackground (javascript)

You can open the about:config page via the location/address bar. You can accept the warning and click "I'll be careful" to continue.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/about:config