Loren Halvorson's Blog

If your only tool is a hammer...

IE 7 and Firefox browsing tip...open links in new tab by clicking your mouse scroll wheel

This is widely known, but I still run across people who use IE 7, and/or Firefox but don't use this little trick. On most mice, the scroll wheel is a button as well as a wheel. Click on links using the scroll wheel, and the browser will open that page in a new tab in the background without taking focus away from the current page.

I find this extremely handy when browsing results from a search engine. As you visually scan through the search results, click the links that look promising using the scroll wheel. The browser will set to work to load those pages in the background as you continue to scan.  After you've got a good batch of pages loaded in your tabs, you can skip through the tabs quickly.

Posted: May 23 2008, 11:58 AM by lorenh | with 10 comment(s)
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Comments

Thijs said:

Additional tip:

Use the middle button on a tab to close it. (Without aiming for the small X) Works in IE7, FF but a lot of other applications too! (Visual Studio)

# May 23, 2008 1:45 PM

firefox 3 does not open links in new tab said:

Pingback from  firefox 3 does not open links in new tab

# June 22, 2008 11:13 PM

Middle frustration said:

Clicking link with wheel in IE7 does not always work. Ie. it does not work in google search results...

No problems in FF1/2/3 for this.

And yes, my Logitech-mouse-button3 are configured as "Middle button" , - (not universal scroll or oth.)

Have not investigated why this is so, but yes, irritating.

# July 2, 2008 1:17 PM

none said:

I use firefox, and if I've got a few tabs open that I don't want to disturb, I click the home button (google for me) with the scroll wheel and fire up a fresh tab.

The scroll button new tab works with all of the navigation bar buttons too, as well as the bookmarks and history drop-down menus.

# July 10, 2008 5:39 AM

Jaguara said:

I use touchpad and I dont have a weel on it, and the tab control add doesn't work as it used to :(

# July 16, 2008 8:34 AM

Carlos said:

In Firefox you can use the button wheel to open site´s in new tabs. (Click with the wheel the "Go arrow") but in IE you can´t...you have to press alt+enter.

I wonder if microsoft didnt think on that...its extremely handy

# July 25, 2008 2:44 PM

bpd said:

you can also hold 'ctrl' key + click on your link to open in a new tab

# October 6, 2008 6:57 AM

Shane said:

With a touch pad 'Tap it with two fingers' for a middle click

# March 4, 2009 6:42 PM

Thanks Shane! said:

Shanes tip just made my life much easier using my netbook.  Thanks!

# April 25, 2009 9:32 AM

gihan jay said:

tx so much!  it works for me

# August 26, 2009 4:13 PM