Keyboard shortcut to detach a tab in Firefox (move tab to new window)

Question

In Firefox, I can move a tab to a new window by either dragging the tab out of the window, or right-clicking the "move to New window" option from the context menu. Is there a shortcut key to move the current tab to a new window without dragging or using the context menu, or a way to set one up?

Often, I like to look at 2 tabs side by side. I use Microsoft Windows, so I drag one out, then hit ⊞ Win+→ to put the detached tab on the right, then Alt+Tab to focus back to the main window, then ⊞ Win+← to put the main window on the left. It would be great if I could do the whole process on the keyboard.

I checked this documentation and did not find any shortcut key for detaching a tab.

Answer 1

Here's how to create your own keyboard shortcut to Detach a Firefox Tab to a New Window:

1. Install the Keyconfig addon

2. Open the Keyconfig Preferences by pressing Ctrl+Shift+F12 (On Mac it may be ⌘ Cmd+Shift+F12)

3. Click Add a new key at the bottom left of the keyconfig window.

4. Replace the contents of the Name field with the name of this command:

   Detach Tab to New Window
   

5. Paste the following code into the /* CODE */ field:

   window.openDialog("chrome://browser/content/browser.xul","_blank","chrome,dialog=no,all",gBrowser.mCurrentTab);
   

6. Click OK.

7. Your new command will be marked as <Disabled> This means you need to set a keyboard shortcut for this command. Make sure your command is selected from the list of commands. Click inside the field at the bottom left of the window. It will highlight the contents and whatever keys you hit next will be entered inside that box. For example, you might use Ctrl+Alt+N. Or if you're a fan of Vim you might use Shift+Y.

8. Click Apply and then click Close to close the keyconfig window. Test your keyboard shortcut by loading a window with at least 2 tabs and then use your new keyboard shortcut. The current tab should detach itself and form a new window.

Answer 2

I found the best way to do this without any third party software. Basically, this is @exic solution with only 2 steps instead of 6 :

Ctrl + L : Focus address bar

Shift + Enter : Open url in new window

This of course has the same con as @exic of loading a new page instead of taking the current one out.

Answer 3

With Vimium-FF, it can be done by pressing W, i.e. shift + w.

Answer 4

Been using this plugin, which fits the bill, shortcuts are customisable.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/addon/tabdetach/

Answer 5

I like to use this shortcut sequence, which does what you want:

Ctrl-L # Focus URL
Ctrl-C # Copy it
Ctrl-W # Close current tab
Ctrl-N # Open new window
Ctrl-V # Paste 
Enter  # Open URL

Obviously it has side effects:

1. Your buffer is overridden
2. The page is reloaded (don't do it if you already put input on that page)
3. It won't work if the current page captures Ctrl-L (like the StackExchange post editor, which has it mapped to "Insert Hyperlink" :-D)

But it doesn't require addons or code.

Answer 6

A solution with keyboard shortcuts that really move the tab, and does not only reopen it.

Ctrl+L                    # Focus the adress bar
Shift+Tab                 # Repeatedly until the tab is focused (3 times for me)
Right-Click Shortcut Key  # Open contextual menu of the tab
v                         # Mo*v*e Tab
w                         # Move to New *W*indow

And, as described in the "Selection of Multiple Tabs" section of the Keyboard shortcuts Firefox Documentation, you can even easily select multiple tabs between step 2 and 3 by using ctrl + arrows and ctrl + space.

Note: I thing that the last two steps (v and w) may depend on your firefox installation, but you can easily spot which key to press becausse this is the underlined letter in the corresponding action name.

Answer 7

In addition to @Nic's answer, use the following code to also close the detached tab from the original window:

window.openDialog("chrome://browser/content/browser.xul","_blank","chrome,dialog=no,all",gBrowser.mCurrentTab);
window.open('','_gBrowser.mCurrentTab').close();

Answer 8

Two steps : simplest way to get this done is to SELECT the tab address by just clicking on the address bar then just press CTRL+SHIFT.

 1. SELECT the tab address
 2. Press CTRL+SHIFT

Answer 9

I use Alfred and built a workflow that starts with a hotkey to run this osascript (javascript)

(thanks to James Robert who wrote the initial code which I adapted):

// Origin: https://gist.github.com/jiaaro/c95e89ea5cacc6906040

var sys_events = Application('System Events')
var key_codes = {
  '→': 124,
  '←': 123,
  '↑': 126,
  '↓': 125,
  '⏎': 36, // Return
  '⇥': 48, // Tab
  '⌫': 51, // Delete
  '⎋': 53 // Escape
}
var modifiers = {
  '⌘': 'command down',
  '^': 'control down',
  '⌥': 'option down',
  '⇧': 'shift down'
}

function press(hotkey) {
  var using = []

  while (hotkey.length > 1) {
    if (modifiers[hotkey[0]] == undefined) {
      throw new Error(hotkey[0] + ' is not a recognized modifier key')
    }
    using.push(modifiers[hotkey[0]])
    hotkey = hotkey.slice(1)
  }

  if (key_codes[hotkey] != undefined) sys_events.keyCode(key_codes[hotkey], { using: using })
  else sys_events.keystroke(hotkey.toLowerCase(), { using: using })
}

const sequence = [
  { key: '⌘L' },
  { key: '⌘C' },
  { key: '⌘W' },
  { key: '⌘⌥←' }, // I use specticle app to manage window locations
  { key: '⌘N', wait: 0.8 },
  { key: '⌘⌥→' }, // I use specticle app to manage window locations
  { key: '⌘L' },
  { key: '⌘V' },
  { key: '⏎' }
]

for (const { key, wait } of sequence) {
  press(key)
  wait && delay(wait)
}

Now when I'm in chrome I run CMD-pagedown as my hotkey and it does the magic.

Answer 10

I am on Ubuntu 22.04 and Firefox 105 and I use this keyboard shortcut to detach the current tab and move to a new window:

Ctrl + Shift + Space

Answer 11

For a list of all keyboard shortcuts in FireFox, visit this website. For information on tab shortcuts, scroll down about halfway. I believe the one you are looking for is Insert or Shift+Insert.