Firefox 131 enable vertical tabs with about:config or user.js

[NapoleonWils0n]

Firefox 131 has vertical tabs but you have to enable them with about:config
or a user.js file in your Firefox profile directory

i have all the user.js settings in this repository
along with css to remove the search your tabs button that appears above the url bar

GitHub - NapoleonWils0n/firefox-css: firefox userContent.css

firefox userContent.css. Contribute to NapoleonWils0n/firefox-css development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

Here's how to enable vertical tabs

Method 1 - about:config

open

about:config

search for sidebar

you will see the following 4 options

toggle sidebar.revamp to true

sidebar.revamp

toggle sidebar.verticalTabs to true

sidebar.verticalTabs

sidebar.main.tools controls what appears in the sidebar

sidebar.main.tools

sidebar.visibility lets you set the initial visibility which by default is always
but you can change this in the sidebar settings

sidebar.visibility

toggle sidebar.revamp and sidebar.verticalTabs to true
the changes are applied instantly

click the little gear icon at the bottom left of the sidebar
this opens the customization options for the sidebar

Method 2 - user.js

find the firefox profile directory

press alt,
in the help menu select "More Trouble shooting information"
and you will see your profile directory

create a file called user.js

user.js

you have to enable the sidebar and vertical tabs

// sidebar
user_pref("sidebar.revamp", true);
// sidebar visibility
user_pref("sidebar.visibility", "hide-sidebar");
// sidebar tools
user_pref("sidebar.main.tools", "history");
// vertical tabs
user_pref("sidebar.verticalTabs", true);

above the url bar you will notice there is another bar with a + symbol for adding a new tab
we want to get rid of that bar because it takes up a lot of space and the sidebar has a new tab button in it

so right click next to the + symbol and select customize toolbar
and then drag the + symbol to the the main page with all the other icons

and the bar above the url bar will be removed as well for a much cleaner look

before

and after removing the bar above the url bar

 

[NapoleonWils0n]

i prefer the vertical tabs on the right

having the tabs on the left is rather distracting
and i find it makes it harder to focus on the page

the problem is the sidebar pushes the page content to the right

having the tabs on the right lets you focus on the page

 

[NapoleonWils0n]

i havent been able to find a keyboard shortcut to toggle the sidebar and vertical tabs

im also not sure if its possible to just show the favicons without the title
it might be possible using userChrome.css but i havent found any code yet

 

[NapoleonWils0n]

 

[NapoleonWils0n]

another tweak
move the sidebar button from the left hand side to the right

right click on the toolbar and select customize toolbar and drag the sidebar icon to the right

 

[Maxnix]

i havent been able to find a keyboard shortcut to toggle the sidebar and vertical tabs

im also not sure if its possible to just show the favicons without the title
it might be possible using userChrome.css but i havent found any code yet

Just tried it, initially there were only the favicons, after playing with show/hide settings I couldn't find a way to remove tabs' title...
Guess it's still very experimental, since only Nightly has the option to enable vertical tabs in "Firefox Labs".

 

[NapoleonWils0n]

Guess it's still very experimental

thats probably why there isnt a option in the settings to enable it

one thing i have found when switching tabs using ctrl + tab
is that it feels more like looking though a window and switching tabs changes the view

whereas horizontal tabs are like looking though a different window each time
which makes you notice the window frame each time you switch tabs

if that makes sense

 

[Cath O'Deray]

i havent been able to find a keyboard shortcut to toggle the sidebar and vertical tabs

If you use the shortcut for a sidebar extension before using the Firefox-provided button to open the sidebar, you can get two sidebars:

 

[Cath O'Deray]

favicons without the title

Favicons appear to the left of a sidebar extension. An example:

 

[Cath O'Deray]

a keyboard shortcut to toggle the sidebar

Bug 1582707.

 

[DrJuanNadie]

having the tabs on the right lets you focus on the page

That depends on the person. Some people tends to focus their attention to the left, and some to the right.

there were only the favicons

That's exactly what's happening to me. I'll keep the horizontal tabs for the time being.

 

[DrJuanNadie]

BTW, did you know that Shift+Ctrl+Tab opens the the list with all opened tabs? And that Alt+1 - Alt+8 opens the corresponding tab? Alt+9 opens the last one.

 

[Cath O'Deray]

… Alt+1 …

Alt+1 and other Alt-modified number keys in XenForo

For reference (I thought this was discussed years ago, I can't find the topic): This XenForo behaviour can be a problem if, for example, a FreeBSD Forums topic is at the first tab in a window. … Alt+1 - Alt+8 opens the corresponding tab … Alt+9 opens the last one. Alt+1 will navigate...

forums.freebsd.org

 

[Cath O'Deray]

… attention to the left, …

<https://forums.freebsd.org/posts/674468>

Guess it's still very experimental, since only Nightly has the option to enable vertical tabs in "Firefox Labs".

www/firefox 131.0_1,2 – not a nightly – does have the option (not in Labs).

The vertical tab preference is a sidebar customisation. A shot of Firefox on FreeBSD:

Just tried it, initially there were only the favicons, after playing with show/hide settings I couldn't find a way to remove tabs' title...

For favicons to remain visible without titles: prefer to always show the sidebar. Result:

People who prefer vertical tabs with titles whilst hiding Firefox sidebars might like the Sidebar Tabs extension by asamuzaK: