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jtruchon

Join Date 04/2025

Links open New Firefox when Firefox Gropuped

This issue began earlier this week, possibly triggered by the latest Firefox update. When Firefox is grouped using Groupy, opening a link from another program, such as an email, launches a new Firefox instance, even though one is already running. If Firefox is ungrouped, links open correctly in the existing window.

I'm running Windows 11. The problem appeared in Groupy 2.2, and persists after updating to 2.3.

- John

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Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. Unfortunately, I believe, I can not reproduce your issue on my system. Refer to my short video below. Firefox open in the same grouped. Just that it open a new firefox tab. Was you talking about this?

Thank you,
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

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Basj, thanks for checking on this. Using your example, if I click on the link in Word, it will start a new (second) instance of FF; I'll have two FF browsers running. The original grouped FF and then the new one that just opened. I'm using FF 144.0, is that what you are using?

Thanks again

- John

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Yes, most probably the same version, because I just update my Firefox just before I do the test above. Perhaps try this, uninstall Groupy, reboot immediately (important), download latest version available in your account product download page: https://store.stardock.com/myaccount/products. Install it, reboot immediately again. Retest it and report back.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

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Basj, I followed your instruction above, uninstall, reboot, install and reboot, but I still have the same problem. Doesn't seem like anyone else is having this problem, so I'll try some test on my system like setting Edge as the default browser and see what happens.

Thanks

- John

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It definitely looks like a compatibility issue between Firefox and Groupy2:

I set Edge as my default browser, and links opened correctly in the grouped Edge window.
I uninstalled and reinstalled Firefox, no change.
I launched Firefox in Troubleshooting Mode, same behavior.

On my laptop, Firefox 143.04 worked fine: links from other apps opened in the grouped Firefox window. After upgrading to Firefox 144.0, the same issue appeared, links now launch a separate instance of Firefox instead of opening in the grouped window.

Both systems are running the 64-bit version of Firefox.

Thanks

- John

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Please try performing a Clean Boot as outlined in this guide:
🔗 Groupy Clean Boot Instructions

Do note that Clean Boot should be done with care, as it temporarily disables third-party services. Give it a try and let me know if it helps. Try it and report back.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

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Hello Basj, the clean boot didn't work. After some additional testing, I have found that this only happens when both applications are grouped. For example, I have FF and Thunderbird grouped, and if I click a link in an email, it will open a new instance of FF. If Thunderbird is not grouped, clicking a links will open it in the grouped FF. In you example above, I noticed that MS Word is not grouped, can you try adding Word to the FF grouped applications and see if you have the same results as me?

Thank you

- John

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Please try, turn on this setting. Retest and report back.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

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Basj, I turned on that setting and it still opens an new FF instance, and the new instance is grouped. So still ending up with two instances of FF running.

Thanks

- John

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Strangely, when I enable that option the Firefox always open to already grouped Firefox. Unless, you have any other Custom rules? Do you have any Customs rules?

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

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Groupy is not in charge of deciding if a new window should be opened.

Does it only happen if the other Firefox instance is not the active tab in the group (i.e. the window would be invisible)

Also do you have the taskbar set to hire buttons for inactive windows in a group?

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Basj: I do not have any custom rules

Neil: "Does it only happen if the other Firefox instance is not the active tab in the group (i.e. the window would be invisible)"

-- Yes, If I have FF and Thunderbird grouped with TB the active tab, open MS Word (not grouped) and click on a link it opens a new FF instance. If FF is the active tab and I click on the link in Word, it opens in the existing FF tab.

"Also do you have the taskbar set to hire buttons for inactive windows in a group?"

-- In Goupy I have "Show on Active Windows" for the taskbar setting.

Thank you

- John

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I think I've found the problem, in the latest FF (144.0) they've changed the way FF works on multiple desktops. If FF is open on Desktop 1, and you click a link on Desktop 2, it will open a new FF instance in Desktop 2: https://windowsreport.com/firefox-fixes-an-8-year-old-windows-bug-that-broke-virtual-desktop-use/

Maybe FF thinks it's a different Desktop when it's grouped.

I found a lot of complaints about this in the Mozilla forum, and an Enhancement request has been submitted to have an option to turn this off: https://support.mozilla.org/gl/questions/1536551

Thanks

- John

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That's almost certainly the issue yes. Unfortunately out of our control.

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