How to Open Multiple Windows in Your Internet Browser

I was recently asked the question, “How do I open more than one window at a time in Safari?”  I appreciated the question and am happy to answer. The process is the same in all Internet Browsers. (See end of the post if you need “browser” defined.)

UPDATE: A short time after writing this post, I discovered there are two very simple shortcuts to opening New Windows and New Tabs.  If you are familiar with Internet Browser, you can go directly to Window-Opening Shortcuts.

CTRL or CMD+N opens a new window; CTRL/CMD+T a new tab.

The one key used in all the shortcuts is the – CTRL and CMD are the abbreviations that will be used throughout the posts.
CONTROL [CTRL] key on a PC or the
COMMAND [CMD] key on the Mac.

Browser Toolbars – at the very top of any open web page.

Safari Tool BarFirefox Toolbar


Safari Toolbar
on the Mac

Firefox Toolbar on the Mac 

Firefox Toolbar Firefox Toolbar in the PCon the PCSlight variation

chrome-toolbarChrome Toolbar on the Mac

Chrome Toolbar in PC
Chrome Toolbar on the PC. Click on the 3 bars.

Internet Explorer ToolbarInternet Explorer Toolbar on the PC

Shown above are those of the four most commonly used browsers – Safari (mainly used by Mac owners), Firefox, Chrome and Internet Explorer. Choices on Internet Explorer, not visible in the above image, are File – Edit – Favorites – Tools – Help.

If your current version of Internet Explorer is not showing the tool bar, click on the Alt button on your keyboard to bring up the Menu.  Then go to View to select Toolbar and what you want to see on the top.

To Open Browser Windows (Web Pages)
Usually when you click on a link from an email, or other location for a new page, your browser will open a Tab. Clicking more links results in a string of open pages or tabs. You’ll be able to see what they are under the tool bar.

So back to the original question that prompted this post – There will be times that you’ll likely want to reference information on one page while looking at another.  I often will have a YouTube video playing while doing research in another window.

In that case you will want to Open a New Window.

Open New Window in Safari

Simply click on File in the toolbar for the drop down menu. Then select “New Window“.

Although the file menu choices may vary in the different browsers, they will all offer you the choice of a New Window or a New Tab.

Default Browsers
As you’ll see in my note below, default browsers are the ones that open up automatically when you click on a link to a web page. They are set by the manufacturer of your particular computer or other electronic device.

You do have the option to change that so your favorite browser is the one that opens. Simply go to Preferences under the browser name on the left.

Note for those still learning the Internet vocabulary –
A Browser is what we use to get to the Internet to open web pages.  The most commonly used browsers are Chrome, Firefox, Safari (the default one that comes with MacIntosh products) and Internet Explorer (the default one that comes with Windows computers)

Please let us know in “Leave a Reply” below what your preferred browser is and, if you have a particular reason for that choice, why.  On my Mac, I go back and forth between Chrome and Firefox.  Also, having 2 different open browsers is another way of seeing separate windows.


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