Search bar not focused when opening a new tab under the current tab

[Blackers33]

Describe the bug

Using firefox desktop with vertical tabs, when I open a new tab using Right-click > New Tab Below, the search bar in the new tab is not automatically focused. This behavior differs from opening a new tab using the actual "New Tab" button, where the search bar is focused straight away, allowing immediate typing. I haven't tested with horizontal tabs.

Steps To Reproduce
Enable vertical tabs on firefox.
Right-click on a tab and select New Tab Below.

Device info:

• operating system: Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS
• Browser and version: Firefox desktop 137.0 With side tabs enabled
• GroupSpeedDial version: 27.0

[Juraj-Masiar]

Hello,
Could you make a screenshot of the menu item you are clicking? :)

From what I've tested, opening tab in a container will cause focus being lost.

[Blackers33]

I've edited my post, the actual menu item is New Tab Below

[Juraj-Masiar]

Could you post a screenshot here?
Because I have no idea what you mean :)

[Blackers33]

If you type ctrl+T from anywhere, it will open a new tab. You can then start typing right away in the search bar.
However, if you right click > New Tab Below from any tab, you will have to first click on the search bar before typing.

[Juraj-Masiar]

When you say search bar, you mean the address bar, right?

I'm testing it in Beta and Nightly, also in my Ubuntu but it seems to focus fine:

Recording.2025-04-10.094445.mp4

But in any case, I should have mentioned this before - extensions cannot change focus outside of the extension page, so even if I wanted, I can't focus the address bar. This is something only browser can control.
It's also highly probable that this is not related to my extension - try to open "about:addons" page and disable my speed dial, then test it again to see if it works.

[Blackers33]

Yes, I mean the address bar.

Capture.video.du.2025-04-10.10-43-41.webm

This is a new profile, with only group speed dial enabled.
Disabling speed dial changes this behavior, and the address bar is focused every time I open a new tab no matter how I proceed.

[Blackers33]

Capture.video.du.2025-04-10.10-48-23.webm

Another video, with group speed dial disabled. eveything is recorded on a fresh new firefox profile.

[Juraj-Masiar]

Oh man, I hate when things doesn't make sense :D.
Let me investigate further...

[Juraj-Masiar]

Could you check that this option is NOT enabled?

It's a special workaround, if the newly opened page is redirected, the focus from URL is lost, because browser thinks you are on some search page so it gives it focus.

[Juraj-Masiar]

Oh, never mind!
I've managed to reproduce it in Ubuntu with my addon installed.
So this is a 100% Firefox bug, I'll create a report for it and then paste the link here so that you can track it.

[Juraj-Masiar]

OK report created:
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1959676

Now you need to pray it won't receive P3 priority :D

[Juraj-Masiar]

Good news!
It looks like the bug is already fixed in Beta and Nightly, so it should work when Firefox 138 is released, which should be ~2 weeks from now (29th April):
https://whattrainisitnow.com/calendar/