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I’m often using multiple windows in Safari minimizing the windows I’m not working in. However, when I click on a link i.e. in Mail it opens it not in the active window but in the minimized one instead (the one that has been created first after opening the Safari).

How can I set the Safari to open links in the currently active window, not a minimized one?

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  • Have you found a solution? This behavior is still happening in Mavericks, and it is indeed infuriating.
    – Garrett Albright
    Oct 30, 2013 at 22:24
  • No, I have tried a few things but to no avail. The problem is I really dig using Safari despite people reporting many issues, but this is royal pain in the *ss.
    – Siniša Šašić
    Oct 31, 2013 at 14:35
  • Have you guys seen this: apple.stackexchange.com/questions/250919/…
    – Gerald Eersteling
    Jun 22, 2020 at 8:37

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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I believe the default behavior of Safari is to open a link in the oldest open window. Minimized windows tend to get old, hence the annoyance of Safari bringing up minimized windows when opening a link from another app.

You can easily test this. Wait for it to happen. Then re-minimize the window. The behavior should be repeatable infinitely. Next copy the URL of the window you want minimized and close that window. Open a new window, paste the URL, hit return, and minimize it. Then open the external link and it will no longer go to that window.

Of course this doesn't help - it just explains the behavior. The only thing that might eventually help is filing a bug report:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/safari.html

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This was happening to me too. I read Adam's answer. Didn't follow it exactly as it lost me a little but tried something anyways...

Had 3 open Safari windows, each with many tabs and all full-screened. Links were opening in one of the ones I myself had put to the LH side of all my Spaces (because I keep my active stuff to the RH side) and use full-screen mode for most apps.

I minimised the two on the LH side. Opened a new tab in the one I want/my active one and now the link finally opens in that window!

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  • I do wonder if somehow with full-screen usage, whether macOS considers left-to-right ordering? Or maybe it just honours non-minimised Safari windows first?
    – Lahmy88
    Nov 24, 2021 at 13:57

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