New tabs open immediately instead of in the background

Concerns Regarding Required Permissions

Please read the detailed description of required permissions (below) and why they are necessary. Without them, Tab Activate could not work as described. Absolutely no data is changed or collected.

Description

When you open a link in a new tab, Chrome opens the new tab in the background and provides no option to switch to it immediately.

With Tab Activate, new tabs open immediately instead of in the background.

To override Tab Activate and open a new tab in the background, press the Shift key while opening the new tab. Note: Override does not work for bookmarks.

Tab Activate effectively reverses Chrome's new tab focus behavior.

In other browsers, this setting is called: "When you open a link in a new tab, switch to it immediately."

Required Permissions

Read and change all your data on the websites you visit: Required to detect when the Shift key is pressed (no website data is read or changed)

Due to limitations in the Chrome extension API, the only way to detect if the Shift key is being pressed is with the required permissions. Absolutely no data is changed or collected.

Changes

Version 3.2 Refactored code. No longer requires bookmarks permission (bookmarks still work).

Version 3.1 Improved Shift key detection when the window loses focus. Improved error handling. Fixed a console error.

Version 3.0 Updated to Chrome Manifest V3.

Version 2.1 New icon. Fixed issues created by Chrome 79 extension API changes.

Version 2.0 As requested, bookmarks are now supported.

Version 1.2 New tabs open to the right of the previous tab and new background tabs open at the end.

Version 1.1 Shift key overrides Tab Activate and opens new tabs in the background.

Version 1.0 Initial release.