Golden Gate Safari Browser Issue

I figured it out. I think. Go to Safari settings/tabs. The box "when a new tab or window opens, make it active" should be checked. If it isn't, check it and try opening a new window (I use control-click on my Mac M3 trackpad).

If you already have that box checked and it's not working -- which was my situation -- go to settings and uncheck that command. Close settings. Then reopen settings and check that box. Then try it. It worked for me.

I just updated to Golden Gates 27.0 today on my MacBook Air M5, and immediately noticed a problem with opening a new window via right click on Safari. The new window opens behind the current window. It occurs on every website I go to, that I try to open a new window. I called Apple Support, and the rep went through several steps in Safari settings. We tried different options which didn't work. She then had me re-install the update to see if that made a difference, but the problem persists. She told me to call back if the issue wasn't resolved, but at this point, I'm tired of sitting on the phone. Nobody reimburses me for the time I've lost on these calls, especially when the issue isn't resolved by support. It has to be a definite glitch in the software update, as I have seen other posts on Mac Rumors Forum writing about the same issue.

Thanks for your reply. I should have mentioned previously that I use Bing for my search engine on Safari. The window opening behind the current window seems to occur only on Bing. While I was on the phone with support, I opened Firefox, which is the only other search engine I have on my laptop, and the pages open just fine with that app.

I have the same problem. A new tab (cmd-click) becomes the active one, but a new window (cntl-click) opens behind the current window instead of in front like it has forever. I checked Safari Settings/tabs/Navigation, but it's checked properly: "when a new tab or window opens, make it active." So making the tab or window active are both on the same setting, but the window one is not working.

It worked fine on Sonoma, Sequoia and Tahoe, but not on GG, which was supposed to be a wonderful upgrade and fixed a lot of Tahoe glitches (they're saying GG is like the late great Snow Leopard, which I remember fondly and hated to have to move on from it). In fact, this little setting worked so well I never even knew it was there until it stopped working with GG. I too don't want to get on the phone to Apple, esp. if you were told to reinstall the update and it didn't work. Plainly they don't know what the problem is and no way do I want to spend more time reinstalling. I hope they figure it out soon. Meanwhile I guess I'll have to stick to opening new tabs instead.

Interesting. Search engine settings hadn't occurred to me. I use duckduckgo -- I checked, and there is no setting for making a new window/tab active or not. There's only opening links in a new window/tab, and that's checked and working as it should be.

I think it's obvious this is a Mac glitch, since making a new tab active works (well, for me) and making a new window active doesn't, and they're both under the same control/checkbox. So it's something for Apple to fix. I wonder if there's a prediction bet going for how long it'll take. ;-)

Sorry to hear you are having the issue. Sounds like you have put a good deal of time into fixing with no progress. I would really think that something like this would be a bit more of an issue than it appears to be. Hopefully someone will figure out something soon.

Appreciate your reply. I forgot the mention in my original post, that the problem for me seems to occur only on Bing, which I use as my search engine on Safari. The problem doesn't exist on Firefox at all.

Firefox uses Google as a search engine, right? So using Google to search makes Safari work right. Odd. I quit using Google years ago when DDG came along. The other search engines options besides DDG that Safari shows me are Google, Yahoo, Bing and Ecosia (? never heard of it). Maybe I'll experiment and see if the others do the same thing. Never had a problem before with DDG.

Well, I tried all 5 search engines options and they all did the same thing. So I'm surprised Google works for you in Firefox because it doesn't work in Safari.

Thanks for the information on the search engines you tried. Never heard of Ecosia. I've consistently used Safari and Bing for years with no issues after any other upgrades on all the Apple computers I've owned over the years. I keep Firefox as a backup when I have a page that won't open on Safari/Bing. I don't trust it to use it all the time.

I checked that box in settings, and it worked three times in a row, then on the fourth attempt it reverted back to opening the new window behind the active one. I then unchecked it as you suggested, closed the settings, opened settings back up, then rechecked it, and the new windows all opened behind the active one. Thanks for the suggestion. I give up. Early happy November birthday!! My oldest son was born on November 8th. He'll be 60 this year. He's the one that started me on Macs many years ago. Now he doesn't even use them anymore because of his job.

[Edited by Moderator]

Well, you're right -- after working for a while, it just now reverted to sticking the new window beneath the current one. Hmph. I tried unchecking and rechecking 3 more times on 3 different websites with the same result. It's weird that it worked for a while. Hmmm....it wasn't till I read your reply that it stopped working...I wonder if there's a connection...;-) Back to the old drawing board. (what exactly is an old drawing board anyway? and are drawing boards always old?)(I believe that old farts might be the only ones on Apple community forums who stray so far from the topic...)(but while I'm at it...November is and always has been the best month for birthdays, and the closer to the 19th the better it gets)

I think I'll call Apple tomorrow -- I use this function too much to just let it go.

Sorry to hear. You have obviously spent a good deal of time with this issue. I am surprised that more people aren't having the issue.

We updated on the same day!

"I wonder if there's a prediction bet going for how long it'll take. ;-)"

LOL!! Well, I'm 79. I sure hope they get it fixed before I croak.

OMG we're the same age too! I hit the Big 8 in November.