How to force macOS to prioritize opening tabs instead of windows

If you are a user macOS and, like me, you cannot work with many open windows, you will probably like to know that it is possible to open new documents / files in tabs instead of windows.

Yes, you should know that many apps allow the use of tabs (including many natives like the Finder itself). What you may not know is that there is a configuration in the system responsible for controlling all this, that is, if a document / file will be opened in a new window or in a new tab (either for a native or third party app).

By default, documents are opened in tabs only when an application is in Full Screen mode. To change macOS settings and customize this option to your liking, follow the instructions below:

Opening documents and files in tabs

  1. In the Apple menu, go to Dock System Preferences;
  2. In the Preferences tabs menu when opening documents, choose between the options "Always", "Only in Full Screen" or "Manually".

It is worth noting that you can also configure the Finder so that it opens new folders and documents always in a new tab. To do this, do the following:

Opening tabbed windows

  1. Open a Finder window and, in the "Finder" menu, select "Preferences";
  2. In the “General” tab, select the check box Open folders in tabs instead of new windows.

Once defined, when opening a new document, hold down the key and double-click on the folder. If you checked the checkbox, the new folder will open in a tab in the same window; if not, a new window will open. 😉