Are you sure you didn't customize anything? I've always been using ctrl+w. I can use it in Firefox, Chromium and Epiphany. Maybe try a fresh install in a virtual machine to compare.

Answer from Peter Uithoven on Stack Exchange
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Mozilla Support
support.mozilla.org › en-US › kb › keyboard-shortcuts-perform-firefox-tasks-quickly
Keyboard shortcuts - Perform common Firefox tasks quickly | Firefox Help
January 14, 2026 - This is a list of Firefox keyboard shortcuts for working with tabs, bookmarks, searching the web, playing media files and more.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/firefox › close tab option & keyboard shortcut removed (v121.0)
r/firefox on Reddit: Close tab option & keyboard shortcut removed (v121.0)
October 31, 2023 -

Hello Firefox friends.

Today I booted up my Windows 10 (x64) PC, launched Firefox (v121.0, latest at time of posting) and was browsing around when I noticed the keyboard shortcut I always used to close a tab wasn't working. Thinking it was some other keyboard binding, I went to find the option under the 'File' menu but noticed it wasn't there.

I then thought it was a change to Firefox Containers, so I disabled that extension and the associated options, and restarted, but it made no difference.

I haven't installed an extension in a very long time and based on my usage & use-case, I'm really confident it's not related to extensions but open to being wrong. I can't say for sure when this first might have happened but I'm sure it's been within the last couple of weeks.

One other thing to add is that I do sync with a Mozilla account across mobile and Mac devices.

Please can someone help me troubleshoot to find a solution, ideally without refreshing my profile or uninstalling-reinstalling Firefox?

Thanks in advance!

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CA
dca.ca.gov › about_us › kbs_firefox.shtml
Keyboard Shortcuts for Firefox – Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA)
Currently, the only way to do this is to select an adjacent object and "tab into" the current tab, for instance, by hitting Alt + D to select the address bar, and then Shift + Tab twice. ... Some of these shortcuts require the currently selected tab to be "in focus".
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CNET
cnet.com › tech › services & software › online › 21 firefox shortcuts you need to know
21 Firefox shortcuts you need to know - CNET
July 8, 2016 - You can also drag a tab out of the current window and start a new window or drag it from one window to another window. Hit Command-M to minimize your current window. On Windows, use Alt-spacebar-N to minimize Firefox (or any active window). This shortcut saves you from needing to click the little X to close a tab.
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Ask Ubuntu
askubuntu.com › questions › 1510657 › how-can-i-assign-a-shortcut-to-close-other-tab-in-firefox
How can I assign a shortcut to close other tab in Firefox - Ask Ubuntu
April 16, 2024 - These are the common keyboard shortcuts ... in settings see reference - and when you land on the tab you wish to close hit Ctrl W or Ctrl F4....
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Mozilla Support
support.mozilla.org › en-US › questions › 1206807
How to close firefox tab without clicking it first When having a lot of tabs | Firefox Support Forum | Mozilla Support
10 tabs on chrome 5gb · ''WestEnd [[#answer-1081999|said]]'' <blockquote> AFAIK to close the tab you want you either choose "x" or use Cntl+W as you said. And for mouse control buttons controls that is done by the mouse driver software the Browser uses what the mouse driver sets.
Find elsewhere
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Computer Hope
computerhope.com › tips › tip83.htm
Top 10 Firefox Shortcut Keys Everyone Should Know
June 14, 2025 - Learning these shortcuts will greatly improve your productivity and overall experience with Mozilla Firefox. Pressing Ctrl+T opens a blank new tab. To open any link in a new tab, press your middle mouse button (often the scroll wheel) to open that link in a new tab. If you close a tab you didn't want closed, press Ctrl+Shift+T to undo any tab close.
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NCCardinalSupport
nccardinalsupport.org › index.php
Tab Buttons and Keyboard Shortcuts
Users can use browser-based tab controls and keyboard shortcuts to help with navigation. Below are some tips for browser navigation that can be used in Chrome and Firefox on Windows PCs. Use CTRL-T or click the browser’s new tab button to open a new tab. Use CTRL-W or click the x in the tab to ...
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FindMySoft
findmysoft.com › news › click-anywhere-on-the-page-to-close-a-firefox-tab
» Click Anywhere on the Page to Close a Firefox Tab
Double Click Closes Tab – Options ... keyboard: Click the X button on the right hand corner on the tab. Middle click or scroll click the tab. Use the Ctrl + F4 keyboard shortcut....
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Mozilla Support
support.mozilla.org › en-US › kb › tab-preferences-and-settings
Tab preferences and settings | Firefox Help
If you want to disable close multiple tabs warnings for when you use this shortcut, uncheck this setting. Ask before quitting with Ctrl+Q:Confirm before quitting with Ctrl+Q: On Linux, you can also exit Firefox using the Ctrl + Q keyboard shortcut.
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MiniTool
minitool.com › home › news › close tab shortcut for chrome, firefox, windows, mac
Close Tab Shortcut for Chrome, Firefox, Windows, Mac - MiniTool
October 12, 2022 - To close the current window in Chrome, you should press Ctrl + Shift + W or Alt + F4 keyboard shortcut on Windows or press Command + Shift + W on Mac. This is also the close all tabs shortcut of Chrome/Firefox.
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Mozilla Connect
connect.mozilla.org › t5 › ideas › close-tab-disable-change › idi-p › 87240
Close Tab Disable/Change - Mozilla Connect
February 24, 2025 - I want to be able to change this but I cant (or disable). That is, Ctrl+W for closing a tab. Ive tried numerous things: like ten different buggy add-ons, twenty different suggestions made by various ChatBots, all which lead me here to this very frustrating time of wanting to download a new bro...
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/firefox › keyboard shortcut to close tabs to the right?
r/firefox on Reddit: Keyboard shortcut to close tabs to the right?
February 16, 2020 -

Hi there. I frequently use the option to close tabs to the right of an active tab by right clicking over the active tab, and then selecting the option to Close Multiple Tabs > Close Tabs to Right.

I'd love to be able to just use a keyboard trigger for that instead, given how often I use this feature. Is there a way to set something like this up at all?

I'm currently using the following:

  • Firefox Developer Edition 89.0b2 (64-bit)

  • macOS 11.2.3

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How-To Geek
howtogeek.com › home › web › how to close browser tabs with a keyboard shortcut (in chrome, firefox, edge, and safari)
How to Close Browser Tabs With a Keyboard Shortcut (in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari)
December 28, 2021 - On Mac, press the Command+W shortcut to close an open tab in Chrome. If you accidentally close a tab, restore that tab by pressing Ctrl+Shift+T (Windows) or Command+Shift+T (Mac). In case you want to close an entire Chrome window, then press Ctrl+Shift+W (Windows) or Command+Shift+W (Mac). Related: How to Reopen a Closed Tab in Google Chrome · On a Linux or Windows PC, you can close an open Firefox tab by pressing Ctrl+W.
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PsychoCats
psychocats.net › ubuntucat › i-cant-say-im-a-fan-of-this-new-keyboard-shortcut-in-firefox
I can’t say I’m a fan of this new keyboard shortcut in Firefox – Ubuntucat
I would recommend Ctrl+F4 to Close Tabs. ... It would be nice if, like Pidgin (and other GTK programs) firefox would let you change the shortcut (or add a new one) for any function simply by going to the menu item and pressing the new shortcut.