XFCE – How to Stop Browser Window from Switching Workspace and Getting Focus When Opening a Link

workspacesxfce

(I just switched from Gnome 2 to Xfce 4, so I have still to find my way around how Xfce works.)

Iceweasel is opened on Workspace 1, Icedove is opened on Workspace 2. I click at a link in Icedove, which opens a tab in Iceweasel. Great, but: Iceweasel moves to Workspace 2 and gets focus.

Can I configure it so that windows always stay on their workspace, no matter if other application interact with them? And that the focus doesn’t get changed?

On Gnome 2, Iceweasel stayed on Workspace 1, but it was highlighted/blinking in the taskbar of Workspace 2 (instead of being focused). I’d like to have that (or a similar) behaviour in Xfce, too.

Best Answer

The setting you're looking for is listed under "Window manager tweaks".

  1. XFCE menu
  2. Settings
  3. Window Manager Tweaks
  4. Focus
  5. "When a window raises itself"
  6. "Do nothing"

Window manager tweaks


Note that you cannot get the behavior where it will show raised windows on other workspaces. You can have it show all windows on all workspaces, or the current workspace. There's no option for "only this workspace plus raised windows on other workspaces".

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