I think you mean "+", since "X" refers to close a window or a tab. "Ctrl+T" will open a new tab The toolbar button has some advantages, especially if there is no empty space to the right of your tabs. This is one of those shape shifter icons whose appearance changes depending on which toolbar it is on or what it is next to. Here is the page on Toolbar Customization, but it does not show the new pictures: :http://kb.mozillazine.org/Toolbar_customization If you look at item #4 you will see the there is a plus symbol if it appears at the right end of the tabs bar, or next to the last tab on the tabs bar. If it is moved to another bar where it makes more sense (unless the tabs bar is the only toolbar shown) it looks like a bottle of black ink with a white Plus sign "+". See picture and the actual web page here: :http://dmcritchie.mvps.org/firefox/firefox-problems.htm#fx4interface Some other methods of creating a new tab: :http://dmcritchie.mvps.org/firefox/tabs.htm#newtab

Thanks so much for your very informative response. I'll give it a try!