You can use your keyboard shortcut: CTRL T

In Tools -> Options - Tabs, there is a checkbox for "When I open a new tab, switch to it immediately". Check that box and restart your browser.

Thanks, but I have that checked already... All Tab options are selected except "warn me when closing multiple tabs"... My issue is when I am in a current Tab, there is no New Blank tab to the right, as there was in 3.6 and 4.0 - I have to always manually select "New Tab" icon to get a new tab each time... tb

Do you see a + directly to the right of your last tab in the line of tabs? Clicking the + will open a new tab.

Nope - that's what's missing...;o(

Do you have any themes installed?

Tools -> Add-ons -> Appearance

If so, try selecting the default theme and restart the browser.

Also check to see if you can add the "+" by right-clicking on tab toolbar in a blank area and selecting "Customize...". Then select the "+" button from the list of available buttons and drag it to the right of the rightmost tab.

Another method:

1. Right click somewhere on the toolbar area and select Customize.

2. Add flexible space to the far right side of the tabs toolbar, to the left of the (now white) "+" icon.

Thanks for all your help - what I ended up doing - was from the Customize frame - I selected "Restore Default Set" and that did it... then I just continued to re customized... So YAHOO! the New Tab and "+" tabs are back... thanks again, Tb

You're welcome -- glad it's working now for you.