Open Targeted Links in New Tab Instead of New Window

Update (6/21/2010): In Safari 5, Apple added a new preference that does this. It is found under Safari>Preferences>Tabs, and is called "Open pages in tabs instead of windows:". To enable this, choose "Automatic" or "Always".

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Though Safari has some preferences for how it should behave when you click a targeted link (i.e., a link that is designed to open a new window, rather than load a new page into the same window), none of them make the default behavior to be to open a new tab when you click such a link.

Fortunately, there is a hidden setting for Mac OS X, but you have to use Terminal to enable it. Just do the following:

1. Quit Safari
2. Launch Terminal
3. Enter the following (where $ represents your command line prompt):
   $ defaults write com.apple.Safari TargetedClicksCreateTabs -bool true
4. Launch Safari

Now, when you click a link that used to open a new window, it will instead open in a new tab in the existing window.