Firefox OS FAQ

This article is no longer maintained, so its content might be out of date.

This article gives answers to frequently asked questions about Firefox OS.

Chat

How can I get Whatsapp on my Firefox OS device?

Whatsapp is not currently available for Firefox OS, we apologize for this inconvenience. TuMe or Tuenti are alternative apps, or search for Loqui in the Firefox Marketplace. Also, we support Facebook chat by using the Facebook app that is pre-installed on Firefox OS.

Music & Sounds

How do I create a custom ringtone?

v1.01 does not support custom ringtones, we apologize for this missing feature and we are working on developing this in a future release for Firefox OS.

How do I download music from the browser?

v1.01 does not include this feature, but this is fixed in v1.1 which will be made available to our hardware and service partners as soon as it has completed final testing.

Stability

How can I prevent my device from hanging or getting stuck?

If you notice that app are lagging or becoming slow, simply press the power button on the phone and restart the device.

How can I recover from a hang on my phone?

You can recover in several ways, as follows:

  1. Press and hold the home button, then wait a minute for the device to become active.
  2. Press and hold the power button on the device and select Restart from the menu.
  3. Remove the back cover and remove and then re-install the battery to reboot the phone.


Email

What email providers are supported?

Hotmail, Yahoo mail, GMX mail and Gmail are currently supported with more on the way in future releases. Please try to connect your email account even if it is not listed here and then leave us feedback.

Are there any other limitations?

Currently Firefox OS doesn't support copy/paste, sending HTML email, viewing all email accounts at once and attachments. These features are being considered for future releases.

What do I do if my email provider isn't supported?

Please let us know via Ask a New Question. In the meantime, you can use the web browser on Firefox OS and visit your email from there.

How do I set the Screen Lock?

Please see Setting the Screen Lock for instructions on setting the screen lock on your device.

Why can't I place Calls or send SMS?

There are many reasons why calls or messages cannot be placed/sent.

  • Broken, malfunctioning or no SIM card: Please visit the nearest cell phone provider to pick one up.
  • Invalid/ incorrect number dialed - Please double check the phone number you have dialed. You can also see Calls and voicemail for tips and tricks.
  • Network issues - Please contact your service provider if you believe you are having network issues.
    • If you receive an error message like this:

      NetCon

      please check that your SIM card is inserted properly and that you are in an area where you are able to have reception.
If you are inside a building, try going near a window.
If you are travelling, you may experience connection issues due to your location. It is best to check with your carrier to see where reception is present.

Why can't I connect to a WiFi Network?

If you need help connecting to a Wi-Fi network, please see Connect to Wi-Fi or data.

There are many reasons why you are unable to connect to a Wi-Fi network:

  • No networks available
  • Invalid password/key entered
  • WPS button not pressed
  • Weak WiFi signal

You can turn Wi-Fi off and back on to see if it helps, and reboot your device.

Why is the Radio not working?

Please note that a 3.5mm headset must be plugged in for the radio application to work. The headset will act as an antenna for the radio.

Your radio may not be working because of the following reasons:

  • No headset: You must have a headset plugged in for the radio to work. If you have it plugged in, please double check that it is properly inserted and secure.
  • No signal: You may not have radio signals around you, therefore the radio will not be playing.
  • Wrong radio station: You may be on the wrong radio station channel, please double check the radio station you are on.

You can also try by going to the home screen and open the application switcher to close the radio application.
If that does not help, try rebooting your device.

Why am I not able to take pictures?

You may experience trouble taking pictures because of the following reasons:

  • No SD card: remove and replace the SD card to be sure it is inserted correctly for use. Refer to the documentation that came with your device for detailed instructions.
  • Low memory space: Your phone may not have enough space to take and store the pictures.
  • Malfunction: The camera or phone may be malfunctioning.
Tip: Take the battery out for 15 seconds, then put it back in and turn on the phone.

Why won't my applications load?

There are many reasons why applications may not be loading when they are tapped on. Here are is what you can try:

  • Malfunction: Take the battery out for 15 seconds, then put it back in and turn on the phone.
  • Faulty Application: The application may be malfunctioning. Report the application by following the steps in How to report a faulty app in the Firefox Marketplace.
  • Low Memory Space: Some applications may require available memory to be able to run. Please check that you have enough storage on the phone.
  • Application not installed properly: The application may not have installed properly. Uninstall the application and then install it back. See How To Uninstall An Application on Firefox OS if you need help uninstalling.
  • No Network Connection: Some applications may require a network connection, such as WiFi or 3G. Please make sure you are connected to the internet.

Why can I not connect to Websites?

There are many reasons why you are not able to connect to sites using the Firefox browser.

  • No Network Connection.
  • Network Connection has no data being transferred.
  • Glitch
  • Software issue(s)

To fix this issue, you can try the following:

  • Reboot the device. By turning the phone off, taking out the battery and SIM card and then putting them back in and turning the phone back on may resolve the issue. If this does not resolve your issue, continue reading.
  • Clear your browser cookies
  1. Tap the browser tab to open the sidebar.
  2. Tap the gear in the upper right to open the browser settings.

    browser_settings_fxos

  3. Tap the Clear cookies and stored data and tap OK to remove all stored private data and cookies.

    clear_cookies_fxos

How do I install an update?

If a software update is available for your device, a notification will appear in the status bar. To download and install an update, complete the following steps:

  1. Pull down the notification bar from the top of your screen to open the utility tray.
  2. Tap on the Update notification.
    The details of the available updates appear.
  3. Tap the update to start downloading it.
    You must be connected to WiFi to download updates.


    download_update
  4. When the download finishes, a screen will appear to indicate that the update is ready to be installed.

    install_update_firefox_os
  5. Tap the Install button to install the updates.
For System Updates, your phone will be unavailable while the update is being installed and the phone reboots.
You can set when to check for updates. Go to Device information in the settings, and visit the subsection Software Updates. You can also press Check now to check for updates right away.

Why do I not see any data usage on the Usage application?

There are many reasons why you are not seeing any data usage in the usage application.

  • SIM Card not inserted - a SIM Card must be inserted in order for the Usage application to run.
  • Tracking was not enabled
  • No data used - it is possible that you did not use any data
  • Data Usage was reset - you or somebody who had access to your device may have reset the data causing no usage to appear.

Enable Usage tracking

  1. Open the Usage application
  2. Make sure that a checkmark is placed next to what you want to be tracked.
    • If tracking was enabled, move on to the next subsection for troubleshooting.

What if I did use data and it's not showing?

  1. Press and hold the home button.
  2. Close the Usage application.
  3. Reopen the Usage applcation and check for results.
    • If closing and re-opening did not work, move on to the next subsection.

That didn't work, now what?

  1. Reboot the device.
  2. Launch the Usage application and determine if it is now working.
    • If rebooting did not work, please move on to the next subsection.

Closing and Rebooting did not work, what next?

  • Glitch - there is a possibility due to a glitch that data may not have been tracked. Since you have started using the Usage application now, data should now be tracked.
  • Get help from our community support team by clicking here

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