All functionalities on the right of the URL bar disappeared
Many of the icons I typically see on the right of the URL bar -- my extensions, the button to bookmark a page, etc. -- are gone. Additionally, the two buttons which I still see (I've included an image for reference) are unresponsive. This includes the "three lines" menu button, which I normally use all the time, and which crucially is constantly mentioned as the first place to go to fix browser issues. I can access some settings with the top menu bar using the alt key, but it does not seem that this has all the same functionalities as the three lines menu.
Chosen solution
@cor-el you actually did help me solve the problem! While browsing, I realised that I would sometimes encounter an XML parsing error. I came across this thread: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1331372
Removing my Firefox program folder and reinstalling fixed both the XML issue and the other problems I was having: add-ons are back and the 3-lines menu works again.
Read this answer in context 👍 0All Replies (5)
Does this also happen if you try to activate the "3-bar" Firefox menu button via keyboard navigation ?
Start Firefox in Troubleshoot Mode to check if one of the extensions ("3-bar" menu button or Tools -> Add-ons -> Extensions) or if hardware acceleration or userChrome.css is causing the problem.
- switch to the DEFAULT theme: "3-bar" menu button or Tools -> Add-ons -> Themes
- do NOT click the "Refresh Firefox" button on the Troubleshoot Mode start window
cor-el said
Does this also happen if you try to activate the "3-bar" Firefox menu button via keyboard navigation ?
This shortcut will let me navigate to the button to the left of the 3-bar menu (not sure what it is called) but it is still unresponsive. I am not able to select the 3-bar menu at all with these keyboard shortcuts.
cor-el said
Start Firefox in Troubleshoot Mode
The problem persists in Troubleshoot Mode. Notably, my expensions are "gone" in Firefox's default state too. I was using 2 extensions before which are now nowhere to be found.
Dies this also happen with buttons on the left end like the Back and Forward button that have a tab history menu when you right-click or long click either button and with buttons in the location bar ?
You can try "Clear the startup cache..." via the "Help -> More Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page.
You can try to rename/remove xulstore.json in the Firefox profile folder with Firefox closed.
You can use the button on the "Help -> More Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page to go to the current Firefox profile folder or use the about:profiles page (Root directory).
- Help -> More Troubleshooting Information -> Profile Folder/Directory:
Windows: Open Folder; Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder - https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-firefox-stores-user-data
You can create a new profile as a quick test to see if your current profile is causing the problem.
See "Creating a profile":
If the new profile works then you can transfer files from a previously used profile to the new profile, but be cautious not to copy corrupted files to avoid carrying over problems.
cor-el said
Does this also happen with buttons on the left end like the Back and Forward button that have a tab history menu when you right-click or long click either button and with buttons in the location bar ?
Right-clicking those buttons seems to work fine and gives me an overview of the tabs I previously visited that session. Long click does not seem to work, but maybe that's always been the case.
cor-el said
You can try "Clear the startup cache..." [...] to rename/remove xulstore.json in the Firefox profile folder with Firefox closed [...] create a new profile as a quick test to see if your current profile is causing the problem.
The issue persists with all of those fixes. I also tried a combination of creating a new profile and then clearing the startup cache and deleting xulstore.json again.
Chosen Solution
@cor-el you actually did help me solve the problem! While browsing, I realised that I would sometimes encounter an XML parsing error. I came across this thread: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1331372
Removing my Firefox program folder and reinstalling fixed both the XML issue and the other problems I was having: add-ons are back and the 3-lines menu works again.