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Firefox stealing focus

  • 3 replies
  • 14 have this problem
  • 14 views
  • Last reply by Andrew

mahlerosa
mahlerosa
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Suddenly last month Firefox starting acting strange. I originally described it as disappearing windows. But I have done research and seen it described as stealing focus. I will have Outlook open, my postage printing software and FireFox. I click a link in an Outlook mail and it opens in Firefox. I ctrl print and click on the 1 of 1 box and poof the print box disappears. But it is still there is I minimize Firefox and then open it again it comes back. Or I can open the calculator and grab it and move it across the print box and kind of make it appear like being reverse erased. It happens VERY often. I stopped using Firefox and only used Chrome and it has never happened again. Go back to Firefox tonight...starts right back up. I am using XP and Firefox 19.0.2. Please help! Michelle

Suddenly last month Firefox starting acting strange. I originally described it as disappearing windows. But I have done research and seen it described as stealing focus. I will have Outlook open, my postage printing software and FireFox. I click a link in an Outlook mail and it opens in Firefox. I ctrl print and click on the 1 of 1 box and poof the print box disappears. But it is still there is I minimize Firefox and then open it again it comes back. Or I can open the calculator and grab it and move it across the print box and kind of make it appear like being reverse erased. It happens VERY often. I stopped using Firefox and only used Chrome and it has never happened again. Go back to Firefox tonight...starts right back up. I am using XP and Firefox 19.0.2. Please help! Michelle

All Replies (3)

Andrew
Andrew
  • Moderator
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Hello !

Thanks for reaching out to Mozilla Support about your issue. We value and appreciate you as a user.

Certain Firefox problems can be solved by performing a Clean reinstall. This means you remove Firefox program files and then reinstall Firefox. Please follow these steps:

Note: You might want to print these steps or view them in another browser.

  1. Download the latest Desktop version of Firefox from http://www.mozilla.org and save the setup file to your computer.
  2. After the download finishes, close all Firefox windows (click Exit from the Firefox or File menu).
  3. Delete the Firefox installation folder, which is located in one of these locations, by default:
    • Windows:
      • C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox
      • C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox
    • Mac: Delete Firefox from the Applications folder.
    • Linux: If you installed Firefox with the distro-based package manager, you should use the same way to uninstall it - see Install Firefox on Linux. If you downloaded and installed the binary package from the Firefox download page, simply remove the folder firefox in your home directory.
  4. Now, go ahead and reinstall Firefox:
    1. Double-click the downloaded installation file and go through the steps of the installation wizard.
    2. Once the wizard is finished, choose to directly open Firefox after clicking the Finish button.

Please report back to see if this helped you!

Did you know that Mozilla Support is helped out by volunteers? Be part of SUMO! http://mzl.la/OJtpch

If any response posted satisfies you to be your solution, please mark it as your solution.

womick
womick
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I am also having the same issue of Firefox stealing focus.

I am running Windows XP SP3 and Firefox 19.0.2. This problem is not unique to this version of firefox and has been occurring on all previous releases of firefox for about 6-9 months.

I have re-installed Adobe flash and removed and re-installed Firefox 19.0.2 as described above and the problem is still occurring. Disabling add-ons seems to have no affect.

This is very frustrating and nearly enough for me to jump ship to Chrome.

Andrew
Andrew
  • Moderator
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womick,

It would best if you could open A New Question as every users issue and it is easier to keep track of.