Join the AMA (Ask Me Anything) with the Firefox leadership team to celebrate Firefox 20th anniversary and discuss Firefox’s future on Mozilla Connect. Mark your calendar on Thursday, November 14, 18:00 - 20:00 UTC!

Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

First Firefox window,from a clicked link, automatically shows the bookmarks.Didn't before.How to change it back?

  • 4 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by WAVE96

WAVE96
WAVE96
more options

Originally, with no Firefox windows on my screen, when I clicked a link from Apple Mail or other source, a Firefox window would appear with a tab window of the link only. Now something has changed. This first window always shows the bookmarks panel on the left, automatically, which is a pain as I have to almost always Command B to hide it again.

Tests:

  1. 1. After the 1st Firefox window, automatically showing the left bookmark panel, is up, initiated from a link, if I Command N, a new 2nd window shows with the left bookmarks also.
  1. 2. If I hide the bookmarks, Command B, on the 1st window and Command N, make a 2nd window, the bookmarks will be hidden.
  1. 3. If I hide the bookmarks on the 2nd window and create a 3rd, the bookmarks on the 2nd and 3rd window automatically are hidden, BUT the 1st window STILL shows the bookmarks.
  1. 4. When I quit Firefox completely, then open it again directly from the icon, the window will automatically show the bookmarks.

Am I missing something in preferences to turn off automatically showing the bookmarks panel? And why, in #3 circumstance, listed above, wouldn’t ALL the windows hide the bookmarks?

Originally, with no Firefox windows on my screen, when I clicked a link from Apple Mail or other source, a Firefox window would appear with a tab window of the link only. Now something has changed. This first window always shows the bookmarks panel on the left, automatically, which is a pain as I have to almost always Command B to hide it again. Tests: #1. After the 1st Firefox window, automatically showing the left bookmark panel, is up, initiated from a link, if I Command N, a new 2nd window shows with the left bookmarks also. #2. If I hide the bookmarks, Command B, on the 1st window and Command N, make a 2nd window, the bookmarks will be hidden. #3. If I hide the bookmarks on the 2nd window and create a 3rd, the bookmarks on the 2nd and 3rd window automatically are hidden, BUT the 1st window STILL shows the bookmarks. #4. When I quit Firefox completely, then open it again directly from the icon, the window will automatically show the bookmarks. Am I missing something in preferences to turn off automatically showing the bookmarks panel? And why, in #3 circumstance, listed above, wouldn’t ALL the windows hide the bookmarks?

Chosen solution

  1. Quit Firefox completely (Firefox menu > Quit Firefox option).
  2. Open Firefox from the icon.
  3. Close the Bookmarks window
  4. Quit Firefox completely.

Now you should no longer see the Bookmarks window the next time you open Firefox.

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (4)

dynamite
dynamite
more options

Chosen Solution

  1. Quit Firefox completely (Firefox menu > Quit Firefox option).
  2. Open Firefox from the icon.
  3. Close the Bookmarks window
  4. Quit Firefox completely.

Now you should no longer see the Bookmarks window the next time you open Firefox.

WAVE96
WAVE96 Question owner
more options

Yay! It worked! So simple and exact.


This brings up more questions:

How did you figure this out?

Why did this happen in the first place?

Why couldn't I find an option to automatically display/not display the bookmarks? Does Firefox have one?

And even so, would I still have had the same issue?

Thanks

dynamite
dynamite
more options

You're welcome!

The problem that you saw happened because of 3 reasons (I know these mainly by observing the Firefox behavior):

  1. If the bookmarks window is open and you quit Firefox, Firefox remembers it and shows it again the next time you open Firefox.
  2. If 2 windows of Firefox already have the bookmarks window open, closing it in one window has no effect on the other window.
  3. If a Firefox window has bookmarks open, then opening a new Firefox window will also have the bookmarks window.

Note that there is no option to automatically display/not display the bookmarks. If you had it open the last time you closed Firefox, it will be shown the next time you open Firefox.

WAVE96
WAVE96 Question owner
more options

Thank You.