Firefox takes a long time to start up
Revision Information
- Revision id: 17354
- Created:
- Creator: scoobidiver
- Comment: link to Firefox hangs, removed fx3.5, promote the default home page, use tab groups for session restore, optimize Windows
- Reviewed: No
- Ready for localization: No
Revision Source
Revision Content
This article describes some causes and steps to take when Firefox takes a long time to start up.
- If Firefox hangs at startup, see Firefox hangs or is not responding - How to fix.
- If Firefox does not start up at all, see Firefox won't start - find solutions.
Table of Contents
Change the home page
Problems with a website can cause Firefox to take a long time to start. Try changing your Firefox home page to a different website (e.g. the default home page doesn't make any connections to Internet) or use a blank home page. See How to set the home page for instructions.
- If you set Firefox to show your windows and tabs from last time, use Tab Groups so that only websites in the visible tab group load first.
Check your antivirus software
Firefox reads a number of files normally during startup. Some antivirus software may do intensive scans of each of these files during startup and block access until those scans complete. If the problem began after installing, updating, or reconfiguring your antivirus software, contact the software provider for assistance.
Troubleshoot extensions or themes
Firefox loads extensions when it starts up and many extensions add startup tasks. See Troubleshoot extensions, themes and hardware acceleration issues to solve common Firefox problems for steps on how to identify an extension that may be causing the problem.
Optimize Windows
Speed up Windows and make your computer work better. See Optimize Windows 7 for better performance where some recommendations are also applicable to other Windows versions.
Use Windows Update to install a fix from Microsoft
Microsoft has released the recommended KB2505438 update that fixes slow startup performances in Firefox when HW acceleration is enabled. To make sure, you have this update installed:
- In Windows, click , select , then select . The Windows Update window will open.
- Click the "Check for updates" link and wait until it is done.
- If no updates are available, you have this KB update installed. Skip to the next section.
- Click "n optional updates are available". The View available updates panel will appear.
- Click "Optional" and search KB2505438 in the list.
- If you don't find it, you have this KB update installed. Skip to the next section.
- Check it and click to close the View available updates panel.
- Click .
- Restart your computer.
- Start Firefox and check if it loads faster.
Other solutions
If the previous suggestions don't significantly reduce Firefox startup time, see Basic troubleshooting for other steps you can take to resolve the problem.