How do I restore my tabs from last time?

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  • Revision id: 14202
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  • Creator: scoobidiver
  • Comment: From cor-el's edit, created Having Problems section for Firefox 4, fixed typo
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If you have stopped receiving a "Do you want Firefox to save your tabs for the next time it starts" prompt when you exitquit Firefox, this problem could be due to settings, extension problems, or corrupted files causing failure of Firefox components.

Firefox no longer asks to save tabs and windows when you close it. This article explains how to get your tabs and windows back from a previous session.
Note: In order to get your tabs and windows back from a previous session, you should close Firefox from the menu: Click the Firefox menu Fx89menuButton and select Exit.Click the Firefox menu at the top of the screen and select Quit Firefox.Click the Firefox menu Fx89menuButton and select Quit. If you close each window or tab, only the final window or tab that you closed will be available when you restart Firefox.

Restore a previous session from the home page

If you had tabs and windows open when you closed Firefox, the default Firefox home page will have a Restore Previous Session button on it. To get your tabs and windows back, just click it. Restore Previous Session - Win1

Note: If you've set your home page to something other than the default Firefox home page, you can restore the default home page.

Restore a previous session from the history menu

Here's how to get your tabs and windows from a previous session back if you don't use the default Firefox home page:

  • At the top of the Firefox window, click the Firefox button, go over to History (History menu in Windows XP) and select Restore Previous Session.On the menu bar, click the History menu and select Restore Previous Session.At the top of the Firefox window, click the History menu and select Restore Previous Session.Restore Previous Session - Win2
Note: See Configuring session restore for instructions on setting Firefox to always show your windows and tabs from last time when you start it.

Having problems?

If the session isn't restored, this problem could be due to settings, extension problems, or corrupted files causing failure of Firefox components.

Settings may be set incorrectly

If your Firefox settings are configured differently, the prompt will not occur.

  1. In the Menu bar at the top of the screen, click Firefox and then select Preferences or Settings, depending on your macOS version.Click the menu button Fx89menuButton and select Settings.
  2. Select the General panel (Main panel in Firefox 3.5), and set When Firefox starts to Show my home page.
  3. Switch to the Tabs panel, and check mark Warn me when closing multiple tabs.
  4. Switch to the Privacy panel, and make sure Firefox will: is set to either Remember History or Use custom settings for history.
    • If Firefox will: is set to Use custom settings for history then make sure that Automatically start Firefox in a private browsing session is not selected.
    • If Firefox will: is set to Use custom settings for history and Clear my history when Firefox closes is selected then check the Settings and make sure that you do not clear the Browsing History.
  5. Close the Settings page. Any changes you've made will automatically be saved.

Extensions are interfering

Some extensions (e.g. Tab Mix Plus) are known to cause this problem. To find out if it is an extension, read Troubleshoot extensions, themes and hardware acceleration issues to solve common Firefox problems.

Corrupted files

Firefox stores your user information in a separate folder on your computer. One or more files within that folder may be corrupt.

  1. Open your profile folder:

    • Click the menu button Fx89menuButton, click Help and select More Troubleshooting Information.From the Help menu, select More Troubleshooting Information. The Troubleshooting Information tab will open.
    • Under the Application Basics section next to Profile FolderDirectory, click Open FolderShow in FinderOpen Directory. A window will open that contains your profile folder.Your profile folder will open.
    Note: If you are unable to open or use Firefox, follow the instructions in Finding your profile without opening Firefox.

  2. Click the Firefox menu Fx89menuButton and select Exit.Click the Firefox menu at the top of the screen and select Quit Firefox.Click the Firefox menu Fx89menuButton and select Quit.
    • Make sure Firefox is not running at this point.
  3. Within your profile folder, rename these files:
    • Rename formhistory.sqlite to formhistory.sqlite.bak.
    • Rename sessionstore.js to sessionstore.js.bak.
Note: Should you need to restore the old versions of these files, simply remove the .bak from the end of each file and delete the new versions that replaced these backups.