Restore the Menu bar in Firefox

Revision Information
  • Revision id: 28730
  • Created:
  • Creator: Michael Verdi
  • Comment: reset can be used back to fx13, added note about what reset does
  • Reviewed: Yes
  • Reviewed:
  • Reviewed by: Verdi
  • Is approved? Yes
  • Is current revision? No
  • Ready for localization: Yes
  • Readied for localization:
  • Readied for localization by: Verdi
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Revision Content

If the Menu Bar is missing, it is usually because it has been hidden or because the file storing your toolbar information has become corrupt.If the Menu Bar is missing, it is usually because Firefox is in full screen mode or not the selected application.If the Menu Bar is missing, it is usually because it has been hidden or because the file storing your toolbar information has become corrupt.

Full Screen mode

If Firefox is in full screen mode, move the pointer to the top of the screen, and click on the Full Screen icon 1ac02852251f68821c5828d6ae805417-1258684309-723-3.png to restore the Firefox menu to normal size and show the Menu Bar.

Firefox is not the selected application

If Firefox is not in Full Screen mode, the Menu Bar will be visible. The Menu Bar always includes the Apple icon 7fbbe94f1e8c1f2d1f6ea6dd93c1901d-1266954982-393-1.png and the name of the current program. To see the Firefox Menu Bar, click inside any Firefox window.

Hidden menu bar

If you're using Windows 7 or Windows Vista, you now have an orange Firefox button that takes the most common functions and puts them in one menu.

  • To temporarily show the old style menus, just press the Alt key.
  • To have them shown all the time, right-click on an empty section of the Tab Strip and check Menu Bar in the pop-up menu.
    Menu Bar - Win

Hidden menu bar

Firefox has an option to use the Firefox button which takes the most common functions and puts them in one menu. When the Firefox button is in use, the Menu Bar is hidden. To restore a hidden Menu Bar:

  • Right-click on an empty section of the Tab Strip and check Menu Bar in the pop-up menu.

Corrupt toolbars and controls

If the file storing your toolbar information has become corrupt, use Firefox's safe mode to reset toolbars and controls.

Press Alt on the keyboard and release so that the menu bar will appear temporarily and then follow these steps:

  1. Click the menu button Fx89menuButton, click Help, select Troubleshoot Mode… and click Restart in the Restart Firefox in Troubleshoot Mode? dialog.

    Note: You can also start Firefox in Troubleshoot Mode by holding down the Shift key while starting Firefox.holding down the option key while starting Firefox.quitting Firefox and then going to your Terminal and running: firefox -safe-mode
    You may need to specify the Firefox installation path (for example /usr/lib/firefox).
  2. Check mark Reset toolbars and controls.e85e05e3169b2a4329eca5d032f0621a-1259976510-647-1.png
  3. Click Make Changes and Restart to restart Firefox.

Corrupt toolbars and controls

If the file storing your toolbar information has become corrupt, use Firefox's reset feature to fix the toolbars and controls.

Note: When you refresh Firefox, your bookmarks, browsing history, open tabs, windows, passwords, cookies and web form auto-fill information will be saved. However, your extensions and themes will be removed and your preferences will be reset. Learn more.
  1. Click the menu button Fx89menuButton, click Help, and select More Troubleshooting Information.
  2. Click Refresh Firefox… then Refresh Firefox in the confirmation window that opens. Firefox will close to refresh itself.
  3. When finished, a window will list your imported information. Click the Finish button. Firefox will open.
  4. Select whether you want Firefox to restore all or some windows and tabs, and click the Let's go! button.
Note: There's a Refresh Firefox button in the Firefox Troubleshoot Mode window, if you can't start Firefox normally. You can also do a manual refresh by creating a new profile and transferring your important data to the new profile.