Restore the Menu bar in Firefox

The File Edit View History Bookmarks Tools Help Menu bar in Firefox is hidden by default. It's also missing when Firefox is in full screen mode or if the file storing your toolbar information has become corrupt. We'll show you how to fix each of these. If the Firefox Menu bar is missing, it is usually because Firefox is in full screen mode, or it is not the selected application. We'll show you how to fix these.

Show the Menu bar

Don't need to see the Menu bar all the time? Press the Alt key to temporarily show the Menu bar. (If the Alt key doesn't work, press the AltGr key.)

To always show the Menu bar:

  • Right-click an empty area of the Tab bar at the top of the Firefox window and click Menu Bar.
Fx105RightClickTabBar-win

Alternatively:

  1. Click the menu button Fx89menuButton, click More Tools… and choose Customize Toolbar…
    • A new Customize Firefox tab will open.
  2. Click Toolbars at the bottom of the window and click Menu Bar.
    menu bar customize 57
  3. Click Done to save your changes.
To display the Menu bar while using a screen reader: Press the Alt and V keys simultaneously, and then T, then M.

Turn off full screen mode

Here's how to turn off full screen mode, so you can see the Menu bar again.

  1. Click the menu button Fx89menuButton on the right side of the toolbar.
  2. Click the full screen Fx111FullScreenIcon-Exit button in the list of menu items.
    Fx102Menu-ExitFullScreen

Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut command + Shift + FF11 to switch between full screen and normal mode. On some computers you may need to press fn + F11.

Firefox is not the selected application

Your Mac will always display the Menu bar for the program that's currently selected. Look at the name next to the Apple menu 7fbbe94f1e8c1f2d1f6ea6dd93c1901d-1266954982-393-1.png in the top left corner of your screen. If it doesn't say Firefox, click anywhere on the Firefox window to select it again.

Fix corrupted toolbars and controls

If the file storing your toolbar information has become corrupt, you can use the Refresh Firefox feature to restore the default toolbar settings and controls. See Refresh Firefox - reset add-ons and settings.

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