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

FF icon highlighted On The Task Bar , But Not On The Screen

more options

I have FF on the Win 10 startUp list; but since last week, the FF icon on the task bar highlighted, but not seen in the screen, that I learned yesterday, rightclick->move->arrowkey to move FF to a position desired, now for every On instance, including after re-booting the window.

How to fix FF a position for every new window instance?


[SOLVED: Program Appears On The Task Bar But Not On The Screen - Up & Running Technologies, Tech How To's https://www.urtech.ca/2017/03/solved-program-appears-task-bar-not-screen/]

I have FF on the Win 10 startUp list; but since last week, the FF icon on the task bar highlighted, but not seen in the screen, that I learned yesterday, rightclick->move->arrowkey to move FF to a position desired, now for every On instance, including after re-booting the window. How to fix FF a position for every new window instance? [SOLVED: Program Appears On The Task Bar But Not On The Screen - Up & Running Technologies, Tech How To's https://www.urtech.ca/2017/03/solved-program-appears-task-bar-not-screen/]

Chosen solution

You have amazing patience to move the window around with the arrow keys! Let's see whether we can fix it permanently, or at least provide an easier method.

Sometimes the main Firefox window gets "off screen" somehow. You often can force it to appear on the screen by right-clicking the thumbnail image floating above the Taskbar and choosing Maximize. Does that work?

One possible cause for this is when the file which stores window sizes and positions has become corrupted. You can remove that file and Firefox will return to standard window sizing/positioning.

Method #1: If you can get a maximized window:

Open your current Firefox settings (AKA Firefox profile) folder using either

  • "3-bar" menu button > "?" Help > Troubleshooting Information
  • (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
  • type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter

In the first table on the page, on the Profile Folder row, click the "Open Folder" button. This should launch a new window listing various files and folders in Windows Explorer.

Leaving that window open, switch back to Firefox and Exit, either:

  • "3-bar" menu button > Exit
  • (menu bar) File > Exit

Pause while Firefox finishes its cleanup, then scroll down and rename xulstore.json to something like xulstoreOLD.json just in case you need it later. If you see a file named localstore.rdf, it's obsolete and you can delete it so Firefox doesn't convert it at your next startup.

Start Firefox back up again. Do windows display normally again?

Method #2: If you cannot get a Firefox window at all:

Shut down Firefox by right-clicking the taskbar icon > Close Window or Close All Windows.

Using the Run dialog (windows key + R) or the Windows search box, type or paste the following and press Enter to drill down to the Profiles folder:

%APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles

Here you may see one folder -- in which case, double-click into that -- or more than one folder -- in which case, double-click into what looks like the most recently updated.

Scroll down and rename xulstore.json to something like xulstoreOLD.json just in case you need it later. If you see a file named localstore.rdf, it's obsolete and you can delete it so Firefox doesn't convert it at your next startup.

Start Firefox back up again. Do windows display normally again?


That mini-reset will hide the menu bar and bookmarks toolbar. You can use one of these methods to show the toolbar list and select the desired bars there:

  • right-click (on Mac Ctrl+click) a blank spot on the tab bar (or the "+" button)
  • (menu bar) View > Toolbars
    On Windows, tap the Alt key to activate the menu bar temporarily.
  • in Customize mode > Toolbars button (see: Customize Firefox controls, buttons and toolbars)

To turn on the Bookmarks Toolbar, Menu Bar, or other bars, click it on the list.

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (3)

more options

Chosen Solution

You have amazing patience to move the window around with the arrow keys! Let's see whether we can fix it permanently, or at least provide an easier method.

Sometimes the main Firefox window gets "off screen" somehow. You often can force it to appear on the screen by right-clicking the thumbnail image floating above the Taskbar and choosing Maximize. Does that work?

One possible cause for this is when the file which stores window sizes and positions has become corrupted. You can remove that file and Firefox will return to standard window sizing/positioning.

Method #1: If you can get a maximized window:

Open your current Firefox settings (AKA Firefox profile) folder using either

  • "3-bar" menu button > "?" Help > Troubleshooting Information
  • (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
  • type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter

In the first table on the page, on the Profile Folder row, click the "Open Folder" button. This should launch a new window listing various files and folders in Windows Explorer.

Leaving that window open, switch back to Firefox and Exit, either:

  • "3-bar" menu button > Exit
  • (menu bar) File > Exit

Pause while Firefox finishes its cleanup, then scroll down and rename xulstore.json to something like xulstoreOLD.json just in case you need it later. If you see a file named localstore.rdf, it's obsolete and you can delete it so Firefox doesn't convert it at your next startup.

Start Firefox back up again. Do windows display normally again?

Method #2: If you cannot get a Firefox window at all:

Shut down Firefox by right-clicking the taskbar icon > Close Window or Close All Windows.

Using the Run dialog (windows key + R) or the Windows search box, type or paste the following and press Enter to drill down to the Profiles folder:

%APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles

Here you may see one folder -- in which case, double-click into that -- or more than one folder -- in which case, double-click into what looks like the most recently updated.

Scroll down and rename xulstore.json to something like xulstoreOLD.json just in case you need it later. If you see a file named localstore.rdf, it's obsolete and you can delete it so Firefox doesn't convert it at your next startup.

Start Firefox back up again. Do windows display normally again?


That mini-reset will hide the menu bar and bookmarks toolbar. You can use one of these methods to show the toolbar list and select the desired bars there:

  • right-click (on Mac Ctrl+click) a blank spot on the tab bar (or the "+" button)
  • (menu bar) View > Toolbars
    On Windows, tap the Alt key to activate the menu bar temporarily.
  • in Customize mode > Toolbars button (see: Customize Firefox controls, buttons and toolbars)

To turn on the Bookmarks Toolbar, Menu Bar, or other bars, click it on the list.

more options

Thanks. Amazed by your speedy reply. The problem has seemed resolved now. I will certainly follow your instructions if it returns to haunt.

Thanks Again.

PS. I am shopping for a new tablet. Do chromebook run FF? ( I may post this to a new thread!)

more options

LCheni said

PS. I am shopping for a new tablet. Do chromebook run FF? ( I may post this to a new thread!)

Chromebooks run the Android version of Firefox, which is a mobile browser, not that similar to the traditional desktop version of Firefox.