Avatar for Username

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

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

I am working on a web site locally. Double clicking is opening a different firefox missing features

pck24
pck24
more options

I have FF as default and *.php or .html files set to open with same browser.

As of this evening when I double click a PHP file it does open FF browser but it appears as if it is a totally different user?

None of book marks appear. None of the add-ons are present and the downloads directory is different than when I open browser by clicking to desktop icon and it asks me to set as default browser...which it already is?

I can drag those files to an already open browser no problem but double clicking those files used to and should open another window of the exact same browser not a new "different" version of same browser. Installing a current update did not fix this.

While it is not a huge issue it is annoying to double click and suddenly have two very different looking browsers running.

Any suggestions what caused this sudden strange behavior and how to fix it?

I have FF as default and *.php or .html files set to open with same browser. As of this evening when I double click a PHP file it does open FF browser but it appears as if it is a totally different user? None of book marks appear. None of the add-ons are present and the downloads directory is different than when I open browser by clicking to desktop icon and it asks me to set as default browser...which it already is? I can drag those files to an already open browser no problem but double clicking those files used to and should open another window of the exact same browser not a new "different" version of same browser. Installing a current update did not fix this. While it is not a huge issue it is annoying to double click and suddenly have two very different looking browsers running. Any suggestions what caused this sudden strange behavior and how to fix it?

All Replies (3)

Wesley Branton
Wesley Branton
more options

In a recent update, Firefox changed the way that it handles multiple versions of Firefox. As a result, some users had a new profile created automatically when they did the update.

It sounds like this is what happened and that Firefox is loading the fresh profile when you use it to open a file, instead of the profile that you normally use.

Fortunately, it's easy to fix. Go to about:profiles in Firefox after you have opened the file and start experiencing the problem. You should see multiple profiles listed there. Use the Set as default profile button to save the profile that has your data in it as the default. Then close Firefox.

Next time you open a file, it should load your regular Firefox profile.

Everything I've just explained is also outlined in the Recover lost or missing Bookmarks page.

Hope this helps.

pck24
pck24 Question owner
more options

That solved it. However additional questions remain.

1. This problem happened BEFORE any update? After downloading new version and updating it remained then I looked and removed the surplus profile as suggested (Thanks).

2. Now that it is updated it gives me a notice that this version cannot be updated, to download a new version and install...which is exactly what I have just done already?

Senali Madawala
Senali Madawala
more options

01.Open firefox and type about:config in the addressbar and press Enter. 

   02.Now type related in the Filter box and look for following boolean key:
   03.The entry "browser.tabs.insertRelatedAfterCurrent" would be set to true. ...
   04.That's it.