How to prevent Firefox from automatically updating and restarting with no option to do anything else
The title says it all. I find it very frustrating when I'm in the middle of doing something and Firefox pops up a message saying "Restarting Firefox" or the patronising "we just have to do one thing...", then closing Firefox and restarting. How can I stop Firefox from doing this? Why can't it just give me a notification that an update is available and that I need to restart to activate it? That would be MUCH friendlier. I have read a number of other posts that contain similar issues, but none of the solutions seem to apply to my version, 99.0. There are some options in about:config and about:preferences, but I am not clear on exactly what they do and whether or not changing them would achieve what I want to do without upsetting something else. Is there an easy way? All advice gratefully received.
All Replies (6)
So on Windows, I can give you guidance on the settings, but if you installed Firefox through your Linux package manager, your package manager usually dictates the timing of updates and this setting probably will be ineffective. Still might be worth a try.
On the Settings page (about:preferences) -- either
- main menu button > Settings
- (menu bar) Tools > Settings
- type or paste about:preferences into the address bar and press Enter to load it
-- type update in the tiny search box at the top of the page and Firefox should filter to the "Firefox Updates" section. Should look roughly like this:
Select "Check for updates but let you choose to install them". Firefox will write that to a shared settings file and NOT to the preferences file in your current profile. (If you discovered old instructions to make changes in about:config or user.js, those have not been effective in recent years.)
You don't have to worry that you'll miss an update: Firefox will drop down a panel from the main menu button informing you of available updates, and you either can download it immediately or postpone it. You should get daily reminders.
Note for Mac OS users: it should be similar on your OS.
mogplus8 said
The title says it all. I find it very frustrating when I'm in the middle of doing something and Firefox pops up a message saying "Restarting Firefox" or the patronising "we just have to do one thing...", then closing Firefox and restarting. How can I stop Firefox from doing this? Why can't it just give me a notification that an update is available and that I need to restart to activate it?
Since you are using Linux, are you using Firefox from Mozilla as in https://www.mozilla.org/firefox/all/#product-desktop-release or are you using a Firefox build installed in your package manager in your Linux distro.
Mozilla only provides updates to their own builds and not third-party options like Firefox packages for their Linux distro as they do the package updates for Firefox.
@James thanks for the reply. I have installed Firefox from the distro's repo, which is the one I use most of the time. I tried downloading Firefox from the link you provided. It took me a while to figure out that it doesn't need installing like other programs, but just runs from the command in the folder that the bz2 file is expanded into. Bit like an appimage. When I run that I get Firefox, but none of my open tabs are restored, and none of my bookmarks or history or anything is available, so a whole different instance apparently. Apologies but I don't really understand your last statement. Are you saying that the distro maintainers are responsible for providing updates for the distro's (Mint in my case) version of Firefox? Which is why random updates occur? Should I be putting my question to them rather than to Mozilla? Thanks.
@jscher2000 thanks for the reply I found that setting, but it seems I can't change it. :-(
Modified by mogplus8
mogplus8 said
@jscher2000 thanks for the reply I found that setting, but it seems I can't change it. :-(
Yes, I think that is how Mint controls the updates currently.
mogplus8 said
@James thanks for the reply. I have installed Firefox from the distro's repo, which is the one I use most of the time. I tried downloading Firefox from the link you provided. It took me a while to figure out that it doesn't need installing like other programs, but just runs from the command in the folder that the bz2 file is expanded into. Bit like an appimage. When I run that I get Firefox, but none of my open tabs are restored, and none of my bookmarks or history or anything is available, so a whole different instance apparently.
You could check whether your regular profile is available as follows:
Profile Manager Page
Inside Firefox, type or paste about:profiles in the address bar and press Enter/Return to load it.
This page should list at least one profile and could list many. (Each profile has two folders and one or more buttons. Do not use any Remove buttons!)
The profile that Firefox is currently using will have this:
This is the profile in use and it cannot be deleted.
Do you have any other profile(s) listed on this page? If so, you can check whether it is your regular one by clicking its Launch profile in new browser button.
If it isn't what you want, simply close that new window.
If it IS what you want, back on the about:profiles page, if you click the Set as default profile button for that profile, it will associate it with this new installation of Firefox. Probably. I can't be 100% certain because I don't have experience with Linux.
mogplus8 said
@jscher2000 thanks for the reply I found that setting, but it seems I can't change it. :-(
Mozilla only provides internal Firefox updates to their own builds from mozilla.org which is what the updates section is for.
https://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=4259 https://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=4244