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Accidentally set pixel density too high; cannot restore.

  • 5 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 46 views
  • Last reply by kobe

Zibarro
Zibarro

I was trying to fix a minor issue with the text size on webpages, but I ended up making things immeasurably worse. On the advice from another post from this forum, I entered "about:config" into the address bar, searched "layout.css.devPixelsPerPx" And tried changing it's value. I tried messing around with this but I accidentally set the value to 11.0, now the browser is so damn big it's nonfunctional. I can't reach the webpage to change the value or the help tab to reset, can't zoom out, even a clean reinstall changed nothing. I literally only have access to a fraction of the upper left corner of the browser. I can access file, edit, and view, and can enter stuff into the address bar, and that's it. Firefox is functionally useless until I can change it back, I had to finally download Chrome just to upload this message. I'm kind of freaking out right now, a minor annoyance has exploded into a complete disaster, someone PLEASE give me options!

I was trying to fix a minor issue with the text size on webpages, but I ended up making things immeasurably worse. On the advice from another post from this forum, I entered "about:config" into the address bar, searched "layout.css.devPixelsPerPx" And tried changing it's value. I tried messing around with this but I accidentally set the value to 11.0, now the browser is so damn big it's nonfunctional. I can't reach the webpage to change the value or the help tab to reset, can't zoom out, even a clean reinstall changed nothing. I literally only have access to a fraction of the upper left corner of the browser. I can access file, edit, and view, and can enter stuff into the address bar, and that's it. Firefox is functionally useless until I can change it back, I had to finally download Chrome just to upload this message. I'm kind of freaking out right now, a minor annoyance has exploded into a complete disaster, someone PLEASE give me options!

Modified by Zibarro

Chosen solution

you can perform the following steps to change the value again "blindly":

  1. open firefox and press ctrl +L (this will put the focus into the location bar)
  2. type about:config
  3. press enter twice
  4. type devpix
  5. press the tab key
  6. press enter
  7. type 1.0
  8. press enter again & hopefully you should be back to normal visibility now
Read this answer in context 👍 3

All Replies (5)

philipp
philipp
  • Moderator

hello, close all open firefox windows. then launch firefox again & keep the shift key pressed while it is launching, then a screen should come up where you can choose to reset firefox (your bookmarks & passwords will be kept).

kobe
kobe
  • Click the Firefox button at the top left, then click the Help menu and select Troubleshooting Information from the submenu. If you don't have a Firefox button, click the Help menu at the top and select Troubleshooting Information from the menu.

Now, a new tab containing your troubleshooting information should open.

  • At the middle of the page, you should see a button that says "Open Directory". Click it.
  • In that folder that opens delete prefs or prefs.js

Thanks in advance for your help!

Zibarro
Zibarro Question owner

I tried the shift key option, but the safe mode window that came up is also so big that I can't get to the button to click it. Here's a screen shot to show you exactly what I'm dealing with. That there is the entirety of the screen I now have access to.

philipp
philipp
  • Moderator

Chosen Solution

you can perform the following steps to change the value again "blindly":

  1. open firefox and press ctrl +L (this will put the focus into the location bar)
  2. type about:config
  3. press enter twice
  4. type devpix
  5. press the tab key
  6. press enter
  7. type 1.0
  8. press enter again & hopefully you should be back to normal visibility now

Modified by philipp

kobe
kobe

Hit windows button and R

COpy and paste (and insert your profile name in the blank)

C:\Documents and Settings\<Insert Your name here>\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\

hit enter, go to the next folder and delete prefs.js or prefs