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

Firefox suddently stopped downloading email attachments.

more options

I have been researching this issue for a couple days. No posts online answer the issue. It is not a security settings issue, I have almost add-ons enabled, my plug-ins are all up to date. I am using Yahoo.mail and the attachments download from IE and Chrome. Anyone?? Beuler??

I have been researching this issue for a couple days. No posts online answer the issue. It is not a security settings issue, I have almost add-ons enabled, my plug-ins are all up to date. I am using Yahoo.mail and the attachments download from IE and Chrome. Anyone?? Beuler??

Chosen solution

If anyone is still having this problem, try signing out of Yahoo and then signing back in.

It worked for me.

Read this answer in context 👍 2

All Replies (20)

more options

I know this sounds generic, but... When you have a problem with one particular site, a good "first thing to try" is clearing your Firefox cache and deleting your saved cookies for the site. This helps blow out old scripts and settings that may conflict with site updates.

(1) Bypass Firefox's Cache

Use Ctrl+Shift+r to reload the page fresh from the server.

Alternately, you also can clear Firefox's cache completely using:

orange Firefox button (or Tools menu) > Options > Advanced

On the Network mini-tab > Cached Web Content : "Clear Now"

If you have a large hard drive, this might take a few minutes.

(2) Remove the site's cookies (save any pending work first). While viewing a page on the site, try either:

  • right-click and choose View Page Info > Security > "View Cookies"
  • Alt+t (open the classic Tools menu) > Page Info > Security > "View Cookies"

In the dialog that opens, you can remove the site's cookies individually.

Then try reloading the page. Does that help?

more options

I'm having the same issue and unfortunately none of the above worked for me. Cleared cache and site settings, the same thing happens without addons and all plugins are deactivated. It is strange that the download problem persists only on the yahoo mail page. I can download attachments using chrome.

more options

Start Firefox in Safe Mode to check if one of the extensions (Firefox/Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Extensions) or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem (switch to the DEFAULT theme: Firefox/Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Appearance).

  • Do NOT click the Reset button on the Safe Mode start window.

Also make sure that security software isn't blocking attachments.

more options

Thanks, cor-el, but I have tried that already. I use the Windows Defender on W8.1 pro and until yesterday there were no problems with downloading mail attachments from Yahoo mail. Also, I can download with no issues when I use Yahoo mail in chrome. Strange enough I don't remember updating any drivers or other software. The problem just came up and persists. Should I try uninstalling and reinstalling Firefox? That would be overkill in my opinion, but if there's no other way...

more options

Hi monkey13, could you describe where it's breaking down. For example, have the download links become nonresponsive, or do you choose the download location and nothing happens, or does Firefox seem to be downloading the file and then it vanishes?

more options

Well, I klick the attachment, then for a moment it says "Scanning attachment" in the mail preview pane and after that, when the download should normally start, nothing happens. The tab symbol indicates for a second that the page is loading/processing, though that does not happen. The scan of the attachment(s) seems to run normally. Something new just came up: when I compose a message (or write a reply), Yahoo seems to think that I want to close the compose window and stop editing - the "Do you really want to close" warning message pops up and I must click every time "Keep editing". Very annoying!

more options

Hi monkey13, do you have any add-on pop-up blockers, or security toolbars with a pop-up blocking feature? Perhaps the one that is trying to close your message compose window is also somehow affecting downloads??

more options

No, as I said above, the same problems occur with FF in safe mode, without any addons or plugins. No "toolbars", as I cannot stand such clutter on my computer. Also, latest FF installed, W8.1pro with MS Defender, no other firewall, antivirus and such. So it remains a big mystery. I will try reinstalling FF when I'll have time for that, until then it's chrome...

more options

I am still having the same problem. When I delete all the cookies, I am able to download for a short time. Then it stops downloading and I have to clear them again. I have to clear them several times a day. It is terribly annoying.

more options

I am still having the same problem. When I delete all the cookies, I am able to download for a short time. Then it stops downloading and I have to clear them again. I have to clear them several times a day. It is terribly annoying.

more options

Hi monkey13, could you test with Firefox's integration with Windows attachment security disabled? This thread has the steps for changing that setting: Downloaded files instantly disappear on completion.

If that works, it suggests Firefox is bumping up against a Windows security restriction that for some reason is not applied to other browsers.

more options

Hi CharleeT, did testing in Firefox's Safe Mode make any difference for you?

Also, could you check your connection setting? Yahoo is sensitive to changes in your IP address, although usually that is manifested by forcing you to provide your password again. You can check the setting here:

orange Firefox button (or Tools menu) > Options > Advanced > Network mini-tab > "Settings" button

The default is "Use system proxy settings", which piggybacks on your Internet Explorer settings. You could try "No proxy" to see whether that works better with Yahoo.

more options

I had the same problem all weekend, although it disappeared when I went to FF safe mode. Unfortunately, when I manually disabled all extensions, I could no longer download or view attachments, so I couldn't troubleshoot the issue.

This morning (Monday), the problem disappeared and I could open or download any attachment; by this afternoon, the problem was back.

I suspect a Yahoo issue, although Yahoo tech support is nonexistent.

more options

Chosen Solution

If anyone is still having this problem, try signing out of Yahoo and then signing back in.

It worked for me.

more options

Walter,
Sorry you are having problems with Firefox.

May I suggest you scroll through and read the advice in this (including extra tips) thread then

  1. Start a new thread please. Use special-link
    EVERYONE else with similar problems feel free to use the same special-link, it saves you time because it cuts out a couple of steps, and it starts a post with a title contributors recognise as relating to this thread.
  2. Please try your best to follow the prompts to provide trouble shooting information (There should be a green button to automate that - if you have problems with that please comment in the new thread.)
  3. Post back in this thread just with confirmation you have posted a new thread, someone will cross link and escalate* the threads.
  4. Try again in Firefox's safemode , as co-rel suggested
    Try holding down the shift key when clicking the Firefox icon to start up Firefox
    See Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode
  5. Safemode is intended as a diagnostic step let's see if the downloads work in safemode. Worry about opening and viewing them later.
  6. Whilst in safemode also try the ideas from Jef's first post above /questions/971042#answer-478668 to clear cache and site cookies.
  7. Make any other comments in your new thread,
    • Let us know the type of file that you are trying to download
    • whether you see any error messages, if so what and when ?
    • do these files normally download ok ?
    • confirm they download ok with other browsers
*I will mark this and related threads for escalation given the interest of the  helpdesk staff

Modified by John99

more options

Hello Walter and thank you! Signing out and in again worked for me too!

I don't know what the reason for this problem was.

@John: there was no error message whatsoever. Yahoo mail loaded normally, you simply couldn't download any attachment (no matter what type the files were - pdf, jpeg, docx and zip). Also, it wasn't possible to download more than one attachment as a bundeled zip file.

Walter's solution worked for me too! Thank you again, both Walter and Mozilla support!

more options

Thanks for the post Monkey13. Glad to know it works again.

Signing out and in again sometimes fixes problems. A more reliable method of fixing such problems is usually to clear the cache and site cookies, although admittedly signing out and in may be quicker.

The very first post in this thread explains what to do, or my last post just abovesays what to do if that does not work.


Update a couple of simple extra steps you may need

I notice some of you are saying clearing cache and cookies does not work. As suggested by cor_el down thread Lets expand this a bit to explain why clearing cache and cookies may not work and what else to do. Namely first of all

  1. Close all Yahoo related tabs
    • Now Clear the site cookies and Firefox's cache, Then
  2. Sign in to the Yahoo home page without using your bookmarks and navigate from there. Or Try THIS (https://login.yahoo.com/)

Please remember if you still have problems help yourself in getting a good reply by starting your own own thread and use this special-link


Short explanation that is worth remembering for next time you have a problem with sites not loading correctly etc.

  1. Close all Yahoo related tabs because
    They may be part of the problem and may perpetuate it. You can not clear cookies and cache effectively from a browser session with the site tabs open and likely to be saved used or reloaded
    • Now clear the site cookies and Firefox's cache
  2. Sign in to the Yahoo home page without using your bookmarks. Because bookmarks often have information tagged on to do things.

Modified by John99

more options

Well, I did clear the cache & cookies before that (a week ago, when I started having problems, as I read some forum posts before asking) and it didn't help. Strange enough, only signing out and in again was the only way of getting rid of this issue. Thanks again!

more options

Awesome, the only other thing I can suggest is to delete the bookmark to your email and re-add it if the issue persists after.

You all are so awesome!

more options

Note that you do need to close open tabs before removing cookies in the Cookie Manager and possibly start with the main page of the website instead of a specific bookmarked page.

  1. 1
  2. 2