Firefox Support Forum

Many bugs and crashes with Firefox

1. 1 Not able to install an automatic update, via the Menu Help --> About Firefox (or Thunderbird). This bug / problems sits already inside the earlier versions of Firefox and Thunderbird.

• A No new version is shown.
• B Firefox (or Thunderbird) tries to download / install this update, bug become someway corrupted and also stuck in this process.
• C Firefox (or Thunderbird) says to apply the update you must restart the program. After Firefox (or Thunderbird) was restarted, the program keeps trying installing or downloading this same or another update. I see a spinning circle only, no progress bar. Waiting, trying again later or another restart from Firefox (or Thunderbird) does nothing.

Only way to update Firefox is via https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all/#product-desktop-release Which always shows the wrong language. Only way to update Thunderbird is via https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/all/#product-desktop-release Here, I can click on letter from my language and download the setup package. After this update installation was done, the Help --> About (program name) window show the program is last version. But not seems not always the last version, like version x.x.01 to x.x.02, then tries to install this newer small version and gets stuck in the same loop or corruption.

• D You must use the setup package, because the installer doesn't work, likes to abort the installation and shows error messages about something gone wrong. Installer package is incomplete or damaged, not for current version and Windows.
• E For last newer versions, they seems not working anymore directly. The program can be restarted once or few times before it seems working. Until other bugs appear.
• F Always adding a new and faulty shortcut, but I have already a working shortcut on my Desktop. Icon hasn't logo from Firefox or Thunderbird, but the setup icon.
• G Sometimes you cannot start Firefox or Thunderbird, due the update did something wrong.

Missing file(s) and/or some strange error message after I clicked on the shortcut from the program. Another run from this "update" setup is needed. Remove a or all "Firefox.exe" from the Taskmanager list.

• H Bug that stops add-ones working. This can be happen due the general function / thing for add-ones inside Firefox crashes, become bugged or corrupted. 1 add-one or more add-ones take the others and stop working, become bugged or corrupted. Add-ones will forget things, their work / functions or do it halfway. Has something to do with the installation and/or data from add-ones. They seems to not having support or do anything about their problems.

1. 2 Random many crashes without any useful (error) messages, can be with closing the program itself.

Already from earlier versions of Firefox. And also Thunderbird too. This bug seems to sit deep inside the programs. I should be to use Firefox, Thunderbird, Notepad together, with having a some folders open. Switching between them can be annoying slow. Takes longer time be before responding. I'm seeing empty white or black windows. Only last selected section is visible, has the text and smaller pictures. I can have Firefox and Thunderbird left open for hours and later finding one or both programs are closed by itself. No reason, no permission given to do that. Add a new tab or click on a current site, there is no (fast) respond. Same for buttons, filters and filling in forms on a site. One program can pull the other program in closing to when the one is crashing. Also Windows will show several error messages about programs are using to much memory and must be closed. If this has programs listed, then Firefox seems to appear most here of the programs I'm using.

Updating doesn't fix anything Using the safe mode and new profiles are no long time solutions, every time anything is gone or nog working better.

It seems you must have 2 profiles running at same time when you want read something and not switching back between every minute or so. If 1 is near crashing, you have still the other one running.

1. 3 Why I'm seeing 20x to 72x a Firefox.exe in my Taskmanager? They takes a lot of memory, showing different sizes. I started Firefox once. This is not needed.

1. 4 Some sites seems to not work in Firefox or takes longer time.

Same for responding on clicking, using filters, buttons and sending forms. Clicking on those (annoying) accept (popup) windows. Unable to login or confirm an (security) action like this with a word or number given via e-mail. Might be something for the site. When you need to use Private Browsing for this.

1. 5 Icons from installed add-ones don't appear in main bar, at right side. How to use them? Before they did.

1. 6 Site using third party host sites are slow and mostly don't work. Connection errors.

"Seems fine here, but something with you". Refresh page doesn't fix it. Wait and try again later, how long? Firefox should block these sites.

1. 7 After updating to Firefox version 115.0.2 and continue my last session, there are appear several new bugs.

• A I cannot longer visit sites. Even earlier visited sites don't load. Firefox keeps stuck in loading or receiving site info data. Sites don't appear, just an empty (white) page. Also about:support doesn't work. Strangely, I can visit Google.com but not open any site from there. I tried Private Browsing, so no add-one can do something with this.

I had Firefox running for some hours, these sites are still stuck in "loading" or something else.

• B Right click to open a site or page in a new tab doesn't longer work. Right click menu appears, but action will not be done. Which can be strange at top, missing or changed items.

• C Same to copy line of text or picture, action isn't longer "remembered".

Now, I created again a new profile and again this doesn't fix them. Even more bugs and stranger. Again lost everything, settings, sites, installing dictionaries and add-ones. Stupid.

• C1 I can visit websites, but with some strange things, not always working fine.

That makes it to post my problems here.

• C2 Cannot longer type keywords in the addressbar and after pressing Enter, you should visit Google with search results. Firefox thinks the given keyword is a not existing website.

In Settings (via about:preferences#search), there are no search engines (Google, Wikipedia, ect) in the list, who should be there by default. Also there's no default search engine selected, the list therefor is small and empty.

• C3 Yet visited near 10 sites, who I cannot visit any of the sites with my other long time using profile. Then Firefox crashed by random, white empty window. Windows adds not responding at end of the program's title bar. I could restart Firefox after that, get the "continue after a crash" tab and revisit any of these sites in their opened tabs.

• C4 A site keeps saying cookies are disabled / denied, while minimal are accepted when some of that stupid (popup) windows did show. This means: Some stupid messages don't disappear after clicking "OK", the "X" or close buttons / links. Site might not work fine or on some parts. Something can follow you browsing through the site. Not able to visit that site or part.

• C5 A site keeps saying there is an ad-blocker installed, but there is no add-one like that installed. This means: Stupid messages like these keep appearing; site cannot work fine; you cannot visit the site due some invisible wall or blocking thing. Some can follow you browsing through the site. This is very annoying.

• C6 With one profile I cannot longer open sites who worked before. Keeps loading, shows URL in addressbar and on the tab.

And the about: .... pages. While with a new profile I can visit those sites, but right click menu is bugged.

• Cannot open site or page in new tab. Only on Google based sites are working for unknown reasons, but not YouTube.
• Missing items or I can see more gray things and lines.
• Cannot copy selected text. Stil having old or wrong text.
• Cannot Search with Google, this option is missing.
• Cannot see the source code from the page, due action is not happen.
• On sites that are working you can only read that current content. Can open links in new tabs, but their pages are empty / white, keep loading forever.
• A few sites don't load and still giving a empty page. Loading takes longer then needed. For same site.
• Use Google by typing the keyword in the addressbar doesn't visit Google site, but Firefox thinks the site doesn't exist, is wrong typed. You must go to Google.com and typing the keyword in the textbox here.
• If a site worked first, then later it cannot working longer, keeps stuck in loading and showing a empty white page / tab.
• Login for some sites is not longer possible, email send with security word or number doesn't appear. I can send myself a test e-mail to this e-mail address. Waited the time enough and made a new attempt, still the same.

Windows PC. Firefox version 117.0 x64. Via Help --> About Firefox, because about:support doesn't show the version and build.

The right pane on google drive is not loading on firefox. It says "Couldn't load, Try again". Dev tools show the error "NS_ERROR_INTERCEPTION_FAILED".

If i clean the data and cookies for the website it starts working but not for long. Last time i did it i lasted like 5 minutes. Turning off all the extensions doesn't help.

I'm logged in on several google accounts, don't know if that matters.

Firefox randomly freezes when i try and open a website or do anything then will load forever. Can not open a new tab as it will just load forever when i try and open a website. Only fix is to open and close it.

Using Firefox 17.0.1 on MacOS Ventura 13.6 on my 2017 iMac I am unable to connect to the internet while using Private Internet Access (PIA) VPN. All was working normally until I installed MacOS Ventura 13.6 yesterday. The VPN works normally when using Chrome or Safari. I have tried changing my network proxy setting without any luck. The default setting is "Use System Settings", using No Proxy or Auto Detect Proxy doesn't help. I don't see a switch for Enable DNS over HTTPS. All works fine when the VPN is disabled. I tried deleting the VPN a couple of times then reinstalling but that didn't help.

What am I missing here? I have used this VPN for years without any issues & it worked on Firefox until I installed MacOS 13.6...... using 13.5 I had no problems. Any suggestions or thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks...... Brad

Hi, I get the below error message when trying to login to visma.net (for work).

json.parse unexpected character at line 1 column 1 of the JSON data

On this note I have a previous error, loggin in to this site that was fixed by a support member (• accessibility.blockautorefresh = false), but I have the above hurdle left. I can get past it by clicking backspace but thought there might be a better solution - maybe some other setting I can adjust similar to the first fix I got help with.

The web address for this error message shows as: https://api.home.visma.com/home/rest/sso/login

Kindly Eva-Marie

I am trying to solve a problem with opening a URL from an external app when Firefox is not already active. The issue appeared a couple of years ago. I found it using LaunchBar, but I can reproduce it from a terminal (at least LaunchBar is not to blame).

1) If Firefox is active (I mean, has been launched) and I type the following in a terminal window open 'http://www.mozilla.org' then Firefox opens a new tab with mozilla.org (same with any other site).

2) However, if Firefox is not active (for instance, it has just been quit) and I type the same command in terminal, then Firefox launches, reopens previous tabs, but opens no new tab, thus failing to open mozilla.org (which is what I want).

I tried refreshing (could not try safe mode because the activation of Firefox should be triggered by the terminal command). I also tried uninstalling + fresh copy of Firefox, but as soon as the sync with my mozilla account occurs the problem comes back. I even tried to delete my Mozilla account and recreating a new one, that did not solve the issue.

Note that when I try (2), I sometimes very briefly (1/10 sec) see a new Firefox window open with the right site (mozilla.org) and this window disappears.

The setting for browser.startup.page is 3 and no plugins at all (fresh install, account wiped).

Any help is welcome...

My Firefox browser has been crashing for several weeks. I have been a Firefox user for quite some time now but never experienced anything like this. This happens at least a couple of times a day. I have refreshed the Firefox app on my computer, tried turning off the extensions for a while (I use 2 add blockers), but nothing seems to fix the issue. I'd hate to switch to another browser but this is getting very frustrating.

I'd appreciate any help you could provide.

I have a General Motors account that I can't login to. https://www.gmccanada.ca/en/ownercenter/service They recently changed to multi authentication using Microsoft. I can login to the first step but after I enter the sent password in the second step nothing happens. I have tried basic some trouble shooting like Firefox trouble mode, clearing cache and adding web site to exceptions in settings. GM Help Line told me to use a different browser!!!

Firefox taking aproximatly 10 seconds to start loading a link after pressing it, I have reinstalled the browser, reset to factory setting but the system remains even in safe mode. I recently formated the computer that's when the issue started to happen.

I just purchased bose 700s and I can hear noises for a fraction of a second every time I move the video forward beyond what is already in the buffer. On chrome the scrubbing is perfectly fine.

It is really annoying, any help? Thanks!

pd. I noticed this doesn't happen with another pair of headphones so the 700s in themselves play a factor. However it never happens when using chrome so I guess is the combination of the two-

I have the same issue as stated in https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1390122?page=3

How does it come that it is still present in 117? Why is there no official guide or warning about this issue? I am forced to use Portable 101 where there are no such bugs. The solution in the thread is unclear and points to Microsoft, which is ridiculous. The question is how to solve that Mozilla's bug?

So, here's the story:

My browser crashed while watching a video and writing a particularly lengthy YouTube comment on it. Knowing that I have been able to recover in-progress Reddit comments after a crash from the sessionstore-backups so long as I was on the page at the time of the crash, I know that at least one site saves all in-progress comments to that, and I highly suspect that is where in-progress Wikipedia edits are kept, I (wanting as much data as possible for as good of a recovery chance as possible) immediately copied all my Profile files, totalling more than 1.6 GB, to a non-volatile folder.

As I had done before, I took the most recent sessionstore-backups file (dated to the exact minute of the crash), forced it through the Session History Scrounger to decompress it, and then mass-replaced the document's \ns with proper newlines in Notepad++, which used to make the file more readable.

This time, it didn't. They must have changed the json newline formatting used between at least late April and now. And more importantly, when I searched through the file for keywords I used in the comment, I couldn't find it. Simply, it appears that in-progress YouTube comments aren't stored in that file.

So, where are they stored? Are they in any vaguely human-readable file (or file that can with some ease be converted into something vaguely human-readable)? Can I somehow revive a "zombie session" using just archived Profile folder data to copy it out of? Or should I just give up and rewrite the comment from scratch?

NOTE 1: This is adapted from a previous post made with an associated account on Reddit. As I fear using Firefox until I get this problem resolved due to the possible loss in ability to recover other data if I do so, I figure that giving the problem more attention here would be beneficial in resolving it more quickly.

NOTE 2: Also, to clarify, I don't need to restore the session and have the comment re-appear; I'd be fine with locating it in a text editor or similar program so I could copy it back into the submission box once the session is restored.

Not only can I not load anything on Firefox, which I would love to be able to use because of the privacy settings, but it is so hard to navigate your help site. other browsers work fine. Yes, I've read the help page on this and none of it works. I just don't think it should be this hard to use ?? or am I missing something

I don't know when it started (quite awhile), but when I go to some websites even in FF safe mode, I wait a long time but get nothing displayed and it stops spinning/waiting (the circle arrow upper left stops). Occasionally when I reload, it comes up but usually it doesn't. Other websites it works fine.

In fact, if I browse to some websites, sit and wait awhile, then go to chrome or edge, type in the same website, the page displays even while FF is sitting there waiting.

ebay.com seems to work great, but for instance this morning, this one doesn't: https://www.crowdpac.com/news/741938 but sometimes this works: https://www.crowdpac.com then try it again (refresh) and it never responds.

And in fact, I'm using Edge to submit this question because when I browsed to https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/new/desktop#search in Firefox/Safe and clicked on the Sign-In/Up button, nothing happened. With Edge it worked fine and I'm able to type this in.

As per subject. After i close FF - and it is no longer showing as an app in Task manager. When i try to restart it, it says it's still running and i have to ask it to close FF before it will open it again. AFAICS It happens randomly.

It may be relevant that when using CCleaner, it often (randomly) hangs when cleaning FF internet cache and says FF needs to be closed when it is already closed and does not appear in task manager. If i ask CCleaner to close FF, the application hangs.

Less likely perhaps to be relevant: i got a rogue change of Favicon on one site. I eventually deleted the relevant file hoping the Favicons would repopulate. Most have, but many haven't including hotmail and protonmail sites.

There seem to be many causes/solutions to FF hanging but i thought these specific circumstances might make it easier to suggest what the problem is exactly and how to fix it.

Thanks.

Everything was working fine on Firefox up until a couple weeks ago when my searches started lagging.

What happens is - if I type a search into the main URL/search bar on the browser, it loads just fine. But if I type a 2nd search into a website search bar, such as on google.com, there is about a 12 second delay between me hitting enter and the page actually starting to load. The page freezes during this time and is unable to be interacted with. This issue does not happen in any other browsers outside of Firefox.

Things I've tried so far: Troubleshoot mode/safe mode, clearing cookies and cache, uninstalling and re-installing Firefox

Nothing has helped... wondering if this was caused by an update?

Using Firefox 117.0.1 on Windows 10, whenever I try to download a file (eg right-clicking an image, 'Save image as...') or upload a file (eg a photo to Facebook or a PDF to Cloudconvert), Firefox completely freezes (greys out) and no matter how long I wait this doesn't resolve. In the end I have to click the red X icon at top right, completely shut down the programme, then re-open it. And it continues to be impossible to upload or download.

User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64; rv:109.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/117.0

No crashes logged in about:crashes, but Windows reliability settings reveal the following:

Description A problem caused this program to stop interacting with Windows. Faulting Application Path: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe

Problem signature Problem Event Name: AppHangB1 Application Name: firefox.exe Application Version: 117.0.1.8655 Application Timestamp: 64ffcf74 Hang Signature: e5ca Hang Type: 134217728 OS Version: 10.0.19045.2.0.0.768.101 Locale ID: 2057 Additional Hang Signature 1: e5ca377c485e7058fa97701f85aa4a08 Additional Hang Signature 2: d583 Additional Hang Signature 3: d5834214b853c6b8508f9d55b4f4e695 Additional Hang Signature 4: e5ca Additional Hang Signature 5: e5ca377c485e7058fa97701f85aa4a08 Additional Hang Signature 6: d583 Additional Hang Signature 7: d5834214b853c6b8508f9d55b4f4e695

Any advice?

Many thanks!

Firefox seems to crash repeatedly and generates no crash reports, just freezes up my pc. It works in troubleshooting mode but even after refreshing, the problem persists. Surprisingly, it will consistently crash if I go to `about:support` (except in troubleshooting mode). Any help would be appreciated!