Firefox Community Forum

I have been using Firefox for awhile now and something weird is happening. I can't close tabs by clicking on the 'x' on the tab. I also can't use the back arrow and the refresh button. I can right click and close tabs that way and the bookmark bar works. The problem seems confined to the top two bars. Thank you.

Ubuntu - I use the SNAP version of Firefox - I generally have lots of tabs open but only use 5 or so of them and it's generally fine.... but when I am closing Firefox, it USES like 100% of the CPU and ALL of the RAM and ALL of the SWAP memory when closing.

This locks up the computer.

Sometimes it doesn't quite go all the way but I can watch it all happen in real time, using Task Manager - and that shows a solidwall of all resources occouring, when the close Firefox is run.

I am told by research via ChatGPT that this is a very real problem with the SNAP version and it's best to change to the Debian version, copy all the bookmarks etc., across and then uninstall the SNAP version.

It's rather disconcerting to have Linux crash because of this one app locking it up and frequently.

Chat GPT:

Is there a problem with Firefox Snap Version closing and using all the resources while doing so, which results in locking up the computer?

You're definitely not imagining it—there have been reports of Firefox's Snap version consuming excessive system resources (CPU, memory) and even causing lockups or hangs, particularly during closure. Here's what’s going on and how to mitigate it:

What’s Happening with Firefox Snap?

2. Browser Hangs or Locks the System on Close

On Linux (especially Ubuntu), users have reported that closing Firefox can lead to it hanging in memory, sometimes unresponsive and still consuming resources.
Super User
Ask Ubuntu
A stark example from Reddit illustrates the severity:
“About 50% of the time I open Firefox, it'll reach 100% CPU usage in about 30 seconds… PC completely unusable unless I shutdown.”
Reddit

3. Known Wayland Sway Bug

On Wayland/Sway setups, reloading Sway while Firefox is open can trigger intense logging, causing high CPU use and an enormous syslog.
Fix: Set MOZ_DISABLE_WAYLAND_PROXY=1, or upgrade to FF 125 where the issue is addressed.
Reddit+1

Alternative Approach

Many users, particularly on Ubuntu, opt out of Snap completely in favor of the .deb package or PPA builds. These alternatives often avoid these specific issues. Ask Ubuntu Reddit

Thoughts? Solutions?

Thanks in advance.

Version 142.0 (64-bit) on my Dell Laptop. Screen will not refresh on address bar or using refresh button after screen sits for 1-2 minutes. The top menu bar will still work.

It seems that since the Version 141.0 update, initial startup of FF seems to take ve-e-e-ery long (approx 3-4 minutes).

The startup time/lag seems almost the same as it takes to restart after an update.

Anyone else experience this also? Thanks.

So, I was downloading some Patreon stuff and Patreon isnt well optimized for browsing older posts. When you have to load multiple more pages dating backwards it slows down the Firefox quite a lot, pretty much to the point when the Firefox reach non-responding state in worst cases.

But luckily for me Patreon worked fine for me tonight, just when I was closing the Firefox, it took like 5 seconds for it to close.

I spent some short time by responding messages on Steam and Discord and then I started new Firefox window, this time I went on Netflix and when the page loaded my monitor went black and then after like few seconds it returned back with "Displayport" message on the top left corner.

When I checked Event viewer, there is nothing at all. When I checked about:crashes, there is also nothing.

Any idea what was that and how to prevent that?

Hello! Today I stuck with problem in my system: after minor package update, hardware acceleration was broke. In past, I stuck with same problem after total pc upgrade (AMD -> NVIDIA GPU, another might be unnecesary), and somehow I fixed it, but i dont remember what exactly fixed it. Can someone please help me turn hardware acceleration on this time? My searching the key arround didn`t helped, but i found in about:support line which notes that firefox unrecognized my videocard etc. My specs: kernel: 6.17.1-zen1-1-zen driver: nvidia-dkms-580.95.05-1 videocard: GTX 1080 TI DE: gnome 49 with Wayland

Tips that ive tried: Tried to make all as wrote in archwiki Tried to install an nvidia vaapi implementor Made some random steps from internet, without effect(maybe thats why hardware acceleration doesent work??)

theres also about:support page attached

I have been using Firefox for many, many years. As of late I find it is constantly slowing or freezing and when I check with taskmanager I find Firefox has opened and is running as many as 85 processes. I have tried the recommended methods of limiting it...but the performance options do not provide the ability to limit processes as set out in the instructions....and changing the browser.tabs.remote.autostart to false also did not work. If I can't fix this, I will have to stop using Firefox. I am using version 144.0

The lack of a title bar makes it impossible, for example, to close the application by pressing the "X" icon in the upper right corner. The title bar does not appear when the application starts, but does appear when the application window is minimized and then maximized.

About two weeks ago, Firefox started randomly hanging and would stop responding. It wouldn't let me close the program and I always have to restart my system to resolve the problem. Sometimes it only takes a few minutes after restart before it hangs, other times it will be fine for hours.

I've tried multiple solutions I've found online, carefully following instructions: clearing cookies and cache, disabling all extensions, refreshing firefox, creating a new profile, deleting specific files within the Profiles folder, etc.

I've yet to make it more than four hours without the program hanging.

Any assistance or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

I use a Lenovo Legion 5 laptop pc and a second Samsung monitor. When the screens go to sleep with Firefox open on the second monitor, the second screen will not wake up again instantly. It can take up to 5 minutes or only after rebooting.

When I close the Firefox window on the second screen from the taskbar on the laptop, the second screen lights up again.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

why does Firefox cover the whole screen when it hangs? it covers the bottom row of icons which I use to switch to a different task while I'm waiting for Firefox to finish hanging.

Firefox quite often will remove, replace, add, or layer text as I use it. It has been doing this since I first downloaded it, and I haven't had it for long. (I will say that it isn't the first program I've seen do this. the only other program I've seen do this is Zotero.) I'm not doing anything weird with it, it just happens as I use it. Some of the screenshots I've submitted are of what I'm literally typing right now.

I've tried using troubleshoot mode, but it works just fine when I'm using troubleshoot mode, so I can't appropriately use that mode.

Hi,

I use FF 146.0.1 64-bit on MacOs Sonoma.

I experience this weird FF behaviour. I usually keep FF open all the time. After a while, days, maybe weeks, some UI elements start flashing when I hover the mouse above them. As an example, I use the whatsapp web UI. When this happens, I cannot click anymore on the emoji icon (on the right side of the message) to add an emoji icon to a message because that icon is flashing like crazy when I hover the mouse above it, and when I click the mouse I cannot hit it. Refreshing the page doesn't fix it. What I usually do is I restart the browser and then it gets its brains back.

I am just curious if any of you experienced this. It starts to become annoying.

Thanks

Firefox just keeps getting slower and less responsive. I've cleared the history etc and run my Avast cleanup premium which helped a little, but the other browsers just put it to shame. I hate to switch because I love the user interface, but............ its just frustrating. Windows 11 latest updates.

Hello, today I have set up a new account for work and I have trouble signing in. Actually, I manage to sign in, however I am then shown the screen which gives me the option to create account recovery key and the browser freezes completely. I am unable to click on anything, the only option is to go to the Task Manager and kill the program there. Then, when I open Firefox again, I am not signed in (even thought I recieve the email about a new sign-in to mozilla) and have to try the process again, only to experience the freezing browser again. How can I solve this or troubleshoot? I have Win11, my broser is supposedly up-to-date. Thank you! Anna

Using Google Voice became unusable. Firefox too slow. Had been running just fine up till maybe a month ago when I finally gave in and allowed Firefox to update. Not knowing if it was a Windows or other issue I stupidly did a Windows reset and lost all my installed programs (including Firefox). I did a fresh install of Firefox and manually reentered passwords and bookmarks.

Ran fine for a day or two and is now again unusable. Cleared cache and appears to work OK at the moment but still sluggish.

Finn

Since updating to Firefox 141.0 (Win11), I've had issues with performance and on-screen behaviour of dynamic web pages/sites. The problems do not manifest on Chrome, or on a reinstalled version of Fx 140.0.4 on the same computer running at the same time (and with copy of original profile's data files, extensions etc.), they do manifest on a new Firefox 141.0 profile with only one tab open.

The problem happens on dynamic pages (e.g. gmail.com, boardgamearena.com/lobby) but doesn't seem to happen on static pages. Note that this doesn't depend on page elements moving around the visible window (e.g. panels opening and closing).

The manifesting problems:

• Screen pointer rapidly switching between standard arrow pointer, mouse with index finger (clickable link) and serifed-style insertion bar, even when positioned on a part of the page that is not a link or a text box. Video (MP4, <1MB) showing behaviour at https://imgur.com/a/absjTh4.
• Browser intermittently fails to respond to browser actions (mouse clicks, keyboard entry)
• Small increase in browser CPU usage

Problem is worse if general CPU usage (from other applications) is already high - low CPU usage reduces but doesn't eliminate the problem. (Established by changing my BOINC settings and/or snoozing BOINC and observing; I have a gadget that monitors CPU and other resource usage.)

The fact that I can see the problem occurring on Fx 141 but have Fx 140.0.4 working fine at the same time on the same page, suggests that this is a Fx 141 issue. Regular malware scanner and an alternate found no issues.

Happy to do more diagnostic testing if it's helpful.