
Firefox failing to update when done manually from About Firefox.
Lately when I manually check Firefox for updates. From the menu Help, then About Firefox. It will download the update, ask to restart Firefox. It will restart Firefox, but NOT install the update. It continues to fail to install until I close Firefox myself, wait a good minute, then load Firefox again and it will install the update. I can make this happen to every computer with Firefox installed.
All Replies (1)
Hi! This sounds like a frustrating issue, especially if it’s happening consistently across multiple devices.
What you're describing could be related to how Firefox handles update processes in the background. Sometimes, background processes or extensions can prevent the update from completing properly during the automatic restart.
Here are a few suggestions to try:
Check for running background processes: After the first restart, Firefox may still be running in the background. Try ending any leftover firefox.exe processes via Task Manager before restarting again.
Run Firefox as administrator: Right-click the Firefox icon and choose "Run as administrator" before updating. This can help with update permissions, especially on managed systems.
Disable extensions temporarily: Some add-ons can interfere with the update process. Try disabling them before updating to see if it helps.
Try the full installer: If the in-app update continues to fail, you can always download the latest version directly from mozilla.org and install it manually over your current version. Your settings and data will remain intact.
It might also be worth submitting a bug report if you can reproduce this on multiple machines. The Mozilla team would appreciate the feedback!
Let me know if you'd like help collecting logs or error messages for a more technical look.