Strange, unpredicted instructions
I've tuned in to Firefox this morning to find that I'm kind of shut out, no access to my usual apps, and required to enact some difficult backing up etc. When I explore, it seems to relate to Windows 10 losing its backup from Microsoft. But I'm running Windows 11, not 10. What's going on? Is this legitimate? If so, why is it complicated and why wasn't it forewarned (by Firefox)?
Chosen solution
Thanks for your reply, Denys. No, didn't take a screenshot. Was eventually able to find a way to 'Refresh' the browser access. After the refresh, access was restored. Things looked quite different, though, and I had to do quite a bit of tidying up. Took ages. I have no doubt that early on Firefox thought I was running Windows 10 (when I wasn't), and seemed to block me out in processing the fact that Windows 10 is no longer supported. When I first accessed Firefox (in my usual way), it seemed to do some kind of an update, that made no sense to me, and early in the 'crash' I MAY have clicked on something that I shouldn't have, but not sure, and can't go back and check now. All ok now, but hope it doesn't happen again, or that anyone else falls to the same issue.
Read this answer in context 👍 0All Replies (3)
Hi,
Could you please add a screenshot of what you see? Also, do you still have no access to your data?
Chosen Solution
Thanks for your reply, Denys. No, didn't take a screenshot. Was eventually able to find a way to 'Refresh' the browser access. After the refresh, access was restored. Things looked quite different, though, and I had to do quite a bit of tidying up. Took ages. I have no doubt that early on Firefox thought I was running Windows 10 (when I wasn't), and seemed to block me out in processing the fact that Windows 10 is no longer supported. When I first accessed Firefox (in my usual way), it seemed to do some kind of an update, that made no sense to me, and early in the 'crash' I MAY have clicked on something that I shouldn't have, but not sure, and can't go back and check now. All ok now, but hope it doesn't happen again, or that anyone else falls to the same issue.
Hi,
From what you described, this doesn’t sound like Firefox officially blocking Windows 11 users. Firefox 147 fully supports Windows 11, and there hasn’t been any announcement about forcing backups related to Windows 10 end-of-support inside the browser itself.
It’s possible that:
1. A corrupted profile triggered a “Refresh Firefox” recommendation. 2. A Windows security notification or third-party software caused the confusion. 3. An update ran in the background and something misfired during the process.
The fact that refreshing restored access strongly suggests a profile/config issue rather than OS misidentification. Firefox determines your OS automatically, and it would not normally mistake Windows 11 for Windows 10 in a way that blocks access.
For safety going forward, I’d recommend:
- Checking `about: support` to confirm system details Firefox detects
- Running a malware scan (just in case something injected a fake prompt)
- Ensuring Windows is fully updated
- Backing up your Firefox profile manually for peace of mind
I manage website systems for clients in the aesthetics industry (including Royale Aesthetics & Beauty), and we’ve occasionally seen browser refresh prompts appear after incomplete updates — usually harmless but disruptive.
If it happens again, definitely grab a screenshot before refreshing, as that helps identify whether it’s Firefox, Windows Security, or something else triggering it.
Glad to hear things are working again.
You must log in to your account to reply to posts. Please start a new question, if you do not have an account yet.