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

why is the 20.0 address bar unresponsive?

  • 24 replies
  • 65 have this problem
  • 17 views
  • Last reply by pearj

more options

I've upgraded to 20.0 from 19.0.2. Now the address bar is unresponsive. After typing in a valid URL and hitting enter (or clicking the arrow on the far right of the address bar), nothing happens. No error message or anything. If I open a new tab and click one of the tiles representing previously visited pages, everything works as expected. Bookmarks work too. I've tried resetting Firefox, to no avail. The only cure at this time is downgrading to 19.0.2 where everything works as expected.

I've upgraded to 20.0 from 19.0.2. Now the address bar is unresponsive. After typing in a valid URL and hitting enter (or clicking the arrow on the far right of the address bar), nothing happens. No error message or anything. If I open a new tab and click one of the tiles representing previously visited pages, everything works as expected. Bookmarks work too. I've tried resetting Firefox, to no avail. The only cure at this time is downgrading to 19.0.2 where everything works as expected.

Chosen solution

This has just been fixed a couple of hours ago in the 20.0.1 update, and I have confirmed it fixed the problem for me:

https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=857672

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (20)

more options

The Reset Firefox feature can fix many issues by restoring Firefox to its factory default state while saving your essential information. Note: This will cause you to lose any Extensions, Open websites, and some Preferences.

To Reset Firefox do the following:

  1. Go to Firefox > Help > Troubleshooting Information.
  2. Click the "Reset Firefox" button.
  3. Firefox will close and reset. After Firefox is done, it will show a window with the information that is imported. Click Finish.
  4. Firefox will open with all factory defaults applied.


Further information can be found in the Refresh Firefox - reset add-ons and settings article.

Did this fix your problems? Please report back to us!

more options

I had already tried that in the first place. No, it didn't help, I'm currently back to 19.0.2

more options

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

  • Do NOT click the Reset button on the Safe mode start window or otherwise make changes.

If there are problems with updating then do a clean reinstall and delete the Firefox program folder before reinstalling a fresh copy of Firefox.

Download a fresh Firefox copy and save the file to the desktop.

Uninstall your current Firefox version, if possible, to cleanup the Windows registry and settings in security software.

  • Do NOT remove personal data when you uninstall your current Firefox version, because all profile folders will be removed and you will also lose your personal data like bookmarks and passwords from profiles of other Firefox versions.

Remove the Firefox program folder before installing that newly downloaded copy of the Firefox installer.

Your bookmarks and other profile data are stored in the Firefox Profile Folder and won't be affected by an uninstall and (re)install, but make sure that "remove personal data" is NOT selected when you uninstall Firefox.

If you keep having problems then also create a new profile.


Modified by cor-el

more options

safe mode: did not help create a new profile: did not help uninstall through control panel, remove installation folder, do a fresh install: did not help (but removed lots of cruft - thanks for that :-) reinstall 19.0.2: this always helps

more options

A possible cause is security software (firewall,anti-virus) that blocks or restricts Firefox or the plugin-container process without informing you, possibly after detecting changes (update) to the Firefox program.

Remove all rules for Firefox and the plugin-container from the permissions list in the firewall and let your firewall ask again for permission to get full unrestricted access to internet for Firefox and the plugin-container process and the updater process.

See:

Try to boot the computer in Windows Safe mode with network support (press F8 on the boot screen) as a test to see if that helps.

more options

I'm behind a corporate firewall, so the box Firefox is running on does not have a firewall of its own. And once again, the problem is not that I cannot connect to web servers (bookmarks, links, and new tab tiles do work). The problem is that pressing Enter does not cause Firefox to even attempt to connect. NB the Enter key is not disabled per se - if I enter "google.de" and hit Enter, the address bar entry is expanded to "https://www.google.de", but then there is no indication that Firefox attempts to connect to that page - no running circle in the tab, no error message, nothing. This also affects local pages. I can't open them through the address bar (file:///path/to/foo.html), but they open fine if I use File->Open File instead. All this makes me think that there is no firewall problem.

As for anti-virus software, the box runs "Sophos Endpoint Security and Control" but I'm not in a position to switch it off for testing purposes.

Forgot to mention initially that booting in Safe mode with network support did not correct the problem either.

Modified by mhoenicka

more options

Same issue here. We're running Win 7 x64 SP1... Symantec Endpoint Protection.

I have done all you have as well... uninstall/reinstall Firefox. Reset Firefox. Safe Mode Firefox. Disable anti-virus... no luck.

The bookmarks work and previous sites work, but nothing typed into the address bar works and pressing enter has no visible effect.

It's definitely a bug, not a firewall issue or security software issue.

I've found nothing here works either: - https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/reset-preferences-fix-problems - https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/troubleshoot-issues-with-plugins-fix-problems - https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/troubleshoot-extensions-themes-to-fix-problems?redirectlocale=en-US&redirectslug=Troubleshooting+extensions+and+themes - https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/troubleshoot-and-diagnose-firefox-problems

So this must be a core issue with the software. Since on the first day already 13 others have found your support article and said "me too"... Hopefully Mozilla can recreate the issue and get a fix out quick.

Modified by Milkboy31

more options

Hey I have the same, and also I have Sophos security system, but I do not think that this is the case.

For me even do not work "show my windows and tabs from last time" option. Every time I start Firefox I have got only start page but no previous session..

for now I am degrading to 19.02

more options

If it helps at all... We are also using Roaming Profiles on a Windows 2008R2 server environment. Any of you others using roaming profiles?

more options

Yes I think so, I have .appdate localized on a server and few other folders too. this could be a problem?

more options

I think there is a way to exclude the appdata from active directory in gpedit.msc but i am really not good in it to do it, i have tried but i think i can't. But maybe it will help? but why there is no problem with previous versions of firefox?

more options

If I log on as a local user account on the machine, the problem is gone and all works as it should! If I log back on with my server account, it's broken again.

So basically yes, I've confirmed it IS related to roaming profiles (at least in my case).

Fix please?

more options

There is a possibility to change firefox cache/profile etc folders from roaming folders to normal ones? Or should we wait till some fix from mozilla?

more options

Fairly certain it's all or nothing with the appdata folder redirection and such. I tried submitting a "feedback" for them and it errored on me too... and you can't submit one unless you are using FF! Grr...

I hope someone from Mozilla sees this thread that can actually fix it.

Modified by Milkboy31

more options
more options

This seems like it likely the case that the new version changed where or how folders are stored.

We do not use roaming profiles but have redirected user folders on AD login users and all devices with this setup have the same issues. Laptops with local logins work fine.

more options

That could be it too... the folder redirection. We do that as well. They are starting to track it here now: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=857672

more options

Same unresponsive address and search bar on my network of 650+ PCs. We have redirected profiles and can confirm this issue does not affect local (non-roaming, non-domain) accounts. FF v19 worked fine but with auto-updates turned on this has become a mess.

Safe mode, disable extensions, etc. - no change. Need resolution ASAP on this because it is a show stopping issue for FF.

more options

For anyone experiencing this issue, please feel free to switch to Firefox ESR until we release a fix for Firefox 20. http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/organizations/ This will leave your secure and protected from the security holes fixed in Firefox 20, and is a better solution than downgrading to Firefox 19.

more options

I will leave this thread open but please see and follow

  • Hi, we are in the company users use mobile profiles. After updating firefox to version 20 when you enter the address in the browser and press Enter, nothing ha /questions/955232
  1. 1
  2. 2