Firefox may repeatedly open new, empty tabs or windows after you click on a link, forcing you to close Firefox. The same untitled tabs or blank windows may open the next time you start Firefox if the previous session is restored. This article describes what to do if you are experiencing this problem.
Table of Contents
The Refresh Firefox feature can fix many issues by restoring Firefox to its default state while saving your essential information. Consider using it before going through a lengthy troubleshooting process. The rest of this article applies to earlier versions of Firefox (Firefox version 97 and below).
Start a new Firefox session
You may be forced to close Firefox if it is repeatedly opening multiple tabs or windows. Firefox includes a Session Restore feature that can restore your windows and tabs from the previous session after a crash or unexpected close.
The same multiple tabs or windows may start opening when you next start Firefox, forcing you to close Firefox again. If you see a Restore Session "Sorry. We're having trouble getting your pages back.") page when you restart Firefox, click the button to start a new session and then follow the instructions given below to fix the problem.
Change the action for a content type
You may be able to fix the problem by finding the content type that is set to use Firefox and then changing the action, using these steps:
-
In the Menu bar at the top of the screen, click and select . Click the menu button
and select .Click the menu button and select .
- In the panel, go to the Files and Applications section and review the Content Type entries under Applications.
- If you know which item in the Content Type column is causing the problem, select it. Otherwise, in the Search box, type Use Firefox. The list will display only items that are set to "Use Firefox".
-
- Select each problematic content type and choose a new action from the drop-down menu in the Action column. If you're not sure which action to pick, choose .
- Close the about:preferences page. Any changes you've made will automatically be saved.
For more information about content types, see Manage file types and download actions in Firefox.
Reset actions for all content types
If the preceding steps didn't fix the problem, or if you can't find the problematic item in the Applications list, you will have to reset the actions for all content types by manually deleting the file that stores these settings.
-
Open your profile folder:
- Click the menu button , click , and select .From the menu, select . The Troubleshooting Information tab will open.
- Under the Application Basics section next to Profile FolderDirectory, click . A window will open that contains your profile folder.Your profile folder will open.
Note: If you are unable to open or use Firefox, follow the instructions in Finding your profile without opening Firefox. - Click the menu button
- Close Firefox. Click the Firefox menu and select .Click the Firefox menu at the top of the screen and select .Click the Firefox menu and select .
- Delete (or rename) the handlers.json file.
- Restart Firefox.
Check for malware
If the problem is still not solved, or if Firefox is opening multiple tabs or windows with unwanted content, consider that your system may be infected by malware. For more information, see Troubleshoot Firefox issues caused by malware.
