philipp said

yes, this screenshot shows the recommend default state - changing the setting might also require a reboot of the system to take effect.

I closed all programs and restarted my PC. Still can't create a URL shortcut!

CORRECTION: IT WORKS! Thank you very much.

Opahujo, if you are comfortable with checking in the registry, could you please confirm that the preference "EnableLUA" under SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System is set to 1?

Please see revised prior post. Thanks again.

jscher2000 said

Hi roby198, are you not able to re-enable UAC on your system? For the second workaround -- forcing Firefox to run with full user privileges -- try modifying your Firefox shortcut. Either:

• Right-click a Firefox desktop shortcut, then click Properties
• Right-click a Firefox icon pinned to the Taskbar then right-click Mozilla Firefox, then click Properties

Windows should show the Shortcut tab and select the Target field. The Target usually is along the following lines:

• "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe"
• "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe"

You would add a space and then the new switch, either:

• "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -no-deelevate
• "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -no-deelevate

Success?

That worked for Firefox in Windows 7 where I am administrator jscher2000. But I don't even have the problem with the same current version of Firefox in Windows 10 where I am administrator. I'm curious. Do you know why that is?

mozfellow said

jscher2000 said

• "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -no-deelevate
• "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -no-deelevate

That worked for Firefox in Windows 7 where I am administrator jscher2000. But I don't even have the problem with the same current version of Firefox in Windows 10 where I am administrator. I'm curious. Do you know why that is?

Fewer users of Windows 8+ have mentioned a problem, possibly due to changes in how UAC works in those versions.

jscher2000 said

mozfellow said

That worked for Firefox in Windows 7 where I am administrator jscher2000. But I don't even have the problem with the same current version of Firefox in Windows 10 where I am administrator. I'm curious. Do you know why that is?

Fewer users of Windows 8+ have mentioned a problem, possibly due to changes in how UAC works in those versions.

Ah yes... Microsoft. That sounds pretty plausible/likely jscher2000

It is absolutely unsolved. Tinkering with UAC will render other applications useless, regarding drag & drop. Dar & Drop is essential for a GUI. Brave Browser can do it. Please solve the drag & drop issue. As a workaround now I have to use Brave ad Firefox in parallel.

alexander.mankowsky said

Tinkering with UAC will render other applications useless, regarding drag & drop.

What do you mean? UAC has been standard in Windows since Vista. What applications do not work with UAC set to its default level?

What version of Windows are you running?

Were you able to use the -no-deelevate workaround? In case you didn't find the steps:

To Firefox to run with full user privileges, try modifying your Firefox shortcut. Either:

• Right-click a Firefox desktop shortcut, then click Properties
• Right-click a Firefox icon pinned to the Taskbar then right-click Mozilla Firefox, then click Properties

Windows should show the Shortcut tab and select the Target field. The Target usually is along the following lines:

• "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe"
• "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe"

You would add a space and then the new switch, either:

• "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -no-deelevate
• "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -no-deelevate

Success?

What do you mean? UAC has been standard in Windows since Vista. What applications do not work with UAC set to its default level?

It worked fine with Firefox and Legacy programs until an Windows upgrade a few months ago. I did not notice which one it was.

> Legacy applications using drag & drop now need a disabled UAC and EnableLUA set to 0. > Firefox refuses to drop the Url to the desktop or the legacy app. Brave can.

What version of Windows are you running: 10 pro

Were you able to use the -no-deelevate workaround: Tried it, did not work

Thanks for your efforts

This happens because you run Firefox at a lower (user) integrity level and that prevents interacting with processes that run at a higher (administrator) integrity level.

• https://wiki.mozilla.org/Platform/Integration/InjectEject/Launcher_Process/

It would be very useful to make the (user) integrity level visible. Say a 'red' frame, for admin level. Would make debugging simpler.

As I learned so far, a high level, running Firefox as admin, makes dropping an URL even on the Desktop impossible.

What I am asking for is to be able to customize Firefox in a way that a Windows environment can be customized to your needs. If I can do it with Brave, why not with Firefox? What are the differences in implementation between Brave and Firefox?

(Photoshop CS6 shows a similar behavior as Firefox does. In a standard installation you cannot drag image files into the program).

alexander.mankowsky said

As I learned so far, a high level, running Firefox as admin, makes dropping an URL even on the Desktop impossible.

You should be able to drag and drop to a equal or lower integrity level, but not to a higher level. This suggests that your method of running Firefox with full administrative privileges is not working.

I agree it would be useful to have a clear indication of a program's integrity level. For now, you can use Microsoft's Process Explorer utility -- right-click any column heading to call up the column chooser and add Integrity Level:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer

On mine (screenshot attached), it shows the main two Firefox processes at Medium, and the web content processes at Low integrity. Windows Explorer runs at medium, so I can drag-and-drop to the desktop (medium to medium).

Thanks, I tried the process viewer before, but without the 'integrity' column.

Result: Brave = High Desktop = High Smalltalk = High (Legacy) Firefox = Medium

When running Firefox as Admin, and set -no-deelevate , the drag and drop works again.

Thanks for your solution.

> Missing transparency is expensive, for support & user.

CUT... Windows should show the Shortcut tab and select the Target field. The Target usually is along the following lines:

• "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe"
• "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe"

You would add a space and then the new switch, either:

• "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -no-deelevate
• "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -no-deelevate

Success?

Hi JSCHER200 .. it works with

• "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -no-deelevate
• "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -no-deelevate

I made a mistake putting the -no-delevate inside the " "... append it after it works !

Thanks a lot

Roby

Is anyone else having problems with the -no-deelevate shortcut switch not working consistently? At least 2 or 3 times since I added it I've found FF not letting me drag a URL to the desktop again. Then later after shutting my PC down and booting it up, it'll work again. Any ideas why this may be happening?

Hi Mozfellow, Yes, I've had the same problem, but it's so infrequent that I haven't minded it. In the rare cases it occurs, I right click the link, and click on Properties which brings up both the name and location. I then right click on my desktop, select New Folder, and in the blanks I copy and paste the name and location. Only a slight inconvenience. Not a solution, but a workaround. Best regards, Rob in Austin

Thanks Rob. Good to know it's not my system. I appreciate the lengths the Mozilla goes to made FF a secure browser. It's my #1 when I go online for that reason. But there are so many levels & constantly changing security issues I have to wonder if this one is really worth it. My solution has been to copy the URL, bring up Chrome, and drag & drop it to the desktop from it.

ALL other browsers have drag & drop feature. Look at all this comments here. Isn't ridiculous to force users to hack their computers for just can drag&drop from address bar?

Security is, to not let programs (included firefox) to know and even worst to expose the level of "UAC" used. Firefox enforce users to this!

Why do you keep destroying firefox by making it more and more useless? Why should we constantly strive to overcome ALL (yes, it's too many) the obstacles that you put on users? (I don't mean only for last update, it's an last few years problem.)

Most plugins, as for example like "Dark mode" or "Translators" ect. not even working as it should for this page (https://support.mozilla.org/).

Occasionally, I coming back to firefox and I see that getting even worse! I don't ever uninstalled firefox, (just I keep it as second and now rarely use it), because was my very favorite browser for too many years, but, unfortunately, I see you keeping it dropping down and even more down!

At general, very very disappointed!

Hi AntonyMan, have you modified the Windows UAC behavior on your system? Firefox should work seamlessly with the default setting. If you don't want to use UAC, then yes, you do need to use a workaround to equalize the privilege level between Firefox and Windows Explorer.