I-Firefox Community Forum

Every once in a while, Firefox stops allowing me to navigate to any new websites, instead giving only a page that says:

"Restart to Keep Using Firefox

An update to Firefox started in the background. You’ll need to restart to finish the update.

Your windows and tabs will be quickly restored, but private ones will not."

I have automatic updates disabled in Firefox settings, and I have gone into about:config and set app.update.auto.migrated to false, and yet this issue persists. It seems like Firefox is ignoring my preferences. I don't wish to restart Firefox while I'm in the middle of a bunch of work. How can I get past this message and continue using Firefox without restarting? Do I need to delete update files or something?

This random surprise block to my work is ridiculous. We need the flexibility to update/restart Firefox only whenever we're ready to.

I can't seem to update to the latest version of Firefox.

Steps on macOS 15.2: 1. In previous version of Firefox, get dialog to update to current version of Firefox 2. Click Restart to update Firefox. 3. Enter admin user name and password to allow Firefox to install a helper 4. Got a request to let Firefox access my devices. My devices are not Firefox's business, so I replied Don't allow. Note: 3 and 4 may have been swapped.

Expected result: Get a dialog that Mozilla corp has installed something; Firefox relaunches with the new version

Actual result: Get a dialog that Mozilla corp has installed something

Attempted workaround:

5. Click Firefox icon in the dock

Expected result: Firefox launches

Actual result: Get dialog asking me to enter admin user name and password to allow Firefox to install a helper.

6. I do so.

Expected result: Get a dialog that Mozilla corp has installed something; Firefox relaunches with the new version

Actual result: Get a dialog that Mozilla corp has installed something

Attempted workaround:

7. Click Firefox icon in the dock

And I get a strange feeling of deja vu as the process repeats and I am unable to launch Firefox.

If I look at the macOS console and filter on Mozilla, I notice these two messages from org.mozilla.updater:

1. Server doesn't exist or doesn't provide correct selectors.
2. Failed to connect to update server after several retries.

I have no idea how to proceeed.

Update fails, apparently in post-refresh hook with the symlinks in /var/snap/firefox/common/snap-hunspell/ pointing to non-existent files in a non-existent directory (e.g. to /snap/firefox/5701/usr/share/hunspell/en_US.aff where /snap/firefox/5701/ does not exist).

A thunderbird update (128.6.0esr->128.6.1esr) fails very similarly.

I used snap to update manually in order to see error messages:

donald@dhl-pd70sneg24:~$ snap refresh --list Name Version Rev Size Publisher Notes firefox 135.0-2 5701 270MB mozilla✓ - thunderbird 128.6.1esr-3 634 221MB canonical✓ - user@machine:~$ sudo snap refresh error: cannot perform the following tasks: - Run post-refresh hook of "firefox" snap if present (run hook "post-refresh":

rm: missing operand Try 'rm --help' for more information. ln: failed to create symbolic link '/var/snap/firefox/common/snap-hunspell/et_EE.dic' -> : No such file or directory ln: failed to create symbolic link '/var/snap/firefox/common/snap-hunspell/et_EE.aff' -> : No such file or directory

Starting and ending state of /snap/firefox/: user@machine:~$ ls -tl /snap/firefox total 0 lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 4 Feb 6 08:24 current -> 5437 drwxr-xr-x 7 root root 201 Dec 10 10:01 5437 drwxr-xr-x 7 root root 201 Nov 25 19:59 5361

I accepted an update to my computer and immediately Firefox could not load, the exe file is missing. Again I use windows 7 . May have lost all passwords and bookmarks. Please advise.

your updates do not work and repeatedly we messages to update your browser that never does update! so do we have to delete this Linux program to replace it with something that actually works or are you willing to fix the glitches in your system?

Hello,

When I attempt to open Firefox, I am getting a pop-up screen saying:

135.0.1 not compatible with min version >= 135.0 max version <=135.0

Also, I am being advised to reinstall Firefox. Do I need to uninstall Firefox first?

Windows10, Dell Laptop

Thank you,

Petrik

So I know this question has been asked and answered in various scenarios but so far I've not found one matching mine.

Personal PC. I'm on V 131.0.2 since a reinstall last year but only now realised no updates have been done since because of this msg. I've worked through the various fixes others used re policies, but I can't locate any policy files in the various locations suggested; registry editor (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox key (don't have it) & others, about:config (nothing showing on a search), Program Files/Policies (don't have it), C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\Distribution folder (don't have it). So I could not find the offending poicy DisableAppUpdate anywhere in locations offered by other posters etc.

Rather than taking forever to pin down the culprit, can I not just manually update to the latest version or will that delete all my settings/extensions etc?? Given how often it's crashing I'm almost tempted down that road except that I like to have my History intact as I often want to find a site I've not bookmarked.

Thanks.

using 64 bit Linux here.

I download an update, but it doesn't do anything. It constantly tells me I need to download an update. Currently using 133.0.3

I managed to get an update through Linux, but now I'm having trouble with Linux. I suspect I need to remove Firefox and reload it. I tried to do that one time but it didn't fix the problem.

Any help would be appreciated.

Jim

Good Morning! :)

I have a note book HP, which windows operating system was erased back in the past, I happily use mozilla. This device I use it exclusively as a monitor to watch TV.

I got the notification of the Mozilla update, I have downloaded many times in the laptop: firefox-136.0.1-tar.xz However does not run or execute the file and update the system and laptop. I am able to open the file, but that is all.

Please let me know what I am doing wrong to fix it.

Thank you very much for your attention

Ambriz Moya

I read there is a need to immediately update Firefox. I down;loaded it, but got a message that a newer version exists...? Also, it shows my latest update was 11/24. I use auto updates and recall one much more recently.(in fact I found the new tabs annoying) I am perplexed.

All I have is an older windows 7 dell laptop and firefox was working ok but then it said firefox must be updated by march 14 so i clicked on the update but it has been over 24 hours and the little circle is still going around with 0 results why

Windows 11 23H2 FireFox 136.0.1

When clicking check for updates it firstly shows the rotating arrows icon for a long time and then says "Failed to Check for Updates"

I've completely reinstalled Firefox and this continues to happen

I do not have NordVPN or any other VPN installed

The behaviour is the same in troubleshoot mode

Dear Firefox Support, My issue is with the browser I use 136.0.1 (64-bit). Select Help menu (Restart to update Firefox) I've preformed this task several times so far and I keep getting the something over as I click on Help menu. I restart the browser again however it is the same thing "Restart" again. What is my next step here?

Thank you, Dave 18 March 2025

A new issue with Firefox. I download updates myself, not automatically. This morning after updating, I clicked to restart Firefox, and it restarts, but still shows that it needs to restart. Even after multiple attempts. How to resolve? Thanks

For about the last 2 months, when I either get a notification that an update is available or I manually check for updates, both Firefox and Thunderbird are stuck in "Downloading updates -- 0 bytes" on 2 Windows 11 computers. Eventually, like a half an hour to an hour later, the update downloads and I can install the update. This has been going on for 2 months now. As a 20 plus year user of Mozilla and also a long-time financial contributor, this problem going on for 2 months is getting old. And yes, I have checked my antivirus and firewall. Is Mozilla aware of the problem and is there a solution?

Hi there.

The original problem is described here: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1472503 ( Also the solution I found.)

Jaws and James seem to have left the building.

This problem first occurred with the update from V 135.0.1 to V 136.0 . Currently on V 136.0.4, and every update has exhibited the same behavior.

I have the same issue with two laptops, running Windows 10. Each has been through a few update cycles, and the "Restart to Update" always fails.

So, I close FF, watch for the Resource Monitor to quiet down, and reopen FF.

When I go through this sequence, I notice that the screen will flash once VERY quickly before opening the home page.

FF seems to function normally otherwise.

Thanks for being there,

greg moehl

I have been getting asked to update my firefox for the past 2 weeks now. Everytime, it asks me to update my firefox. I update it, and then when I quit firefox (restart computer) and re enter, it asks me to enter my admin details to be able to install a helper tool to finish installation.

Attached is a video of that happening. Essentially, I have downloaded the latest version directly off of mozilla website, but it continously asks me to update & install helper tool.

When credentials are entered, it doesn't do anything. When I press cancel, the application does not respond and need to force quit. Either way, I cannot access firefox everytime it asks me for an update.

Any help would be appreciated.

Link is to my dropbox of video since I cannot upload it to the post: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/2ihkfij4zk5m74g1rj97l/Mozilla-Firefox-helper-tool-community-post.mov?rlkey=t7hreld7va3bd25putv562hca&dl=0