

It may also change other settings temporarily. If you run the browser in its safe mode (in normal Windows), then it should load without any add-ons and extensions. Some browsers include a “safe mode” that is similar but unrelated to the safe mode in Microsoft Windows. If it does, add them back one at a time until you find the one that is causing the problem. The best way to isolate these problems is to disable or uninstall all the add-ons, extensions and themes and see if the browser works correctly without them. Sadly, extensions often cause problems because of programming errors, or because of unexpected conflicts with code on websites. Today there are thousands of add-ons, extensions and themes for all the leading browsers except Edge. The most popular enhancements then get integrated into future versions of the product. The current products always lack features that some people need, which creates an aftermarket for add-ons and enhancements. Fixing extensionsīrowsers tend to develop in the same way as operating systems, office suites, processors and even computers. In my experience, Refresh Firefox is the easiest way to get Firefox working correctly again. The drawback is that the more of the old data you recover, the more likely you are to restore whatever caused the problem in the first place. Firefox leaves it on your desktop in a folder called Old Firefox Data, in case you need to rescue something important. However, your old profile is not lost forever. “Refresh Firefox” creates a new profile folder and copies essential data from the old folder to the new one. It also removes extensions and their stored data.įirefox keeps all your bookmarks, passwords, history, site-specific preferences and other data in a profile folder. However, Firefox offers what can often be a quick fix via its Refresh Firefox page.Ĭlicking the “Refresh Firefox” button online restores Firefox to “its default state while saving your essential information like bookmarks, passwords, and open tabs”. Problems in all browsers are tackled in much the same way. Installing the BrowserCheck plugin takes longer but provides a more thorough scan Refresh Firefox It’s also worth running Qualys’s BrowserCheck online. If one of them finds malware, run them all again. However, if you suspect malware is involved, run these three programs in order: Microsoft’s Safety Scanner, Malwarebytes, and Hitman Pro. Browser malware usually shows its presence by throwing up advertising pop-ups, browser redirects, changing the home page and similar actions, rather than through broken web pages. You’ve already checked for malware, which is good, but unlikely to help in your case.
