Firefox only works in safe mode. Firefox: Safe Mode. And so that the insurance doesn’t let you down

  • 31.12.2023

No Internet user is immune from problems in the browser. As a rule, they arise at the most inopportune moment, and make everyone, especially inexperienced users, very nervous. However, when such an unpleasant surprise arises with a web browser, you can get away with little loss, even if you lack experience or knowledge.

As an example, I will use the Mozilla browser, and for good reason, because it is deservedly popular among Internet users from all over the world. So, if there is a problem with Mozilla, the smartest thing you can do is to activate firefox safe mode. What it is, how to enable and disable it, you will find out below.

What is Safe Mode

The term “Safe Mode” means a special mode of operation in the browser that can be used to solve problems in the web browser. It helps to restore some parameters, change settings, disable extensions (, visual bookmarks, etc.), which are a potential cause of problems.

In this browser mode, it is easier for the user to find the source of the problem and eliminate it.

How to enable safe mode

  • To enable safe mode in firefox, you need to perform a few simple steps, namely:
  • the very first step is to close the browser, in our case Mozilla Firefox;
  • There are several options for starting Safe Mode. Standard means that you need to go to the start menu and click on the “Run” line. By the way, for those who like to use hot keys: if you simultaneously hold down the “Win ​​+ R” combination, the result will be the same;

then a new window will appear, in the input line of which you need to write the same thing as in the screenshot below and click . Ready!

After you have launched Safe Mode, a window with the settings that you see in the screenshot should appear.

The “Replace your bookmarks...” option means that all previously opened bookmarks will be deleted and replaced by the browser with others that are more preferable to it. As for the “Restore set...” option, if you check it, all default search plugins will be restored at once.

How to exit safe mode

Disabling safe mode in firefox is very simple: you need to close the copy of Firefox running in safe mode and click on the browser shortcut to launch it as you normally would.

Safe mode is undoubtedly important, because not a single computer is immune from problems with the browser. However, now you don’t have to worry if such a problem happened to you, because there is a solution, and it’s absolutely simple!

Video to help

Hello! Why won't it start? Because of my profession, I often hear this question regarding different browsers. In fact, the reason may lie directly in their functioning or operating system.

Today we’ll look at why Mazila won’t start and what can be done about it. I will share some experience, which in many cases allows me to find and correct the situation for the better.

The result was a decent amount of material. Therefore, for your convenience, I have prepared a brief summary.

Sometimes the browser starts to work slowly or does not load at all for obvious reasons - the problem is not only in it, but also in the installed operating system (OS). Let's see what we can do.

Checking browser and OS compatibility

The latest version of the Internet browser may not work on all versions of the Windows operating system. In particular, I came across information that the software product is not supported in XP with a service pack lower than SP2.

But in Windows 7 with the latest updates and XP SP3, Firefox works fine. I checked it myself recently.

What should be done in this case? It's simple - check the compatibility of your browser and OS. I am not presenting the minimum system requirements now, since by the time you read this material the situation may change. It is advisable to check current information on official resources.

Checking your computer for viruses

A common case is that a virus damages or changes files. At the same time, the probable consequences are that both the browser and all other components of the system load slowly.

To exclude or confirm this assumption, you need to do a full scan of the computer. When a virus is detected, it is not enough to just remove it; you also need to correct the consequences of its activity. To conduct thorough checks of my computer for infection, I like to use Kaspersky antivirus. Naturally, the choice of antivirus software is the decision of each user.

We look for and fix errors in the OS

There are thousands of options here. However, I will show you one general check and correction of some errors automatically. It helps in some cases when problems are related to system processes on the hard drive. It helps me in my work quite often, but I repeat - there are different cases.

Pay attention to the screenshot below. The example was made in XP, but it also works in Windows 7.

The command shown in the screenshot must be entered into the command line - a program that is standard for Windows. It will search for bad sectors and restore their contents for the specified disk. It is advisable to check all disks.

We update the browser and OS

Updates are released for a reason. They may contain changed or added functionality and important fixes. It is logical that they need to be installed in a timely manner.

It’s worth doing this at least for security reasons, if the modified functionality is of little interest. In addition, some updates may directly affect the stability of the system.

Working with browser files to troubleshoot problems

General recommendations were considered. Let's say the system is fine, but Mazila Firefox does not want to start normally. Why is this happening? Now I’ll show you 3 more different approaches on how to correct the situation.

We work with the task manager if a single launch was observed

It happens that the browser can only be opened once after loading the computer. If you close it completely, then it will not start a second time. The reasons for this may be different.

In some cases, the process simply does not complete, although the browser is no longer visually visible. The solution here is simple. Open the task manager using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl, Alt, Del.

If you see processes with the demonstrated name, they need to be terminated. Their presence means that the browser was not closed completely.

After performing these steps, it is highly likely to open normally. If a similar situation repeats, then it is worth considering other ways to solve the problem.

Clear the browser cache if it starts and works poorly

A cache is a collection of data that is stored while browsing the Internet. These include, for example, browsing history. If crashes occur while Firefox is running, everything takes a long time to load, and in some other cases it would be wise to clear the cache. Complete cleaning can be done in a couple of steps:

  1. Removing web content and user data;
  2. Clearing the log.

As part of the first stage, go to “settings”, select the “additional” section and click on the appropriate buttons.

It happens that the above options do not help. Let's see what else can be done.

We reinstall the Internet browser and clean the profile

We completely remove the current browser through the system tools in “Add or Remove Programs”. Reboot the computer.

Open any folder and enter special words in the address bar and press “enter”.

I don’t remember how it works in other OSes, but this approach works in XP and 7. So, after performing the above action, a list of folders will open. Among them we are looking for the name "Mozilla". The folder can be deleted.

Why does Mazila load slowly and how to speed it up?

I’m telling you about this last, because the reasons may lie in incorrect work:

  • programs that affect the functioning of the browser;
  • the browser itself.

Some ways to solve the problem were given above. If the problem is not these two points, then what else is it and what should we do then? In this case, the browser takes a long time to load and opens pages slowly for a logical reason - lack of hardware power. Simply put, this occurs when the computer is weak.

Additional Information

The article turned out to be quite lengthy. I tried to remember as many situations as possible from my experience and observations. Let me draw your attention to the fact that problems may be of a different nature and require individual approaches, which may go beyond the scope of the options considered.

All kinds of programs and their interaction - all this forms a rather complex system. There are a huge number of causes of malfunctions and their solutions.

I am finishing the article. I hope it was helpful. I look forward to your comments.

By the way, you may have already noticed that the blog actively discusses the topics of normal and. These are the main topics. Right now you can learn about really promising ways to make money online.

I continue to prepare new publications. If you wish, you can subscribe to e-mail or track announcements of new materials on social networks, where I periodically add them. See you later.

Many computer users are familiar with what safe mode is in the Windows operating system. This is a special type of computer boot, in which the OS starts only with the necessary minimum set of services and drivers, thanks to which the user can diagnose errors that occur in the operation of the device.

Developers of modern browsers are adopting the same experience - recently we have the opportunity to enable FireFox safe mode, which ignores all user changes made to the browser, and also disables extensions and themes. My story today will be devoted to this very mode and how to enable it to troubleshoot problems with the browser.

Important! The troubleshooting process can take a very long time, so it is recommended to use a function that will reset the browser to its default state, without deleting the user's personal data, such as, etc.

Launching the browser

There are several ways you can enable Safe Mode in Mozilla. The first of them is suitable if the browser works, but is not stable, and the second is for those situations when Mozilla does not start at all.

  1. To open the browser using the first method you will need:
  2. Launch Firefox and open the main menu by clicking on the corresponding button on the toolbar.
  3. Click on the button with the image of a question mark.
  4. Select the item “Restart without add-ons”, and then confirm the operation in two pop-up windows by sequentially clicking “Restart and “Start Firefox in Safe Mode” (the content of the inscriptions may differ depending on the version of the program, but the essence is the same).


The second way to turn on the browser in this mode is somewhat simpler: you just need to double-click on the browser icon on the desktop with the left mouse button, while holding down the Shift key on the keyboard.

Diagnostics

Once Firefox Safe Mode has been enabled, you will need to test the browser to see if the error now occurs.

If the browser works stably, then the problem lies in one of the installed extensions. If not, then the problem is related to the browser settings, and resetting the settings, which I wrote about at the very beginning of the article, will help you.

To reset:

  1. Go to the same menu from where you launched Safe Mode in Mozilla Firefox.
  2. But select "Problem Solving Information".
  3. On the page that opens, click on the “Reset Firefox” button, after which the browser will restart with default settings.


I hope this information about Safe Mode and factory reset options will help you identify and fix the issue that is causing your browser to not function as normal. First of all, I would recommend just checking the installed themes and extensions.

Safe Mode is a special Firefox mode that can be used to troubleshoot and fix problems. Safe Mode temporarily turns off hardware acceleration, resets some settings, and disables add-ons (extensions and themes) that might be causing problems. By comparing Firefox behavior in normal mode to its behavior in Safe Mode you may be able to pinpoint the cause of the problem.

Note: Windows users may be familiar with a Safe Mode for Windows. Firefox Safe Mode has no connection to Windows Safe Mode.

The Refresh Firefox feature can fix many issues by restoring Firefox to its factory default state while saving your essential information. Consider using it before going through a lengthy troubleshooting process.

Table of Contents

How to start Firefox in Safe Mode

Click the menu button, click helpClick the menu button, click Help and select Restart with Add-ons Disabled…. Firefox will start up with the Firefox Safe Mode dialog.

Note: You can also start Firefox in Safe Mode by holding down the shift key while starting Firefox. holding down the option key while starting Firefox.quitting Firefox and then going to your Terminal and running: firefox -safe-mode
You may need to specify the Firefox installation path (e.g. /usr/lib/firefox )

Safe Mode window

You now have two options:

  • Clicking the Start in Safe Mode button will temporarily disable your extensions and themes, turn off hardware acceleration and reset toolbar and button customizations. When you leave Safe Mode and start Firefox up normally, your extensions, themes, and settings will return to the state they were in before you entered Safe Mode.
  • Clicking the Refresh Firefox button will restore Firefox to its factory default state while saving your essential information. See Refresh Firefox - reset add-ons and settings for more information about this option.

Troubleshooting problems in Safe Mode

Once Firefox is in Safe Mode, you"ll want to test its behavior and see if the problem goes away.

The problem happens in Safe Mode

If the problem still happens in Safe Mode, it is not being caused by an extension or theme. Other possible causes could be plugins or changes made to Firefox preference settings, which are not disabled in Safe Mode. See the following articles for solution:

The problem does not happen in Safe Mode

If the problem does not happen in Safe Mode, it is most likely because of an extension, theme or hardware acceleration.

  • See the article

This is not a find for hidden surfing, but a tool for troubleshooting the program. Firefox Safe Mode turns off all extensions and themes, hardware acceleration, and resets user settings. But at the same time it saves them for restoration. This is quite a convenient and most effective way to speed up performance and restore stability.

We go to the menu by clicking on the button in the form of three horizontal stripes, which, as a rule, is located in the upper right corner of the application window. In the panel that opens, click the icon with a question mark - “ Reference».

Select the item “ Restart without add-ons" If everything is done correctly, upon startup the “ Firefox safe mode" To exit, simply close the application, including additional windows.

When starting, two buttons will appear to choose from: “ Run in Safe Mode" And " Clean Firefox».

The second option resets all cache files, cookies, passwords, deletes extensions, history, and resets user settings to default. In theory, the browser should work like new. You will have to restore all your bookmarks and settings manually.

Attention: When RAM is loaded or the amount is low, the browser will start with a delay of up to 2 minutes. It is also common for the application to crash and freeze in safe mode. In this case, you need to restart your computer or reinstall the application - remove and .

Solving the performance problem

If an application is unstable in safe mode, then the problem lies not in the settings, extensions or theme, but in something else, for example, in the computer hardware. If problems do not arise, Mozilla works stably and quickly, you should turn off the theme and some add-ons.