So many people complain and report issues with Mozilla Firefox on Windows OS, despite the fact that this browser is typically regarded as the most stable of all browsers. The majority of users complain about frequent freezes with “Not Responding” error notifications.
Although this issue is not unique to Windows alone, many users/customers say that it began after they installed the Windows update.
The following reasons could be the source of the error:
- Malicious or invasive items infiltrated the installation folder or cache memory.
- The instability is caused by intrusive or untested plug-ins.
- Too many freeware converters are running concurrently in Firefox (pdf to word, jpeg to png, word to pdf, etc.)
- The Firefox profile folder lacks the ability to create files (read-only permission)
The good news is that, regardless of who is to blame for the instability, you will be able to resolve it before you finish troubleshooting with the methods described in this article.
What Happens When Your Firefox shows “Not Responding”?
When Mozilla Firefox doesn’t respond, problems occur. The browser freezes and stops responding to certain commands. In this instance, you cannot text or move the mouse across the screen. In a nutshell, your Firefox browser has stopped operating.
Furthermore, a little window in the middle of the screen will appear with the phrase “Firefox not responding” or “Firefox is already operating but is not responding.” Such error messages get increasingly irritating as they occur again and again.
As a result, we must permanently resolve the Mozilla Firefox not responding issue.
How to Fix Mozilla Firefox Not Responding
Below are various methods that users in a similar position have used to resolve the problem.
Please try each potential solution in order until you find one that works for your specific situation.
1. Compulsory close, restart, and update
If you only occasionally suffer instabilities, a temporary solution is to force close Firefox and restart it. If the error is caused by an internal bug or a corrupted internal file, forcing the client to update can usually fix it.
When Mozilla Firefox becomes unresponsive, you won’t be able to close it normally (via the close icon). You can, however, easily close the program using Task Manager by hitting Ctrl + Shift + Esc. Then, choose Firefox in the Processes tab and click the End task option.
After you’ve successfully closed the unresponsive application, restart your operating system. Open Firefox again and click the Menu icon in the top-right corner on the next launch. Then, navigate to Help and select About Firefox.
Wait for the system to check to see if you have the most recent version. If a new version is available, click Restart and update Firefox, and then wait for the procedure to finish. Keep an eye out for any unresponsive moments during the next startup.
2. Verify that you have the necessary access rights
When the profile folder does not have write permissions, the Firefox browser frequently becomes unresponsive. This is extremely typical if Firefox utilizes a profile from a previously mounted file system with read-only permissions.
Fortunately, you may quickly adjust the profile folder’s settings to configure the correct rights.
Here is how to check:
1. Open a Run box by pressing the Windows key + R. Then, enter “% APPDATA percent MozillaFirefoxProfiles” Then press Enter to launch the folder containing Firefox’s profile folders.
2. Navigate to the Firefox folder, then right-click on the Profiles folder and select Properties.
3. In the Profiles Properties window, go to the General tab and uncheck the Read-only option before clicking the Apply button.
4. If you discovered the Read-only property was checked and changed it, restart your computer. Start Firefox again at the next startup and keep an eye out for any signs of unresponsiveness. If you’re still having problems with the browser being unresponsive, proceed to the next solution down below.
3. Delete the Cache and Cookies
Clearing the cache was another common workaround that helped many users get rid of sluggish times. By removing cached web page versions and cookies, you have successfully removed a large number of probable culprits that could be causing the problem.
Here’s a brief tutorial to deleting the cache and cookies in Firefox to resolve unresponsive periods:
1. Launch Firefox and navigate to the menu icon (top-right corner), then select Options.
2. Next, navigate to the Privacy & Security page, scroll down to Cached Web Content, and select the Clear Now box.
3. Restart your computer after closing FireFox. Open Firefox again at the next startup to see if the unresponsive periods have been resolved.
If you’re still experiencing the occasional Firefox freeze or crash, try the next solution down below.
4. Uninstall or Remove the Add-on
Another option to resolve the Mozilla Firefox not responding issue is to uninstall any recently installed add-ons from your browser.
To remove, go to the Menu tab and then to the Options tab. Select Extensions and Themes from the menu on the left. Now, look for the extension you wish to get rid of.
5. Restore the Default Theme
Custom themes are a pretty common source of instabilities. By switching to the default theme, you can quickly determine whether the custom theme you’re using is causing the problem. Here’s a little tutorial on how to accomplish it:
1. Launch Firefox and select the menu option (top-right corner). Then, select Add-ons and wait for the Add-ons Manager to appear.
2. In the Add-ons Manager, navigate to the Themes panel and click the Enable button next to the Default theme.
3. Restart Firefox and observe whether you get the same sluggish behavior the next time you boot it up. If you are, proceed to the next repair strategy.
6. Deactivate all extensions
If you’ve ruled out all other options for why your Firefox browser isn’t working properly, you might want to look at the Add-ons you’re using.
You’ll need to disable each extension one by one to figure out which one is causing the instability.
Better yet, you can disable all extensions at once and then progressively re-enable each one until you find the cause. Here’s an easy guide to turning off all extensions:
1. Launch Firefox and select the menu option (top-right corner). Then, to launch the Add-ons management, click on Add-ons.
2. Click the Extension icon on the Add-ons Manager page.
3. Select and disable any active extensions that you feel are causing the instability by clicking the Disable Button. Repeat this method for each suspected extension.
4. Restart Firefox to see whether the unresponsiveness persists.