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How To Fix ‘Firefox Not Responding’ in Windows 10

March 26, 2024

A number of users have reported issues with Mozilla Firefox on Windows 10. Firefox not responding error is one of the often error seems with this browser. Users have reported that it has first occurred after the Windows update.

When Firefox stops working, it halts responding to your clicks, keystrokes and also doesn’t seem to be doing anything. Also, Firefox is not responding displayed on the title bar, and the mouse cursor becomes a spinning wheel over the Firefox window.

firefox not responding

Although the reasons are diverse, however, some common culprits seem to be responsible for the issue in the web browser.

Malicious and intrusive files
Many freeware converters are running simultaneously within Firefox.
Firefox profile folder can’t create files due to read-only permission.
Intrusive plugins.

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For many users, Mozilla Firefox is the go-to browser, renowned for its customization options and user-friendly interface. However, even the most reliable tools encounter issues, and Firefox is no exception. One of the common issues users face is the “Firefox Not Responding” error. Let’s delve into what this means, its causes, and how to resolve it.

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What does “Firefox Not Responding” Mean?

When you see “Firefox Not Responding,” it means the browser has stalled or is temporarily unresponsive to your actions. During this period, you can’t interact with web pages, tabs, or even the browser’s main interface. It can last for a few seconds to several minutes, or until action is taken to resolve it.

What Causes Firefox to Become Unresponsive?

Overloaded Cache and Cookies: Over time, Firefox stores a plethora of data from websites, and this accumulation can bog down performance.
Corrupt Profiles: Firefox profiles store user data, bookmarks, and browser preferences. A corrupt profile can cause instability.
Incompatible Extensions or Plugins: Some add-ons might conflict with the browser or with each other.
Hardware Acceleration: This feature uses computer hardware to perform some functions more efficiently than software, but can sometimes cause issues.
Outdated Firefox Version: Running an older version can cause compatibility and performance issues.

How to fix Firefox Not Responding Error on Windows 10

Eventually, there are several options available to overcome such errors. We have composed this article to fix the issue Firefox is not responding. If you are using Mozilla Firefox on your Windows 10 and facing the Firefox not responding issue, use the below listed troubleshooting methods.

Solution 1: Initiate the restart

Whenever Firefox is not responding, it simply means that something has prevented its process. To reinitiate everything, a restart might be a possible solution.

Step 1: Firstly, you have to close Firefox and restart your computer.

Step 2: Further, if the classic way is not working, you can also close the program through the Task Manager.

Step 3: Finally, verify it and run Firefox on your computer. Everything should work well now. If not, then try another troubleshooting method.

Solution 2: Update the graphics card drivers

Updating drivers is mandatory action also a tedious and cumbersome method. You can use the following steps to troubleshoot Firefox not responding error:

Step 1: Firstly, click on the search icon and type Device Manager. Then, click on the same entry as displayed on the screen.

Step 2: Further, under Device Manager, expand Display adapter options.

Step 3: Afterwards, click right on every entry and select update driver software.

Step 5: Finally, restart your computer and check whether it is working.

You are also automatically updated drivers with the TweekBit Driver updater tool with just a few clicks. Also, this tool will provide you to prevent permanent damage and to install the driver versions. You may also use the following steps to manually update the driver:

Step 1: At first, download and install the TweekBit Driver Updater tool.

Step 2: After that, scan for outdated drivers.

Step 3: Now, check all the encountered problems, and see if you want to update all drivers at once or individually.

Step 4: Further, click the Update Driver link to update that is next to the driver’s name, and also, you can alternatively check the Update all button to automatically install updated.

Has your problem been solved? If not, try another method.

Solution 3: Disable hardware acceleration from Firefox

Hardware acceleration is also related to your graphics card. Also, for some instances, Firefox can get into a freeze loop when hardware acceleration is in use, depending upon some graphics card setup. You may use the below troubleshooting steps:

Step 1: Firstly, click on the menu icon from the right side corner of Firefox.

Step 2: Further, select Options from the prompted list.

Step 3: Furthermore, under General Panel, look for Performance entry.

Step 4: Now, uncheck the option “Use recommended performance settings “checkbox and also the “use of hardware acceleration when the available feature“.

Step 5: Finally, close the Firefox and restart your web browser again.

Check whether your issue has been fixed. If not, go for another option.

Solution 4: Reinitiate Firefox File

You can reinitiate Firefox files with the following steps:

Step 1: At first, go through the Firefox official web page and download a new installer file for your computer. Also, you should not uninstall Firefox or delete anything else.

Step 2: Now, close Firefox.

Step 3: Further, get the folder where Firefox is installed and rename it.

Step 4: Furthermore, click on the downloaded Firefox executable file to run the installer process.

Step 5: Finally, open the Firefox web browser and check if this helped you.

If your issue is not resolved, then try for another method.

Solution 5: Create A Fresh Places Database

New places databases might fix the issue Firefox is not responding. Corrupted places within databases can be caused by malfunction interrupted download processes. You may follow be below troubleshooting steps:

Step 1: Firstly, click on the Firefox menu and choose the option Help (shown as question-mark button).

Step 2: Further, go to the Troubleshooting information and select Open Folder under Application Basics.

Step 3: Furthermore, open the menu list again and click the power off icon. Then, Firefox will be turned off.

Step 4: After that, go to the Firefox folder and find the below files under the profile folder:

Places.sqlite -> places.sqlite.old

Places.sqlite-journal -> places.sqlite-journal.old

Step 5: Finally, restart your Firefox web browser.

Has your issue been solved? If not, go to the other option.

Solution 6: Remove Session Restore Files

For some instances, session restore won’t restore the session properly. You might use these troubleshooting steps to remove session restore files:

Step 1: Firstly, click on the menu icon.

Step 2: Now, select the Help option there and get the Troubleshooting information.

Step 2: After that, you have to click on Open Folder from Application Basics.

Step 3: Further, click the menu bar icon again and select the Exit option from here.

Step 4: Furthermore, delete the following file from your folder: sessionstore.js and also remove the associate files such as sessionstore-1.js.

Step 5: Finally, check whether Firefox is not responding is fixed or not.

If your problem has not been fixed, then try for another method.

Solution 7: Reset Firefox

When Firefox starts to act slow, crash, or issue like Firefox not responding, display any advertisement unwantedly, resetting it to the default setting can help you to fix the problem. You may restore Firefox with the below troubleshooting steps:

Step 1: Firstly, click on the menu icon from the right side corner of Firefox.

Step 2: After that, select Help from the prompted list.

Step 3: Further, choose the option of Troubleshooting information.

Step 4: furthermore, Find, and select the Refresh option.

Step 5: Now, resume the reset process and also open the web browser again in the end.

Solutions to the “Firefox Not Responding” Issue:

1. Clear Cache and Cookies:

Go to the Options > Privacy & Security.
In the Cookies and Site Data section, click on Clear Data.
Check both boxes for Cookies and Site Data and Cached Web Content, then click Clear.

2. Create a New Firefox Profile:

Close Firefox.
Access the Firefox Profile Manager. For Windows, press Windows + R, type firefox.exe -P, and press Enter.
Click Create Profile and follow the prompts.
After creation, select the new profile and start Firefox.

3. Disable or Remove Problematic Extensions:

Go to Menu > Add-ons.
Disable extensions one by one to pinpoint the culprit. If found, consider removing or updating the problematic extension.

4. Turn Off Hardware Acceleration:

Go to Options > General.
Scroll down to the Performance section.
Uncheck the box for Use recommended performance settings.
Uncheck the box for Use hardware acceleration when available.

5. Update Firefox:

Click on the menu button, then choose Help > About Firefox.
Firefox will check for updates and download them automatically.

6. Unfreeze or Force Restart Firefox:

If Firefox becomes completely unresponsive:

For Windows: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. Find Firefox in the list, select it, and click End Task.
For Mac: Press Command + Option + Escape to open the Force Quit Applications window. Select Firefox and click Force Quit.