Whether Firefox crashes at startup or in the middle of something important, it can be really frustrating. But don’t worry, it’s fixable. And in most cases, the fix is pretty fast and simple…

Try these fixes

Here are 7 fixes that have helped other users get Firefox working again. You don’t have to try them all; just work your way down the list until you find the one that works for you.

  1. Update Firefox
  2. Clear Firefox cache
  3. Update your drivers
  4. Disable Firefox add-ons
  5. Update Windows
  6. Check for viruses
  7. Reinstall Firefox

Fix 1: Update Firefox

Making sure Firefox on your computer is up to date can be your first step to troubleshoot the Firefox crashing problem. Here’s what you need to do:

  1. Click the three lines in the far right corner, and select Help

  2. Click About Firefox. Firefox will then check for updates and download them automatically.

  3. Restart Firefox to test. If the problem consists, try the fixes below.

Fix 2: Clear Firefox cache

It’s possible that your Firefox cashe is corrupted. You can try clearing Firefox cache and check if the browser can start and work properly.

  1. Click the menu button on the upper right.
  2. Select Library > History > Clear Recent History.

  3. A small window will pop up and ask you for details about what to delete. Select all checkboxes and set the time range to Everything.
  4. Click Clear Now.

  5. Once everything is clear, close Firefox then relaunch it to test for your problem.

Fix 3: Update your drivers

Missing or outdated drivers on your computer may also cause Firefox to crash. You can try updating the device drivers on your PC to better troubleshoot the problem.

There are two ways to update your drivers: manually and automatically.

Manual driver update — You can update your device drivers manually by going to the device manufacturer’s website, and searching for the most recent correct driver. Be sure to choose the driver that’s compatible with your exact device model and your version of Windows.

Automatic driver update — If you don’t have the time, patience or computer skills to update all your drivers manually, you can, instead, do it automatically with Driver Easy.

Driver Easy will automatically recognize your system and find the correct drivers for it. You don’t need to know exactly what system your computer is running, you don’t need to be troubled by the wrong driver you would be downloading, and you don’t need to worry about making a mistake when installing. Driver Easy handles it all.

  1. Download and install Driver Easy.
  2. Run Driver Easy and click Scan Now. Driver Easy will then scan your computer and detect any problem drivers.

  3. Click the Update button next to a flagged device to automatically download the correct version of its driver, then you can manually install it (you can do this with the FREE version).

    Or click Update All to automatically download and install the correct version of all the drivers that are missing or out of date on your system. (This requires the Pro version which comes with full support and a 30-day money back guarantee. You’ll be prompted to upgrade when you click Update All.)

    Note: If you need assistance, please contact Driver Easy’s support team at support@drivereasy.com.
  4. Restart your PC to finish the process.

Fix 4: Disable Firefox add-ons

Firefox add-ons include extensions, themes and plugins. The steps above may resolve your problem, but if they don’t, you can then try disabling add-ons in Firefox.

  1. Click the menu button in Firefox, and choose Add-ons.

  2. In the Add-ons Manager tab,
    • To disable an extension or theme, click Extensions or Themes, select the add-on you want to disable, and click the Disable button next to it.

    • To disable a plugin, click Plugins, select the plugin you want to disable, and select Never Activate from its drop-down menu.

  3. Restart Firefox to check if the problem is resolved.

Fix 5: Update Windows

You can manually check for Windows updates to make sure you have all of the latest security and stability fixes.

  1. Click the Start button, then the Settings icon.

  2. Click Updater & Security.

  3. Select Windows Update and click the Check for updates button.


Fix 6: Check for viruses

Viruses might be causing the problem. So you can run a virus scan on your system.

If any malware is detected, follow the instructions provided by the antivirus program to fix the problem.

Then, restart your PC and see if the Firefox crashing issue is solved.


Fix 7: Reinstall Firefox

If nothing above works for you, you can take the following steps to do a clean reinstall of Firefox:

  1. Close Firefox (if Firefox is open).
  2. On your keyboard, press the Windows logo key and R together to open the Run box.
  3. Type control and press Enter to open Control Panel.

  4. In the view of category, under Programs, click Uninstall a program.

  5. Right-click on Mozilla Firefox, then click Uninstall.

  6. Make sure the Firefox installation folder located in one of these folders is removed:
    • C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox
    • C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox
  7. Go to the Firefox official website to download a fresh copy of Firefox.
  8. Double-click on the downloaded file and follow the prompts to continue the installation process.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment below.

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