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Last updated: 12/17/2023 
30% of users voted this helpful
We understand how frustrating it is when Firefox crashes (closes or quits unexpectedly). When Firefox crashes, the Mozilla Crash Reporter will allow you to submit a crash to us, so we can continue making improvements to Firefox. Here are also some things to try to get Firefox up and running optimally.
Before getting started:
- If the page stops working because part of the page has crashed or stopped responding, try reloading the page to see if that fixes the problem.
- If Firefox is open but won't respond to any of your actions, then this is a hang, not a crash. See Firefox hangs or is not responding - How to fix for solutions.
- If Firefox crashes at startup:
- Check to see if the crash happens in Troubleshoot Mode (see below).
- Try a clean reinstall (see Firefox keeps crashing at startup).
Otherwise, follow the steps below in order.
Table of Contents
- 1 Update your software
- 1.1 Update Firefox
- 1.2 Update Windows
- 1.3 Update macOS
- 1.4 Update Linux
- 1.5 Update your drivers
- 1.6 Update your Internet Security software
- 2 Check for viruses or spyware
- 3 Check for third-party modules
- 4 Check to see if the crash happens in Troubleshoot Mode
- 4.1 The crash still happens in Troubleshoot Mode
- 4.2 The crash doesn't happen in Troubleshoot Mode
- 5 Check your hardware
- 5.1 Check your RAM for errors
- 6 Get help fixing this crash
- 6.1 Ask for help in the Community Support forum
The crash you're experiencing may have already been fixed in a new version!
Update Firefox
Every Firefox release includes a number of fixes for crashes that people have reported. Making sure you have the latest version may fix your crash. See Update Firefox to the latest release for details.
Update Windows
Make sure you have all of the latest security and stability fixes.
Update macOS
Make sure your Mac has all of the latest security and stability fixes.
Update Linux
Make sure you have all of the latest security and stability fixes.
Update your drivers
Check if your graphics drivers are up-to-date. For more information, see Upgrade your graphics drivers to use hardware acceleration and WebGL.
If your crash happens while printing, check that your printer driver is up-to-date by going to your printer manufacturer's support website. The Fix printing problems in Firefox article may also help.
Update your Internet Security software
Make sure you have the latest version of your Internet security software (including firewalls, antivirus programs, anti-spyware programs, and more).
A number of different viruses and spyware are known to crash Firefox. For more information, see Troubleshoot Firefox issues caused by malware.
Third-party applications (such as antivirus software, archiving software, and other tools) may load modules into Firefox. Sometimes, these applications load harmful modules that cause Firefox crashes, reduced performance, or compatibility issues. You may not notice that a malicious or unexpected module has been loaded, and it may cause problems that appear to be Firefox issues. For more information, see Identify problems caused by third-party modules in Firefox for Windows.
If updating software didn't work or if Firefox crashes on startup, use the steps below to test whether the crash happens in Firefox Troubleshoot Mode or not and then follow the instructions in the recommended articles.
-
Click the menu button
, click Help, select Troubleshoot Mode… and click Restart in the Restart Firefox in Troubleshoot Mode? dialog.Note: You can also start Firefox in Troubleshoot 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). - When the Open Firefox in Troubleshoot Mode? window appears, press the Open button.
, click After Firefox starts in Troubleshoot Mode, test for your problem.
Note: The Refresh Firefox feature can fix many issues by restoring Firefox to its default state while saving your essential information. Consider using it before going through a lengthy troubleshooting process.
The crash still happens in Troubleshoot Mode
If your crash still happens in Troubleshoot Mode, it is not being caused by an extension, theme, or hardware acceleration. Try to get help with your crash ID (see below).
The crash doesn't happen in Troubleshoot Mode
If your crash doesn't happen in Troubleshoot Mode, it is most likely because an extension, theme, or hardware acceleration is causing the crash.
- Follow the steps in Troubleshoot extensions, themes and hardware acceleration issues to solve common Firefox problems to determine the cause.
Check your RAM for errors
If Firefox crashes repeatedly, check your RAM for errors using for instance the following tool, Memtest86+Rember.
Figuring out the cause of a crash can be difficult. If you've tried the steps above and can't get Firefox to stop crashing, the instructions below will show you how to get the crash Report IDs for your most recent submitted crash reports, so our volunteers can help you.
If you can open Firefox, at least in Troubleshoot Mode:
- In the Firefox address bar, type about:crashes and hit EnterReturn. A page listing submitted crash reports (and unsubmitted crash reports, if any) will appear.
- If you have recent, unsubmitted crash reports: Click the Submit button for each recent unsubmitted report and then reload the about:crashes page.
- You should copy the Report IDs for submitted crash reports (they start with bp-) to your support question in the Community Support forum.
Note: If you can't open Firefox because it crashes at startup even in Troubleshoot Mode, use these alternative instructions to locate Report IDs:
- Press + R on the keyboard. Type in "%APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Crash Reports\submitted" (including the quotation marks) and click OK.Click the Finder icon in the dock. On the menu bar, click the Go menu, hold down the option or alt key and select Library. A window will open containing your Library folder. Then open the “Application Support” folder, the “Firefox” folder, the “Crash Reports” folder and finally the “submitted” folder.Go to ~/.mozilla/firefox/Crash Reports/submitted.
- In the resulting folder, there will be a text file for each crash report you have submitted. Using the View menu, arrange them by date to find out which is the newest file and double-click on it to open it.
Ask for help in the Community Support forum
- Click this link to ask for help with your crash.
Note: This link is only valid for getting help with Firefox crashes. To get help with other problems, see Get community support.
- You may need to create an account or log in to your existing account during the “ask a question” process.
- Fill out the Details section of the next page with as much information you have about the crash. Include any of the steps you completed above, like updating Firefox or testing for the crash in Troubleshoot Mode.
- Copy the long Report ID number you've got above for the latest crashes (bp-…) and paste it into the “Details” section.
- Finally, click the Post Question button.
We know that providing all this information is time-consuming, but it will make it much easier for our volunteers to help you.
Based on information from Firefox crashes (mozillaZine KB)
These fine people helped write this article:
AliceWyman, Chris Ilias, novica, Tonnes, Michele Rodaro, mattlem, Michael Verdi, Wayne Mery, Bocko, scoobidiver, Andrew, John99, Ibai, Swarnava Sengupta, soucet, Mozinet, FredMcD, pollti, scootergrisen, Joni, Chris Peterson, Jonathan Brier, Fabi
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