Firefox offers a competitive set of features, customization options, and a unique collection of add-ons. From time to time, this can lead to a problem or two. If Firefox stops responding on your Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer, you'll need to resolve the issue. Here are the top 7 ways to fix Firefox unresponsiveness on Windows 10 and Windows 11.
If Firefox freezes or takes a long time to load web pages, this is a cause for concern and shouldn't be ignored. We've compiled a list of solutions to help get Firefox running normally. So, let's get started.
1. Check your internet connection
An incomplete or intermittent internet connection at your home or office can cause Firefox to freeze or become unresponsive at times. Therefore, the first thing you should do is check your computer's internet connection. To do this, press the Windows + I To open Settings On Windows, go to the tab Network and Internet tab. You will see the connection status at the top.
To further check your internet connection, you can try opening another web browser such as Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome and load a few pages there. If your internet is working, you can continue with the troubleshooting guide.
2. Restart Firefox
Firefox may fail to start properly if you closed it suddenly the last time you used it. However, restarting Firefox can eliminate this annoyance.
Step 1: Click on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to turn on Task management. Click more details to expand it.
Step 2: within Processes , Locate Firefox and click the . button finish the job At the bottom.
3. Try Firefox's Troubleshooting Mode
If you rely on Firefox Add-ons To improve your productivity, these add-ons may be getting in the way. To check if this is the case, launch Firefox in Troubleshooting Mode, which disables all add-ons, themes, or any of your custom settings. Here's how.
Step 1: turn on Firefox. Click on the icon now Menu In the upper right corner, go to Instructions , and select the mode find the mistakes and resolve it From the submenu.
Step 2: When prompted, tap Reboot To start Firefox in troubleshooting mode.
Now try using Firefox for a few minutes. If it works fine, the Firefox unresponsiveness issue is caused by an add-on. To find the culprit, try disabling all of them. Then re-enable them one by one. Here's how.
Step 1: Open Firefox Click on the icon Menu and select Add-ons and Features from the list.
Step 2: Now use the keys to turn off the add-ons from here.
4. Disable hardware acceleration
By default, Firefox comes with hardware acceleration enabled. This feature primarily leverages your computer's GPU rather than the CPU to speed up operations. However, sometimes, depending on the graphics card on your computer, this can also cause Firefox to freeze. Therefore, you can try disabling hardware acceleration in Firefox to see if it helps. Here's how.
Step 1: turn on Firefox On your computer, click the icon. Menu At the top right to open Settings.
Step 2: Scroll down to go to Performance Department. Now uncheck the box that reads “Use recommended performance settings".
Step 3: Next, uncheck “Use hardware acceleration when available".
Now restart Firefox to see if it works fine now.
5. Clear cache and cookies
Browsers like Firefox rely on cache and cookies to improve your browsing experience. Sometimes, old browsing data can clog Firefox and create conflicts, eventually causing Firefox to freeze or crash. Therefore, you can try clearing your cache and cookies from Firefox to see if it helps. Here's how.
Step 1: Open Settings On Firefox.
Step 2: Now go to the tab Privacy and security On your left and scroll down to Cookies and website data. Next, press the button. Clear data.
Step 3: in the panel Clear Data Check the boxes that read “Cookies and website data" And the "Cached web content“. Finally, press clear.
6. Update Firefox
If you are using an older version of Firefox, you can: Trying to update to the latest (likely more stable) version. These updates often include bug fixes and improvements that can help enhance your browsing experience.
Read on to learn how to check for updates in Firefox.
Step 1: Open Firefox On your computer. Click the icon. Menu and go to "directions" and click “About Firefox".
Step 2: Once there, Firefox should start checking for any new updates and install them automatically.
7. Reset Firefox
Finally, if nothing works, resetting Firefox may be your last resort. Fortunately, it's not that difficult, as Firefox offers a browser refresh option that only removes add-ons and preferences while keeping your bookmarks, saved passwords, and open tabs intact. Here's how to do it.
Step 1: Open Firefox On your computer. Click the icon. Menu At the top right go to "directions" , and click About Firefox.
Step 2: In the next window, click the button Refresh Firefox to reset it.
Step 3: Choose Refresh Firefox When asked to do so.
You should be able to do that. Since most of your browser settings are reset to their defaults, Firefox should now work fine.
Faster than ever
When Firefox stops responding, it's easy to switch to a different browser. But if you love Firefox, it's worth troubleshooting. While most of our solutions worked to fix Firefox not responding on Windows 10 and Windows 11, if they don't work for you, you can reinstall Firefox by deleting it and then Reinstall it again, Let us know in the comments if you find another solution that works to fix the problem.
