How to Fix Mozilla Firefox Not Responding?

Mozilla Firefox Not Responding

One of the most advanced web browser Mozilla is popular among many users worldwide. In fact, it's the perfect alternative for browsers like chrome, safari, and Microsoft edge. Though it offers lots of features and functions, the software keeps updating. So, Mozilla Firefox fails to respond at certain times.

In Order to fix Mozilla Firefox not Responding issue, you are First required to Turn on the Safe Mode. For this:

Step 1: Click on the Menu icon at the top right corner of the Firefox browser window. 

Step 2: Click on Help which will trigger a menu. Here, click on Troubleshoot Information. 

Step 3: Now at the top right corner under Try Safe Mode, click on Restart with Add-Ons Disabled. 

After you perform the Safe mode, restart your Firefox browser without any add-ons. Mostly, this idea will fix Mozilla Firefox not responding issue, but it's not a permanent fix. Meanwhile, you can also check some of your add-ons potentially creating the problem.

What happens When your Firefox Not Responding Occurs?

As Firefox keeps not responding comes, the browser freezes and stops to respond over different commands. In this case, you can not type or scroll through the mouse over the screen. In a few words, your Firefox browser stops working.

Moreover, you will find a small window in the middle of the screen with a short message "Firefox not Responding" or "Firefox is already running but is not Responding". Such error messages become more annoying as keeps happening over and again once it appears.

So we need to permanently fix Mozilla Firefox not responding issue. If your Mozilla Firefox is not responding, freezing, hanging, not working, or crashing, this post will fix each of them. 

What are the Various Reasons for Firefox isn't Responding?

There are various reasons why Firefox becomes non-responsive. A few of them are listed below: 

• Due to some malicious add-on recently added to Firefox
• Some database files are corrupted, lost, or missed
• Few processes hanging without any prior notification
• Web Browser hangs because of operating system file error
• Interference from other existing browser settings
• Potential visit to a malicious website
• Web page script might have hanged Firefox browser

Methods to Fix Mozilla Firefox not Responding Issue

1. Forcefully Shut Down the Browser Window

Press Ctrl + Shift +Esc keys together, which opens the Task Manager window. Under the Processes tab, find the Firefox browser and select it. Now, at the end of the window screen, click on the End Task button which will exit from the browser application. Restart and launch the browser to check if the issue has resolved or not.

2. Check for Browser Updates

Sometimes, outdated browsers also may lead to potential risks and problems. So, to check for updates, click on the Firefox menu icon. Next, you will see a Help option under which you have to select the About Firefox option. So, a window opens which shows whether the browser is up to date or not.

3. Remove or Uninstall the Add-on

Another way to fix Mozilla Firefox not responding issue is to remove the recently installed add-on to your browser. For uninstalling, click on Menu and then click on Options. On the left side, select Extensions and Themes. Now, search for the extension you want to remove. 

4. Delete Cache, Cookies, and Site Data

Like any other browser, Mozilla Firefox also saves cache, cookies, and site data that lets the browser to load the page faster and thus providing a personalized experience for the web users. The process happens each time you visit any website which leads to a huge amount of data. Slowly, this creates problems and we need to clear cache, cookies & site data.

Click the menu icon at the top of the browser and select options. Select Privacy and Security options and then click on the Clear Data button corresponding to the Cookies and Site Data section. This action clears all cache, cookies & site data.

5. Scan for Virus and Malware

Potential threats and viruses are one of the main reasons why Firefox stops responding. It might change and affect crucial files, preventing them from working properly. Therefore, there's a need to check for viruses and malware. For this, type Virus and Threat Protection in the search box at Taskbar. Launch Programs and under Virus and Threat Protection, click on Scan options. Select the Full Scan option and allow the process to complete. 

However, users can easily fix Mozilla Firefox not responding issues by themselves. With this guide, we will understand the causes behind the unresponsive behavior of Mozilla and what are the possible fixes for this issue.

Hope this article is helpful to fix Mozilla Firefox not responding issue.