If you find that your Mozilla Firefox web browser on your Windows PC is not running smoothly, you can use the Refresh Firefox feature to reset and restore your browser settings to the default value. Earlier one had the Reset Firefox button which essentially did the same, but in the recent versions, you have the Refresh Firefox feature.
I recently installed Firefox x64t on my Windows 10 x64 PC, and then uninstalled my old Firefox x86. When I launched the new Firefox x64, I saw the following notification at the bottom of the browser – Looks like you’ve reinstalled Firefox. Want us to clean it up for a fresh like-new experience – with a Refresh Firefox button at the other end.
Reset or Refresh Firefox to default
I decided to give my Firefox a new start and clicked on the Refresh Firefox button here on the notification bar, but to Refresh Firefox manually, you can also do the following:
- Open Firefox
- Click on 3-lined Settings Menu
- Click on Help
- Select Troubleshooting information
- And finally, click on the Refresh Firefox button.
This image explains the locations for the clicks:
You will see the button on the right side of the Troubleshooting information page:
The following window will open next.
When you carry out this process, Firefox will:
- Create a new profile folder
- Browser settings will be restored to their defaults
- Firefox settings and personal data will be stored in the new profile folder.
The following will be removed:
- Extensions and themes will be removed along with extension data
- Plugins, will not be removed but will be reset
- Customizations will be removed
- Website permissions
- Modified preferences, added search engines, DOM storage, security certificate and device settings, download actions, plugin settings, toolbar customizations, user styles and social features will also be removed.
The following will not be removed. They will be saved and backed up:
- Cookies
- Browsing History
- Download History
- Bookmarks
- Saved Form History
- Saved passwords
- Personal dictionary
- Open windows and tabs.
All other options and settings will be reset to the default and you will see a Import Complete window.
Once these settings are imported and saved, the process will run to its completion.
Once the refresh is completed, restart your Firefox and check how it performs. I did see a material difference! Do let us know if you noticed a difference.
Firefox users are aware of how their favorite browser – like most others – tends to go slow, freeze or crash over a period of time. While one can always try and troubleshoot such Firefox Freezing or Crashing or Firefox slowing down issues, if it does not work for you, refreshing Firefox is the last and best option you should consider, before thinking of a reinstall.
If you wish, you can also tune up your Firefox browser online.
Go here if you are looking for some free tools to Speed Up Firefox.
