4 Ways to Fix Firefox Not Opening on Windows 10 and Windows 11

Quick Tips

• Use the Task Manager to close all Firefox processes on your PC, then try opening the browser again.
• Launch Firefox in Troubleshoot Mode to see if one of your add-ins is causing the issue.
• Using the Refresh Firefox option can resolve various performance issues with the browser, including this one.

Fix 1: Force Close Firefox Processes

Sometimes, Firefox processes may become unresponsive on your PC, resulting in such issues. You can use the Task Manager on Windows to close all the Firefox processes and give them a fresh start.

Step 1: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open the Task Manager.

Step 2: In the Processes tab, select Firefox and click the End task button at the top.

Fix 2: Repair the Firefox App

Windows 11 includes an app repair feature that can help you fix issues with Firefox. Note that you’ll only get this option if you’ve downloaded Firefox from the Microsoft Store.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + I to launch the Settings app and head to Apps > Installed apps.

Step 2: Locate Firefox on the list. Click the three-dot menu icon next to the app and select Advanced options.

Step 3: Scroll down to the Reset section and click the Repair button.

Fix 3: Launch Firefox in Troubleshoot Mode

If you’ve been using any add-ons in Firefox to enhance its functionality, one of them may be causing the issue. You can confirm this by opening Firefox in Troubleshoot Mode, which will launch without any of your add-ons or themes.

To launch Firefox in Troubleshoot Mode, hold down the Shift key and double-click the Firefox app shortcut. Then, click Open.

If Firefox opens and works fine in Troubleshoot Mode, an add-on is likely causing the issue. To identify the problematic add-on, you’ll need to disable all of them first. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Open Firefox in Troubleshoot Mode. Click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top-right corner and select Add-ons and themes from the list.

Step 2: Use the switches next to the add-ons to turn them off.

Once disabled, close Firefox and try opening it again. After that, enable each add-on one by one to find the one causing the issue.

Fix 4: Refresh Firefox

At times, custom settings in Firefox can cause issues. Refreshing Firefox can help fix these problems. This process creates a new profile and imports all essential information from your old profile, so your bookmarks, saved passwords, and cookies won’t be affected. However, it will remove your add-ons and themes.

Step 1: Hold down the Shift key and double-click on the Firefox app shortcut to open it in Troubleshoot Mode.

Step 2: Click the Refresh Firefox button.

Step 3: Select Refresh Firefox to confirm your action.

Wait for the process to complete. After the refresh completes, Firefox should open automatically.