Depending on our priorities or ways of using the internet, when choosing our browser we opt for the one that best suits our needs. For example, if we prioritize privacy, one of the most interesting options here is Mozilla Firefox .
Despite not being far from the most used proposal in the world, it is one of the most popular of the wide range of programs of this type available. It has been with us for a good number of years and has not stopped growing and improving thanks to the updates received.
However, despite the efforts of its developers , this is an application that can present certain malfunctions on certain occasions. In fact, below, we want to focus on how to fix a possible crash or freeze of the program.
Firefox stops working, freezes and I don’t know why
As with most of the programs we use today on a system like Windows, Firefox can also experience unexpected crashes . Therefore, in the event that the browser suddenly does not respond, we will have to carry out a series of steps to solve it. Despite not reaching the market penetration that, for example, Google Chrome has, we cannot forget that we are facing a rather complex software solution.
But that does not mean that it is perfect, far from it, although the failures may be given by any of the multiple functions and features that it proposes. If we are browsing at a certain time and the program stops responding, the reasons for all this can be multiple. All this can be given by the program itself that has suffered some kind of internal failure.
Likewise, other factors come into play here, such as the rest of the applications installed on the PC, since certain incompatibilities may occur. It is also important that we closely monitor the possible arrival of some type of malicious code . But that’s not all, but there may be errors in files in the internal database, an error in an operating system file or a web script that the browser has hung.
Fix Mozilla Firefox is not responding bug
Keep in mind that we are dealing with a type of program that we use almost constantly at the moment. Therefore, the sudden problems that can arise with these types of applications in particular can be a significant annoyance. Usually we have more than one browser installed on our PC , but as a general rule we want to use the one we have established by default, which will be our favorite.
In this way, the sooner we can solve problems related to crashes for example in Firefox, the better. This is precisely what we are going to help you with next.
Run the program in Troubleshooting Mode
One of the most effective solutions, and for which the program developed by Mozilla helps us, is to use its troubleshooting mode. To do this, the first thing we do is click on the button of the main menu of the program that is located in the upper right corner. This is represented by three horizontal lines in order to locate the Help drop-down list, and then click on Troubleshooting mode .
This step now that Firefox restarts with all its add-ons disabled. This will help us to find out if any of these extensions over time we install is the cause of the blockage. And is that sometimes these can cause certain problems or incompatibilities between two of them, which would result in the blocking of the program.
Force close Firefox on Windows
Well, you will be restarting the browser, everything continues as it was and stops responding on certain occasions, we are going to force it to restart. All we have to do is use the Ctrl + Shift + Esc key combination. This will lead us to the Task Manager section of the operating system. then we go to the Processes tab where we find the entry corresponding to the Firefox browser.
We click on it with the right mouse button to be able to use the End task function. Then, we will only have to restart the browser to check if the problem has been solved or not.
Keep the program updated to its latest version
We have already mentioned before that as a general rule the developers of this type of application are constantly releasing updates for them. This is something as it could not be otherwise, it is extended to web browsers . Keep in mind that sometimes outdated browsers can also lead to potential problems.
With this is what we want to say is that it is more than advisable to check if there are updates available to install. What’s more, this is a process that we can carry out in a few seconds through the Firefox menu mentioned above. Here we find an option called Help in which we have to click to access About Firefox. A window will open that shows if the browser is updated or not, otherwise it will be updated automatically.
Uninstall problematic extensions
Despite the fact that the add-ons or extensions that we install in these types of programs are becoming more and more common, it is almost never advisable to abuse these elements. In addition to the fact that they often consume high system resources, they can also lead to blocking errors in the browser itself. This may be due to a faulty, malicious, or conflicting extension.
At this point and if we do not find another solution, the best we can do is remove all installed add-ons. Next, we will have to install them one by one until we locate the extension that is causing the failure in the program. Once this is done, we have no choice but to look for another similar alternative.
Clear cache, cookies and other data in Firefox
It is quite common for this type of application in particular to store a good amount of information about its users. With all this, what is intended is to improve the experience when moving around the internet and not have to repeat passwords, web addresses, access credentials , etc. At the same time, the program stores certain data related to the websites that we visit over time, an amount of information that is sometimes excessive.
That is why all that information does nothing can cause crash or malfunction problems. Next, we will show you how to eliminate all this and start from scratch. The first thing we do is access the Firefox configuration window again from its Settings option. In the new window we go to Privacy and Security and click the Clear Data button corresponding to the Cookies and data section of the Site.
Search for viruses and malware
External attacks can also be a serious cause of blocking problems in any application. That is why, if we are faced with the failure that Firefox does not respond, we will perform a complete scan of the computer. This is something that we can carry out from within Windows defender itself, which is included in Microsoft‘s system, or with any other third-party security solution.
In this way we are able to get rid of possible malicious codes that have infected our computer and that are affecting the operation of certain programs. What’s more, this type of analysis should be carried out from time to time or at least scheduled to scan the PC automatically.
