• If Firefox is not responding, this might happen due to errors with the browser files.
• This issue can also be caused by a lack of memory due to many opened tabs.
• Restarting and resetting your browser with our methods will help you get rid of the error message.

• Easy migration: use the Opera assistant to transfer exiting Firefox data, in just a few steps
• Optimize resource usage: your RAM memory is used more efficiently than Firefox does
• Enhanced privacy: free and unlimited VPN integrated
• No ads: built-in Ad Blocker speeds up loading of pages and protects against data-mining
• Download Opera

Not being able to properly enjoy your web browser can be serious. If you use Mozilla Firefox on Windows 10 or 11 and your web browser is currently not responding, follow the troubleshooting methods listed below.

The steps from this tutorial should help you address all the errors and issues that can cause hangs or freezes on Firefox so you can continue your work.

Why is Firefox not responding?

This problem with Firefox freezing and not responding may be triggered by a lot of possible causes, from lack of memory to file corruption or incomplete installation.

That is why we suggest that before going into the solutions we prepared for you, to eliminate some of the possibilities.

Not enough RAM

This is a common problem for all apps. When you have a lot of tabs open, they consume RAM, and when the system runs out of memory, the software stops responding.

So, before getting into any other troubleshooting, make sure you close some of the tabs you have opened and see if that solves the problem.

We have an article that shows you why Firefox is too much memory and how to fix it and you will get the problem solved in no time.

Previous crashes

If Firefox started to freeze and stopped responding after a few crashes, that can explain a file corruption problem in the app.

Luckily, we also have the perfect guide on what to do if Firefox had a problem and crashed in Windows 10/11 but our solutions below will also address this issue.

The browser slowed down

After a while, the browser can slow down a little, and should you notice that the effect has intensified before it stopped responding, we advise reading our solutions from our article on what to do if Firefox slows down in Windows 10.

Again, a lot of the fixes also work on Windows 11 with small differences in the design of the windows.

What can I do if Firefox is not responding on Windows 10 & 11?

1. Restart Firefox

Click on the X button from the top-right corner of the window to close Firefox.

To make sure its processes are closed, right-click the Taskbar and select Task Manager from the list.

Now find Firefox in the list of processes, right-click on it and select End task. If you can’t find the process, that means that Firefox closed with the usual method from the first step.

If Firefox is not responding, it means that something stopped its processes. And a restart might be the perfect solution for reinitiating everything.

2. Disable hardware acceleration from Firefox

From the top-right corner of Firefox click on the Menu icon and select Settings.

Go to the General tab from the left and look for the Performance entry.

From there, uncheck the Use recommended performance settings checkbox, then untick the use hardware acceleration when available feature.

Hardware acceleration is a feature related to your graphics card. In some situations, depending on certain graphic card setups, Firefox might get into a freeze loop when hardware acceleration is in use.

3. Reinitiate Firefox files

First, go to the Firefox official web page and download a new installer file for your Windows 10 system.

Press the Windows key + E to start File Explorer, then go to the folder where Firefox is installed. You can usually find it in the Program Files or the Program Files (x86) folder.

Now, right-click the Mozilla Firefox folder and click on Rename from the menu and rename it to Fx3805.

Renaming the Firefox folder is a precautionary method to preserve the data stored there. If the solution works, you will be able to copy them into the new browser installation folder.

4. Create a fresh places database

By performing this procedure, your web browsing history and your bookmarks will be deleted.

Click on the Firefox Menu icon and select the Help option.

Choose More troubleshooting information.

From Application Basics click on Open Folder.

Now, go to the Firefox folder that was just opened and, under the profile folder, find and rename the file places.sqlite to places.sqlite.old and places.sqlite-journal to places.sqlite-journal.old.

New places database might fix the Firefox not responding malfunction – interrupted download processes from Firefox can cause corrupted places within the app database.

5. Remove the Session Restore files

Click on the browser Menu icon and select the Help option.

Pick More troubleshooting information from the list.

Click on Open Folder from Application Basics.

6. Reset Firefox

From Firefox, click on the Menu icon, then choose Help.

Select More troubleshooting information.

Find and choose the Refresh Firefox option.

How do I fix Firefox not responding errors in Windows 11?

Expert Tip: Some PC issues are hard to tackle, especially when it comes to corrupted repositories or missing Windows files. If you are having troubles fixing an error, your system may be partially broken. We recommend installing Restoro, a tool that will scan your machine and identify what the fault is.
Click here to download and start repairing.

The works very well on the new OS too but our readers complained that Firefox is not responding in Windows 11.

Luckily, all the solutions we provided above to solve this problem in Windows 10 can be applied to Windows 11 without hesitations.

That is mainly because with small design differences like the round corners, Firefox is identical on the new OS.

Therefore, you will only experience a few design differences when using the solutions that imply the use of File Explorer, but that’s about it.

If you have any other problems, we also recommend reading our article on how to fix Firefox issues on Windows 10 & 11 because it covers a lot more bugs.

Try an alternative browser

When Firefox is unresponsive, or when it is locking up, your only option is to try another browser, at least to fix the problem. And perhaps, you’ll decide to stick to it.

Our recommendation is to settle for another browser that comes with less to zero loading or updating issues. In this particular situation, we suggest using Opera.

Downloading and installing it takes only a couple of seconds and setting it up is extremely easy.

As you get familiarized with the design, you’ll be amazed by the multitude of features that come with this browser.

The tool comes with customized versions for PC, mobile (including older phones), Mac, or Linux. Besides, you can synchronize the Opera browser across all your devices, to easily manage all the settings.

Starting from the basic version, you can bring your own flavor to the browser, adding icons, sidebars, workspaces, and bookmarks for ease of access and a better-organized workflow.

Add the incorporated VPN that secures your online activity, and you have the perfect browser.

Of course, you might also take a look at our list including the best browsers for Windows, and take your pick. They all work on Windows 10 and 11 so you’ll be just fine.

What are some variations of the Firefox not responding issue?

• Firefox stuck on new tab: This issue can appear due to problematic extensions, so it’s advised to remove them. After removing them, check if the problem is still there.
• Firefox hangs on startup: Corrupted user profile can cause this issue to appear, so be sure to recreate it.
• Firefox stuck loading pages: If your cache is corrupted, you won’t be able to load any pages. It’s also advised to check if the website works in other browsers.
• Firefox stuck in Troubleshoot Mode: Corrupted installation is a common cause for this issue, you might have to reinstall the browser.

These are the easiest solutions to repair Firefox. If the web browser is still not responding in Windows, give further info – tell us when you first got the problems, what happened when you tried to fix everything, etc.

Based on these details we will try to find specific troubleshooting solutions in order to assist you as soon as possible. You can get in touch with us through the comments below.

If you switched to this OS, we can also recommend a fresh guide on what to do if Firefox is freezing in Windows 11.

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