This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Hierdie gesprek is in die argief. Vra asseblief 'n nuwe vraag as jy hulp nodig het.

How to stop multiprocessing being disabled on start?

  • 4 antwoorde
  • 1 het hierdie probleem
  • 5 views
  • Laaste antwoord deur cor-el

more options
  1. Summary

I am unable to enable multiprocessing. I tried enabling it by setting `browser.tabs.remote.autostart` to `true` in `about:config`. However whenever I quit and re-open the browser, that setting has been changed back to `false`. How can I get it to stay `true`?

  1. Details:
  • Firefox 64.0.2, 64 bit, Windows 7.
  • This computer is managed by my employer. However I installed Firefox myself, straight from mozilla.org.
  • `about:support` says `Multiprocess Windows 0/1 (Disabled)`. (Note that if an add-on is causing multiprocessing to be disabled, it will say "Disabled by Add-on", which is not what I'm seeing.)


  1. What I've tried:
  • I have disabled my addons.
  • I have looked for prefs.js and mozilla.cfg in the locations listed here: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1237547 The only one which exists is `C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\defaults\pref\pref.js`. I do not have sufficient permissions to modify or delete that. The contents seem unrelated:

``` /* This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public

* License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
* file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */

//pref("app.update.channel", "release"); ```

  • I went to `about:support`, clicked on "Profile Folder: Open Folder", (C:\Users\$USERNAME\ApPData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\$HEX.default`) searched for prefs.js in that folder. I quit firefox, changed the `browser.tabs.remote.autostart` setting there to true, saved, and started firefox again. The setting in `about:config` was false, and `about:support` shows multiprocessing is disabled.

Impact: I am not able to use the "responsive design" functionality. Also, the browser is quite slow. (I don't even have many tabs open, always < 15)

#Summary I am unable to enable multiprocessing. I tried enabling it by setting `browser.tabs.remote.autostart` to `true` in `about:config`. However whenever I quit and re-open the browser, that setting has been changed back to `false`. How can I get it to stay `true`? # Details: * Firefox 64.0.2, 64 bit, Windows 7. * This computer is managed by my employer. However I installed Firefox myself, straight from mozilla.org. * `about:support` says `Multiprocess Windows 0/1 (Disabled)`. (Note that if an add-on is causing multiprocessing to be disabled, it will say "Disabled by Add-on", which is not what I'm seeing.) # What I've tried: * I have disabled my addons. * I have looked for prefs.js and mozilla.cfg in the locations listed here: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1237547 The only one which exists is `C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\defaults\pref\pref.js`. I do not have sufficient permissions to modify or delete that. The contents seem unrelated: ``` /* This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this * file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */ //pref("app.update.channel", "release"); ``` * I went to `about:support`, clicked on "Profile Folder: Open Folder", (C:\Users\$USERNAME\ApPData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\$HEX.default`) searched for prefs.js in that folder. I quit firefox, changed the `browser.tabs.remote.autostart` setting there to true, saved, and started firefox again. The setting in `about:config` was false, and `about:support` shows multiprocessing is disabled. Impact: I am not able to use the "responsive design" functionality. Also, the browser is quite slow. (I don't even have many tabs open, always < 15)

All Replies (4)

more options

I haven't checked recently, but usually in a new profile, the first run is "single process", then Firefox assesses the system and turns it on for future sessions. This shows up in about:config --

browser.tabs.remote.autostart.2 => true

The corresponding line in the prefs.js file is

user_pref("browser.tabs.remote.autostart.2", true);

Since yours seems to be intentionally disabled, could it due to something in the environment, maybe an environment variable?

more options

I have no `browser.tabs.remote.autostart.2` setting. It's missing from `about:config`.

None of the environment variables seem relevant. Only `NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS=4`

more options

I found a solution:

I had to create 2 new boolean entries in `about:config`

   `browser.tabs.remote.force-enable` to false
   `browser.tabs.remote.autostart.2` to true 

That fixed it for me

more options

Current Firefox releases only support the main autostart pref.

  • browser.tabs.remote.autostart = false

The previously used opt-in pref browser.tabs.remote.autostart.2 is no longer supported in Firefox 58+.