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

Resetting defaults didn't cure slow browsing, it made it worse. Why?

  • 2 cavab
  • 1 has this problem
  • 2 views
  • Last reply by FredMcD

more options

While browsing, I was getting a message saying that maybe I'd like to reset to default settings to try to cure the slowness that Firefox seemed to detect. So I did, and now my computer isn't just slow, it's glacially slow. Everything else seems to be the same--my passwords are still retained, etc., but browsing is now as slow as my old Windows 98 computer on DSL. What happened to cause this? The reset to default settings was supposed to be a cure, not an additional problem.

While browsing, I was getting a message saying that maybe I'd like to reset to default settings to try to cure the slowness that Firefox seemed to detect. So I did, and now my computer isn't just slow, it's glacially slow. Everything else seems to be the same--my passwords are still retained, etc., but browsing is now as slow as my old Windows 98 computer on DSL. What happened to cause this? The reset to default settings was supposed to be a cure, not an additional problem.

All Replies (2)

more options

Do you think the program was running slow? We have had complaints about the 'refresh' message.


Refreshing Firefox {web link} is a LAST RESORT ! !

Refreshing Firefox -- easily fix most problems

If you're having problems with Firefox, refreshing it can help. The refresh feature fixes many issues by restoring Firefox to its factory default state while saving your essential information like bookmarks and open tabs. Everything else, like user settings and add-ons, are removed. Note: Refresh saves your old profile to the desktop in a folder called Old Firefox.

more options

Start Firefox in Safe Mode {web link}

A small dialog should appear. Click Start In Safe Mode (not Refresh). Is the problem still there?