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Not Working - Show your windows and tabs from last time

  • 8 replies
  • 9 have this problem
  • 5 views
  • Last reply by cor-el

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I have the proper settings saved for Show your windows and tabs from last time but it is still not working. I stopped using Firefox for about 6 months because it started going very slow and was not showing my tabs from last time.

I reinstalled it recently but it still will not restore tabs. I have gone through all of the articles and none of it is working.

Thank you

I have the proper settings saved for Show your windows and tabs from last time but it is still not working. I stopped using Firefox for about 6 months because it started going very slow and was not showing my tabs from last time. I reinstalled it recently but it still will not restore tabs. I have gone through all of the articles and none of it is working. Thank you

Chosen solution

Make sure you do not run Firefox in permanent Private Browsing mode (Always use Private Browsing mode; Never Remember History).

  • Options/Preferences -> Privacy & Security -> Firefox will: "Use custom settings for history"
  • remove checkmark: [ ] "Always use Private Browsing mode"

In case you use "Clear history when Firefox closes".

  • do not clear the Browsing History
  • clearing "Site Preferences" clears exceptions for cookies, images, pop-up windows, and software installation and exception for password and other website specific data
  • clearing "Cookies" will remove all selected cookies including cookies with an "Allow" exception you may want to keep

If you use external cleanup software (CCleaner) then check the settings for Firefox and make sure not to clear sessions.

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (8)

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Please Refresh but do this 1st:

then

TEST....... If no issues then Extensions which need to be added back in 1 at a time and tested ..... Or it is your Profile : Make a new one and test ...:

If is your Profile :

Note: Any customization will revert back to default, you will also need to reinstall Extensions.

Please let us know if this solved your issue or if need further assistance.

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You may have corrupt sessionstore file(s). Delete all sessionstore* files and the sessionstore-backups folder.

Type about:support<enter> in the address bar.

Under the page logo on the left side, you will see Application Basics. Under this find Profile Folder. To its right press the button Show Folder. This will open your file browser to the current Firefox profile. Now Close Firefox.

Locate the above file. Then rename or delete it. Restart Firefox.


Don't delete the files if you need to rescue any data from them, just move them out of the profile folder to some location where Firefox doesn't look for them. You can try to read out their contents using this tool: https://www.jeffersonscher.com/res/scrounger.html

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Chosen Solution

Make sure you do not run Firefox in permanent Private Browsing mode (Always use Private Browsing mode; Never Remember History).

  • Options/Preferences -> Privacy & Security -> Firefox will: "Use custom settings for history"
  • remove checkmark: [ ] "Always use Private Browsing mode"

In case you use "Clear history when Firefox closes".

  • do not clear the Browsing History
  • clearing "Site Preferences" clears exceptions for cookies, images, pop-up windows, and software installation and exception for password and other website specific data
  • clearing "Cookies" will remove all selected cookies including cookies with an "Allow" exception you may want to keep

If you use external cleanup software (CCleaner) then check the settings for Firefox and make sure not to clear sessions.

Modified by cor-el

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Same problem (Firefox 60.0.1). I select "Show your windows and tabs from last time." But when I close, and re-open, Firefox, all my prior tabs are missing, and the option has been set to "Show your home page."

It does this over and over again. My selection is not sticking.

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https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-to-fix-preferences-wont-save

Note: Some software, like Advanced SystemCare with Surfing Protection, can protect files in the Firefox profile folder against changes. If you have such software then check the settings or uninstall this software.

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In case you use "Clear history when Firefox closes" or otherwise clear history.

  • do not clear the Browsing History

  • clearing "Site Preferences" clears exceptions for cookies, images, pop-up windows, and software installation and exception for password and other website specific data
  • clearing "Cookies" will remove all selected cookies including cookies with an "Allow" exception you may want to keep
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Thanks Co-rel. My setting is Custom, and "Remember my browsing and download history." But Firefox keeps losing my tabs and resets to "Show you home page." I tried doing a 100% REFRESH, but it did not help.

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You can check if you have a user.js file in the profile folder to initialize prefs each time Firefox starts. The user.js file will only be present if you or other software has created this file and normally won't be present.

You can check its content with a text editor (right-click: "Open with"; do not double-click). The user.js file is read each time Firefox is started and initializes preferences to the value specified in this file, so preferences set via user.js can only be changed temporarily for the current session.

You can delete the user.js file if you didn't create this file yourself.

You can use the button on the "Help -> Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page to go to the current Firefox profile folder or use the about:profiles page.