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.

Avatar for Username

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

Firefox won't save previous tabs IF another instance of Firefox is running including Private mode

  • 3 replies
  • 0 have this problem
  • 22 views
  • Last reply by marhan91

marhan91
marhan91
more options

For example, say, you have 3 opened tabs in a Firefox (FF) windows. Normally, when you close FF and then re-open FF, it restores 3 previous opened tabs.

But, if you have another FF windows opened at the same time, when you close the FF windows with the 3 opened tabs and re-open back a new FF windows, FF won't restore the 3 opened tabs.

Same thing happens when you have another Private FF windows at the same time, when you close the non-Private FF with the 3 opened tabs, and then you re-open FF, it loses the 3 opened tabs.

That's why you can see 'countless' question about lost opened session, because of the issue above along with crash etc.

Is this a bug or a known feature?

For example, say, you have 3 opened tabs in a Firefox (FF) windows. Normally, when you close FF and then re-open FF, it restores 3 previous opened tabs. But, if you have another FF windows opened at the same time, when you close the FF windows with the 3 opened tabs and re-open back a new FF windows, FF won't restore the 3 opened tabs. Same thing happens when you have another Private FF windows at the same time, when you close the non-Private FF with the 3 opened tabs, and then you re-open FF, it loses the 3 opened tabs. That's why you can see 'countless' question about lost opened session, because of the issue above along with crash etc. Is this a bug or a known feature?

Chosen solution

Make sure you do not close Firefox by clicking the close X on the Firefox Title bar as that only closes the current window. If you have multiple windows or Private Browsing windows open, then you run the risk of losing tabs in unnoticed windows.

  • "3-bar" menu button -> Exit (Power button)
  • Windows: File -> Exit
  • Mac: Firefox -> Quit Firefox
  • Linux: File -> Quit

You can check if you can reopen a closed window (Firefox remembers three closed windows) "History -> Restore Previous Session" and "History -> Recently Closed Windows/Tabs".

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (3)

marhan91
marhan91 Question owner
more options

Related question: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1409205

Helpful?

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

Chosen Solution

Make sure you do not close Firefox by clicking the close X on the Firefox Title bar as that only closes the current window. If you have multiple windows or Private Browsing windows open, then you run the risk of losing tabs in unnoticed windows.

  • "3-bar" menu button -> Exit (Power button)
  • Windows: File -> Exit
  • Mac: Firefox -> Quit Firefox
  • Linux: File -> Quit

You can check if you can reopen a closed window (Firefox remembers three closed windows) "History -> Restore Previous Session" and "History -> Recently Closed Windows/Tabs".

Helpful?

marhan91
marhan91 Question owner
more options

Thanks for the workaround, didn't know that.

Another workaround that I found:

  • Close 'main' Firefox on last, e.g. you have one main FF and one temporary FF, so always make sure you close the temporary FF first before the main one, so FF will retain last opened tab for the main FF (risky to do)
  • Using additional Portable Firefox (Portableapps.com), so each FF will have it's own saving last opened tab. (no risk)

Helpful?

Ask a question

You must log in to your account to reply to posts. Please start a new question, if you do not have an account yet.