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

lost the ability to open a link in Firefox

  • 7 replies
  • 3 have this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by Matt

more options

Running T-bird 38.0.1 with Windows 7 Pro 64 bit. All of a sudden I lost the ability to click on a link and open a Tab in Firefox. I've tried to follow the instructions to trouble shoot but among other things, the instructions are a bit dated and don't cover W7 64 bit. Needless to say I can't find my Profile folder to save it off. Can I do a fresh install of T-bird and not lose my emails and contacts?

Thanks,

jbacinti

Running T-bird 38.0.1 with Windows 7 Pro 64 bit. All of a sudden I lost the ability to click on a link and open a Tab in Firefox. I've tried to follow the instructions to trouble shoot but among other things, the instructions are a bit dated and don't cover W7 64 bit. Needless to say I can't find my Profile folder to save it off. Can I do a fresh install of T-bird and not lose my emails and contacts? Thanks, jbacinti

Chosen solution

As long as it works.

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (7)

more options

jbacinti said

Running T-bird 38.0.1 with Windows 7 Pro 64 bit. All of a sudden I lost the ability to click on a link and open a Tab in Firefox. I've tried to follow the instructions to trouble shoot but among other things, the instructions are a bit dated and don't cover W7 64 bit. Needless to say I can't find my Profile folder to save it off. Can I do a fresh install of T-bird and not lose my emails and contacts? Thanks, jbacinti

I also lost the ability to drag an email into an Inbox folder. I just restarted Firefox and the ability to click on a link is back but not the ability to drag to a folder.

more options

I also think I have a problem with emails containing an embedded video.

more options

as embedded video almost always includes the use of Flash, most embedded video does not work as flash is not allowed in email for security reasons, nor is vbscript or javascript.

I have not tried he HTML5 video tags. But they might work as they use no plugin

more options

Matt,

My issue is with the fact that when I click on a link in T-bird a tab won't open in FF to even try to display the message/site/video.

more options

jbacinti said

Matt, My issue is with the fact that when I click on a link in T-bird a tab won't open in FF to even try to display the message/site/video.

And only in the most extreme cases has that have anything to do with Thunderbird. So years ago I wrote an article Hyperlinks in Messages Not Working and it covers the only setting in Thunderbird that is involved with links.

The article concentrates on the browser and it's settings as that is where the problem usually lies. Or in the operating system itself. Thunderbird passes links to the operating system with a "here you go, Do something with this" approach. It has no idea what the operating system will open to handle links, nor does it care. It has done it's job by identifying them as what they are and handing them over.

the instructions are a bit dated and don't cover W7 64 bit
What instructions and I will try and update them.

However I will only update them if they are incorrect. Software versions and operating system versions will only be references if that is absolutely necessary. I try and avoid such things are you get people that don't proceed with perfectly valid actions because it does not say "Windows 10 64bit in the instructions. Likewise, I have windows 7 with my chosen theme on it. So images will be of that. Not OSX 10.3 as some would expect, because that is what they have.

Needless to say I can't find my Profile folder

Help menu (alt+H) > trouble shooting information and press the Show profile button contained within the tab. Works with all version of Thunderbird since V5 on all operating systems.

I just restarted Firefox and the ability to click on a link is back
I did not address your original issue as you said that. So is it back or not is all I can say now.
but not the ability to drag to a folder.

I have not attempted to address this as the statement is simply ambiguous. Is that an internal folder, to a file system folder? Between two folder in an IMAP account? Between an IMAP account and a local folder? or between two local folders?

Regardless the usual troubleshooting is to try the two safe modes.

  • Restart Thunderbird with add-ons disabled (Thunderbird Safe Mode). On the Help menu, click on "Restart with Add-ons Disabled". If Thunderbird works like normal, there is an Add-on or Theme interfering with normal operations. You will need to re-enable add-ons one at a time until you locate the offender.
  • Restart the operating system in safe mode with Networking. This loads only the very basics needed to start your computer while enabling an Internet connection. Click on your operating system for instructions on how to start in safe mode: Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, OSX

Often issues arise from add-ons and with the types of problems your mentioning external programs. Often programs that designate themselves as security or family protection. The operating systems safe mode forces a start without them, as a diagnostic tool.

\Let me know how you get on.

more options

Matt,

I received your second post while away on vacation.  When I returned home and restarted my PC, all was fine.  Not sure if it was a setting that had to be restarted or what but T-bird seems to be working great with FF.  Thanks for your help.

jbacinti

more options

Chosen Solution

As long as it works.