We're calling on all EU-based Mozillians with iOS or iPadOS devices to help us monitor Apple’s new browser choice screens. Join the effort to hold Big Tech to account!

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

Firefox 21 is not showing theme preview images

  • 8 replies
  • 7 have this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by finitarry

more options

In Firefox 21 for Mac OS, there is no longer any preview image, which is usually a little screenshot of the left end of the toolbar, shown for a theme when you click the "More" link to get more information about the theme. The only image there now is the theme icon. Where did that preview go and why is it gone? The preview images are still in the .jar files in all the themes I have, so they are still available.

In Firefox 21 for Mac OS, there is no longer any preview image, which is usually a little screenshot of the left end of the toolbar, shown for a theme when you click the "More" link to get more information about the theme. The only image there now is the theme icon. Where did that preview go and why is it gone? The preview images are still in the .jar files in all the themes I have, so they are still available.

All Replies (8)

more options

Make sure that you do not run Firefox in (permanent) Private Browsing mode.

  • Firefox > Preferences > Privacy > Firefox will: "Use custom settings for history"
  • Deselect: [ ] "Always use private browsing mode"

Previewing a lightweight theme (Persona) only works on sites that are white-listed via an allow exception, so make sure to have an allow exception for addons.mozilla.org domain and possibly the the getpersonas.com domain.

You can see the permissions for the domain in the current tab in:

  • Tools > Page Info > Permissions > [X] Install Extensions or Themes
  • Firefox > Preferences > Security : "Warn me when sites try to install add-ons": Exceptions

Make sure that you do not use Clear (Recent) History to clear the "Site Preferences".

Modified by cor-el

more options

I am not using private browsing mode. What would that have to do with the subject anyway? I also never clear the site preferences. I am not using personas either, but full-fledged themes. I am not talking about previewing on websites, but from the Add-ons window with themes that I already have installed. The preview I mean is the preview.png image in the root of the .jar file for the theme. Before FF 21, I would see the screenshot for a theme in the "More" pane, along with the other information about the theme. I want to know why I do not see that any more.

Does nobody else ever look at the "More" information for a theme, or open .jar files to edit something in there?

more options

I'm not using themes, so I don't know what you are referring to.

Can you attach a screenshot that show this more button and post a link?

Use a compressed image type like PNG or JPG to save the screenshot.

more options

Here are 2 screenshots. The first shows the Appearance pane where the More buttons are. The second shows the information you get if you click one of the More buttons.

more options

Try to delete the addons.sqlite file in the Firefox profile folder.

You can use this button to go to the Firefox profile folder:

  • Help > Troubleshooting Information > Profile Directory: Show Folder

It is also possible that there is a problem with the file(s) that store the extensions registry.

Delete the extensions.* files (e.g. extensions.sqlite, extensions.ini) and compatibility.ini in the Firefox profile folder to reset the extensions registry.

New files will be created when required.

See "Corrupt extension files":

If you see disabled, not compatible, extensions in "Tools > Add-ons > Extensions" then click the Tools button at the left end side of the Search Bar ("Find Updates" button in older Firefox versions) to check if there is a compatibility update available.

more options

There is no addons.sqlite file in my profile. I removed the other files. That did not help. I guess Firefox itself has been blocked from displaying the preview.png files. Thansk for trying, anyway.

Modified by finitarry

more options

Create a new profile as a test to check if your current profile is causing the problems.

See "Creating a profile":

If the new profile works then you can transfer some files from an existing profile to the new profile, but be careful not to copy corrupted files.

more options

A new profile did not make any difference. Firefox 20 had exactly the same extensions and themes as 21, and it did show preview images.

Incidentally, addons.sqlite is not used any more by Thunderbird either, and Thunderbird, being version 17, still shows theme preview images.