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Firefox loads but does not appear onscreen.

  • 3 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 234 views
  • Last reply by FredMcD

Joe_Durham
Joe_Durham
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It is as described. I double click on the icon. Courser clocks as Firefox loads. And nothing. I start Task Manager and see that Firefox is running using about 13% CPU. There is no "Make Appear Button" anywhere. So I end task. Restart computer. Try again. Nothing different. I uninstall Firefox. Reboot the computer. Install Firefox. Reboot computer. Double click on desktop icon. And nothing changed.

What I am thinking is there is a setting on either FF or Windows 10 (Basic cheapest Windows 10 possible for desktop) is incorrectly set. I had this setup running with FF for about 4 months.

It is as described. I double click on the icon. Courser clocks as Firefox loads. And nothing. I start Task Manager and see that Firefox is running using about 13% CPU. There is no "Make Appear Button" anywhere. So I end task. Restart computer. Try again. Nothing different. I uninstall Firefox. Reboot the computer. Install Firefox. Reboot computer. Double click on desktop icon. And nothing changed. What I am thinking is there is a setting on either FF or Windows 10 (Basic cheapest Windows 10 possible for desktop) is incorrectly set. I had this setup running with FF for about 4 months.

Chosen solution

Sometimes what happens is a program window loads 'off screen' meaning it does not show up in the viewing window.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/changes-toolbars-and-window-sizes-are-not-saved You may have corrupt xulstore.json or Localstore.rdf file.

Close Firefox. Open your file browser to this hidden location:

  • Mac: *~/Library/Application Support/Firefox/Profiles
  • Linux: *~/.mozilla/firefox/Profiles
  • Windows: %AppData%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles
  • *C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles
  • Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data
    \Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\

Search for the above files. Then rename or delete them. Restart Firefox.


Do you have the Firefox icon on your quick launch? Right click on it, and select Open New Window. Sometimes this works. If it opens, close it by Menu > File > Exit.

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All Replies (3)

FredMcD
FredMcD
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Chosen Solution

Sometimes what happens is a program window loads 'off screen' meaning it does not show up in the viewing window.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/changes-toolbars-and-window-sizes-are-not-saved You may have corrupt xulstore.json or Localstore.rdf file.

Close Firefox. Open your file browser to this hidden location:

  • Mac: *~/Library/Application Support/Firefox/Profiles
  • Linux: *~/.mozilla/firefox/Profiles
  • Windows: %AppData%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles
  • *C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles
  • Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data
    \Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\

Search for the above files. Then rename or delete them. Restart Firefox.


Do you have the Firefox icon on your quick launch? Right click on it, and select Open New Window. Sometimes this works. If it opens, close it by Menu > File > Exit.

Joe_Durham
Joe_Durham Question owner
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Had to delete all files after the Profile directory. Firefox then started like new.

FredMcD
FredMcD
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Good to hear. Safe surfing.