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Firefox repeatedly opens empty tabs or windows after you click on a link

  • 1 reply
  • 1 has this problem
  • 2 views
  • Last reply by cor-el

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Your webpage https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-repeatedly-opens-empty-tabs-... accurately describes the problem, but the solutions offered don't fit.

I don't want to start a new session (I keep a great deal in tabs) and this isn't a problem with crash or unexpected close. It has nothing to do with content type. It has nothing to do with unwanted content. The pages are blank.

I'm writing because I have a particular website I want to visit and Firefox refuses it open it. I click on a link. I get a blank page. I copy the link to a new tab. I get a blank page. I shut down and restart Firefox I get a blank page. I rebooted the computer, I get a blank page. Sometimes it helps to press extra firmly on mouse buttons. Not today. Sometimes it helps to copy the link and use Paste and Go, not today.

At least this time the reload button is clickable -- not that clicking it does anything. There are times when the reload button is grayed out. There are times when the destination URL doesn't even show up in the URL bar.

This problem has been going on for many months, perhaps more than a year. Usually the work arounds work. Not today.

I get it that a problem is hard to fix if the software developers can't make it happen. I used to be a programmer. So I would be glad to try to help developers fix this problem.

Your webpage [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-repeatedly-opens-empty-tabs-or-windows] accurately describes the problem, but the solutions offered don't fit. I don't want to start a new session (I keep a great deal in tabs) and this isn't a problem with crash or unexpected close. It has nothing to do with content type. It has nothing to do with unwanted content. The pages are blank. I'm writing because I have a particular website I want to visit and Firefox refuses it open it. I click on a link. I get a blank page. I copy the link to a new tab. I get a blank page. I shut down and restart Firefox I get a blank page. I rebooted the computer, I get a blank page. Sometimes it helps to press extra firmly on mouse buttons. Not today. Sometimes it helps to copy the link and use Paste and Go, not today. At least this time the reload button is clickable -- not that clicking it does anything. There are times when the reload button is grayed out. There are times when the destination URL doesn't even show up in the URL bar. This problem has been going on for many months, perhaps more than a year. Usually the work arounds work. Not today. I get it that a problem is hard to fix if the software developers can't make it happen. I used to be a programmer. So I would be glad to try to help developers fix this problem.

All Replies (1)

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Maybe try a different mouse in case there is a problem with your mouse.

Start Firefox in Safe Mode to check if one of the extensions ("3-bar" menu button or Tools -> Add-ons -> Extensions) or if hardware acceleration or userChrome.css is causing the problem.

  • switch to the DEFAULT theme: "3-bar" menu button or Tools -> Add-ons -> Themes
  • do NOT click the "Refresh Firefox" button on the Safe Mode start window

You can create a new profile as a quick test to see if your current profile is causing the problem.

See "Creating a profile":

If the new profile works then you can transfer files from a previously used profile to the new profile, but be cautious not to copy corrupted files to avoid carrying over problems.