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firefox doesn't resotre previous tabs when startup

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

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I'm using macbook, firefox version 82.0.

My firefox doesn't not startup with previous sessions. it only shows one blank tab no matter what I had when I closed it. happens both when I simply close it or completely quit it. I marked the "restore previous session" on the startup menu in the preference, didn't help or had any change.

I'm using macbook, firefox version 82.0. My firefox doesn't not startup with previous sessions. it only shows one blank tab no matter what I had when I closed it. happens both when I simply close it or completely quit it. I marked the "restore previous session" on the startup menu in the preference, didn't help or had any change.

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You may have corrupt sessionstore [v56] sessionstore.jsonlz4 file(s). Delete all sessionstore* files and the sessionstore-backups folder.

Type about:support<enter> in the address bar.

Under the page logo on the left side, you will see Application Basics. Under this find Profile Folder. To its right press the button Show Folder. This will open your file browser to the current Firefox profile. Now Close Firefox.

Windows: Show Folder; Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder

Linux: Under the page logo on the left side, you will see Application Basics. Under this find Profile Directory. To its right press the button Open Directory.

Locate the above file. Then rename or delete it. Restart Firefox.


Don't delete the files if you need to rescue any data from them, just move them out of the profile folder to some location where Firefox doesn't look for them. You can try to read out their contents using this tool: https://www.jeffersonscher.com/res/scrounger.html

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Thanks for the response. I tried what you told me but it did not solve my problem. Anything else that I could try?

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Make sure you are not clearing history.


You may be in Private Browsing mode or told Firefox not to remember.

Type about:preferences#privacy<enter> in the address bar. The button next to History, select Use Custom Settings.

Turn off Always Use Private Browsing Mode Turn on Remember My Browsing And Download History At the bottom of the page, turn on Clear History When Firefox Closes. At the far right, press the Settings button. Turn on ONLY Cache and Form And Search History leaving the others off.

and whatever else you want.

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Ok so it solved my problem...halfway.

Firefox now restores when I completely quit firefox using menu bar on mac, but it does not restore when I close it with the mac os red button close on the program and start again. Do you think there is anyway for me to let it restore no matter how I close/quit it?

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That's just the way it works.

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On Mac closing Firefox can be more complicated because you can close all open windows, but keep Firefox running with the menu bar visible or minimized in the Doc. If you have closed all the windows before quitting Firefox then you can check "History -> Recently Closed Windows" to see if you can reopen the closed windows. You can only reopen three closed windows as set via browser.sessionstore.max_windows_undo on the about:config page.