Mozilla VPN is currently experiencing an outage. Our team is actively working to resolve the issue. Please check the status page for real-time updates. Thank you for your patience.

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

offline mode

  • 14 replies
  • 3 have this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by ehj69

more options

Can't get out of offline mode. It happen once previous but an icon was available and got back on. Now going to settings and nothing works. Surprisingly found nothing with Google nor Mozilla support. No email; big problem.

The offline option does not give off or on but option that I don't understand.

The file at the top shows offline and there doesn't seem a way to change (no check mark).

The moderator, 10 years ago, said uncheck on life or two blue line. No such think.

Computer is connected to internet. Shut down MAC and restarted. Still OFFLINE. I must be online but cannot download my messages.

Please help

Can't get out of offline mode. It happen once previous but an icon was available and got back on. Now going to settings and nothing works. Surprisingly found nothing with Google nor Mozilla support. No email; big problem. The offline option does not give off or on but option that I don't understand. The file at the top shows offline and there doesn't seem a way to change (no check mark). The moderator, 10 years ago, said uncheck on life or two blue line. No such think. Computer is connected to internet. Shut down MAC and restarted. Still OFFLINE. I must be online but cannot download my messages. Please help

Modified by ehj69

All Replies (14)

more options

"File -> Work Offline" should get a checkmark when offline mode is active. Doesn't that work for?

Is that check mark box missing for other menu items as well where this applies like various settings in the View menu ?

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

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

Helpful?

more options

Thank you very much. There is no check mark. I will try all your suggestions and get back to you tomorrow. Again, not having emails is much more difficult that I ever thought.

Helpful?

more options

ehj69 said

No email; big problem. I must be online but cannot download my messages.

I get the feeling that you are actually referring to the Thunderbird email client and not the (desktop) Firefox web browser.

Helpful?

more options

Yes, it's Thunderbird staying in offline mode and I can't get to online, although some email get through and all of the internet is OK.

Helpful?

more options

This is what I discovered:

FIREBOX "Work Offline" clicking turns on the check mark but also turns it off. No change. THUNDERBIRD "offline" same as above; no change.

Troubleshoot Mode on shows the following: "ALL MAIL" doesn't show all (11032 emails). But IMPORTANT shows (3400) and I see everything. Turning office this mode doesn't change any display. Even if it is off I see the screen without all the normal stuff.

When an email arrives, I get the notification but not all emails, just some.

Bottom line I cannot turn off OFFLINE!

Helpful?

more options

I just got a notification and see the email. How do I get back to the normal display?

Helpful?

more options

Well it sorta working. Please help with the following: 1) How to get to the original display? 2) Still in offline mode; Back to online? 3) Why ALL MAIL does have all mail, but IMPORTANT does?

Thank you very much.

P.S. My backup was to go directly to Gmail.

Helpful?

more options

Fixed # 1

Helpful?

more options

On #3: AllMail folder and Important folder are managed by Gmail, not by the user. Few users need them, they have a huge impact on disk storage, and slow thunderbird. If you don't use them, you can unsubscribe from them.

Helpful?

more options

Thank you for this insight. For years I have never looked at Gmail so I have no idea how it was setup. I will investigate.

Can you help with the offline issue?

Helpful?

more options

no. if work offline is not checked, you should be online. If you are receiving mail, then you are online. Your comments have me confused.

Helpful?

more options

Yes, when this happened (no emails) I through this was my problem. But I always could use the internet. And Thunderbird always announced the arrival of an email. And I always used ALL MAIL. And the ALL MAIL stopped. Your suggestion will require a deep dive in GMAIL.

Thank you Mozilla and you Davis for your help pointing me in the right direction.

Helpful?

more options

Allmail is a folder that contains all mail, which means it is a duplicate of your inbox, sent folder, trash, draft, etc. If you do not need the extra copy, you could unsubscribe from it. Same for Important folder. everything in it is also in Allmail. Gmail itself does not use folders, keeping just one copy of each message and using labels to create semblance of folders. Thunderbird imitates that by creating folders and that causes high disk usage.

Helpful?

more options

Everything is working as before. And my backup is directly to Google.

I think that my problem was that I got delayed -- or nothing -- from ALL MAIL until I clicked on SENT MAIL. Now using IMPORTANT I still must first check on SENT MAIL.

There use to be a refresh icon but it's gone.

Thanks again and best regards.

Helpful?

Ask a question

You must log in to your account to reply to posts. Please start a new question, if you do not have an account yet.