Safe Mode: Difference between revisions
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When you select the checkbox for any of these troubleshooting options and click the "Make changes and restart" button, your Mozilla application will restart in normal mode with the selected changes. '''Warning:''' These changes will be permanent, meaning they will remain in effect in subsequent browser sessions. '''Some of these changes will be hard to reverse unless you have a recent [[profile backup]].''' [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=304403] | When you select the checkbox for any of these troubleshooting options and click the "Make changes and restart" button, your Mozilla application will restart in normal mode with the selected changes. '''Warning:''' These changes will be permanent, meaning they will remain in effect in subsequent browser sessions. '''Some of these changes will be hard to reverse unless you have a recent [[profile backup]].''' [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=304403] | ||
'''Note''': Starting in Firefox 15, Firefox Safe Mode has been redesigned and no longer offers these troubleshooting options. Instead, when you restart in Safe Mode, you will be given the choice to either "Start in Safe Mode" or "[https://support.mozilla.org/kb/reset-firefox-easily-fix-most-problems Reset Firefox"], as shown in [http://kb.mozillazine.org/Image:Fx15SafeModeOptions.png this screenshot]. | '''Note''': Starting in Firefox 15, Firefox Safe Mode has been redesigned and no longer offers these troubleshooting options. Instead, when you restart in Safe Mode, you will be given the choice to either "Start in Safe Mode" or "[https://support.mozilla.org/kb/reset-firefox-easily-fix-most-problems Reset Firefox"], as shown in [http://kb.mozillazine.org/Image:Fx15SafeModeOptions.png this screenshot]. When multiple profiles exist, the "Reset Firefox" feature is only available in the "default" profile (e.g., the last profile started in the [[Profile Manager]], which would be the profile that includes the line "Default=1" in the [[profiles.ini file]]). The Reset Firefox option does not appear if you [[Bypassing the Profile Manager|bypass the Profile Manager]] to start a non-default profile. [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=732303] [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=749700] [https://wiki.mozilla.org/Support/Firefox_Features/Clean_up_user_profile] [https://support.mozilla.org/kb/troubleshoot-firefox-issues-using-safe-mode/discuss/2453] [https://support.mozilla.org/forums/knowledge-base-articles/708530] | ||
The following Safe Mode options are available in Firefox 14 and below, in current versions of SeaMonkey, and in Thunderbird, as indicated. | The following Safe Mode options are available in Firefox 14 and below, in current versions of SeaMonkey, and in Thunderbird, as indicated. |
Revision as of 12:04, 24 August 2012
Safe Mode is a debugging startup mode available in Firefox, Thunderbird, and SeaMonkey 2, where all added extensions are disabled, the default theme is used, and default localstore settings (toolbar settings and controls) are used. Safe Mode also disables hardware acceleration, the Just-in-time (JIT) JavaScript compiler, and any changes made via userContent.css and userChrome.css. Any changes made to preference settings remain in effect in Safe Mode, however, and all available plugins are used.
Safe Mode in Firefox and SeaMonkey 2 also includes a number of troubleshooting options that allow you to make changes upon browser restart, such as disabling all add-ons or resetting preferences. (see below).
Starting Safe Mode
All systems
- In current versions of Firefox, Thunderbird, and SeaMonkey 2, you can restart in Safe Mode via "Help -> Restart with Add-ons disabled...". A Safe Mode options window will appear when they restart (see below). [1] [2]
To enter Safe Mode in previous versions (or if you can't open your Mozilla application to use the Help menu) you must first make sure Firefox/Thunderbird/SeaMonkey is not running in the background (including all windows like the Download Manager that open in a separate window) before following the instructions given below.
Windows
Use one of these methods to start your Mozilla application in Safe Mode. This should not be confused with restarting the computer in Windows Safe Mode!
- In current Mozilla application versions, hold down the Shift key while double-clicking the Firefox/Thunderbird/SeaMonkey icon. (If the Profile Manager opens, select a profile and then hold down the Shift key again while clicking the "Start Firefox" button.) [3] [4]
- In older versions, use the "Mozilla Firefox (Safe Mode)", "SeaMonkey (Safe Mode)", "Mozilla Thunderbird (Safe Mode)", or "Mozilla Thunderbird (No Extensions)" shortcut in the Mozilla Firefox, SeaMonkey, or Mozilla Thunderbird program folder on the Windows Start Menu.
As an alternative method, select "Start -> Run" (on Windows 7/Vista, enable the Run box, as described here) and enter the following in the Windows Run box:
For Firefox, one of these:
firefox -safe-mode
"C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -safe-mode
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -safe-mode
For Thunderbird, one of these:
thunderbird -safe-mode
"C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\thunderbird.exe" -safe-mode
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Thunderbird\thunderbird.exe" -safe-mode
For SeaMonkey, one of these:
seamonkey -safe-mode
"C:\Program Files\SeaMonkey\seamonkey.exe" -safe-mode
"C:\Program Files (x86)\SeaMonkey\seamonkey.exe" -safe-mode
Adjust the path accordingly based on the actual installation directory (e.g., on 64-bit Windows, use "Program Files (x86)" instead of "Program Files") or if you installed your Mozilla program in a different location than shown above.
Linux
On Linux, you can go to your Terminal and run (for Firefox):
/path/to/firefox/firefox -safe-mode
Mac OS X
Hold down the Option key while starting your Mozilla application. (If the Profile Manager opens, select a profile and then hold down the Option key again while clicking the button to start Firefox, Thunderbird, or SeaMonkey.) [5]
As an alternate method, go to Utilities (in the Applications folder) and open Terminal, then run:
For Firefox:
/Applications/Firefox.app/Contents/MacOS/firefox-bin -safe-mode
For Thunderbird:
/Applications/Thunderbird.app/Contents/MacOS/thunderbird-bin -safe-mode
For SeaMonkey:
/Applications/SeaMonkey.app/Contents/MacOS/seamonkey-bin -safe-mode
If you have installed the application to another location, modify the path as such. It's the "-safe-mode" command line parameter that's crucial here.
How to know you are in Safe Mode
Thunderbird and SeaMonkey 2.0
- All extensions will be disabled. You will still be able to select them in the Add-ons/Extensions list but only for the purpose of upgrading or uninstalling (the options button will be disabled).
- Default toolbar settings and controls will be used.
- The default theme will be used.
Firefox and SeaMonkey 2.1 or above
- A window called "Firefox Safe Mode" or "SeaMonkey Safe Mode" with some troubleshooting options appears (see below).
At that point, you can either continue to Safe Mode or select some troubleshooting options and restart in normal mode to apply the changes.
If you choose to continue in Safe Mode:
- All extensions will be disabled (but this will not reset any preferences that some extensions may modify).
- Firefox or SeaMonkey will be using the default theme.
- Default toolbar settings and controls will be used [6].
If you choose any of the troubleshooting options, the changes are only applied if you choose Make Changes and Restart.
Safe Mode options
Note: To run in Safe Mode without making any changes, just click the "Continue in Safe Mode" button, as shown in these screenshots.
When you select the checkbox for any of these troubleshooting options and click the "Make changes and restart" button, your Mozilla application will restart in normal mode with the selected changes. Warning: These changes will be permanent, meaning they will remain in effect in subsequent browser sessions. Some of these changes will be hard to reverse unless you have a recent profile backup. [7]
Note: Starting in Firefox 15, Firefox Safe Mode has been redesigned and no longer offers these troubleshooting options. Instead, when you restart in Safe Mode, you will be given the choice to either "Start in Safe Mode" or "Reset Firefox", as shown in this screenshot. When multiple profiles exist, the "Reset Firefox" feature is only available in the "default" profile (e.g., the last profile started in the Profile Manager, which would be the profile that includes the line "Default=1" in the profiles.ini file). The Reset Firefox option does not appear if you bypass the Profile Manager to start a non-default profile. [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]
The following Safe Mode options are available in Firefox 14 and below, in current versions of SeaMonkey, and in Thunderbird, as indicated.
- Disable all add-ons - Disables all themes and extensions; starting in Firefox 3.5, this option also disables all installed plugins. [13] To reverse this change, use the Add-ons Manager to selectively re-enable each add-on when you restart Firefox (details here).
- Reset toolbars and controls (Firefox, Thunderbird) or Reset toolbars and window sizes (SeaMonkey) - Removes any toolbar customizations you may have made via the "Customize Toolbar" dialog. Also restores default window size/position and tree sort order and resolves various localstore corruption issues. Warning: Unless you made a backup copy of localstore.rdf, this change cannot be reversed without re-customizing your toolbars.
- Delete all bookmarks except for backups (SeaMonkey or Firefox 3.6 and above [14]) or Reset bookmarks to Firefox defaults (Firefox 3.5 and below) - Replaces your bookmarks with the default set of bookmarks (your browsing history is left intact). If you select this option and want to undo the change, you will need to restore your bookmarks from backup.
- Reset all user preferences to (Firefox or SeaMonkey) defaults - Resets any user-set preferences to the default values (except for those set in the optional user.js file) and restores the default theme. Does not affect any userChrome.css or userContent.css changes. In SeaMonkey, selecting this option is not recommended because it removes all Mail and Newsgroup Account settings and access to saved mail will be lost for those accounts. Warning: This change cannot be reversed unless you made a backup copy of the prefs.js file.
- Restore default search engines - Adds back all of the default search engines included with your version of Firefox or SeaMonkey, if some are missing. It does not remove any added search engines and you can later remove any unwanted search engines that were added back.
Buttons
- Make Changes and Restart - This restarts the application in normal mode and applies permanent changes in any of the options selected above.
- Continue in Safe Mode - Starts the application in Safe Mode (this will not apply any of the options selected above).
- Exit
See also
External links
- Safe Mode (Firefox Support)
Related bug reports
- Bug 294260 - Safe Mode: Auto detect previous start-up failure and offer to start in safe mode (Fixed in Firefox 13)
- Bug 303279 - Safe Mode: Use "safe" localstore
- Bug 304403 - better safe mode UE
- Bug 311466 - {mac} Open app in safe-mode if the option key is pressed during startup
- Bug 333808 - safe mode should disable userContent.css and userChrome.css (Fixed in Firefox 3.6)
- Bug 342333 - Safe mode should disable plug-ins
- Bug 409959 - Safe mode option to disable all add-ons doesn't disable plugins (Fixed in Firefox 3.5)
- Bug 453642 - Safe mode should disable JIT (Fixed in Firefox 3.5)
- Bug 478846 - Safe mode should not disable JIT
- Bug 573538 - No options for Safe-Mode (fixed in SeaMonkey 2.1)
- Bug 591139 - Disable hardware acceleration in safe mode (Fixed in Firefox 4)
- Bug 542122 - Add menu command to restart in safe mode (Fixed in Firefox 4)
- Bug 602562 - Add keyboard modifier to start in safe mode for windows (Fixed in Firefox 4)
- Bug 732303 - Redesign safe mode dialog with the profile reset option (Fixed in Firefox 15)