Uninstalling Firefox: Difference between revisions
Alice Wyman (talk | contribs) m (→Removing user profile data: removed reference to pluginreg.dat) |
Alice Wyman (talk | contribs) (added Vista uninstall steps on Windows; noted that the Firefox 3 uninstaller includes an option to remove the user profiles, added related bug report) |
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This article contains instructions to uninstall Firefox and remove it from your system. Make sure you complete the last step, removing the user profile data, if you wish to completely remove Firefox or perform a clean reinstall. | This article contains instructions to uninstall Firefox and remove it from your system. Make sure you complete the last step, [[#Removing user profile data|removing the user profile data]], if you wish to completely remove Firefox or perform a clean reinstall. | ||
''' | '''Important:''' You should set another ''default browser'' if you are not going to reinstall Firefox and it is currently the default [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=255225]. You can use the information in [[Default browser | this article]] as a general guide. | ||
==On Mac OS X== | ==On Mac OS X== | ||
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==On Windows== | ==On Windows== | ||
[[Kill application |Exit Firefox completely]], then: | [[Kill application |Exit Firefox completely]], open the Windows Control Panel and then, | ||
* | * ''On Windows Vista,'' go to "Programs -> Programs and Features", select Mozilla Firefox <version> and click click Uninstall. [http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/help/be5d0190-7bdc-412e-b342-04471a2f56ca1033.mspx] | ||
* ''On Windows XP (or earlier)'', double-click "Add or Remove Programs" Select "Mozilla Firefox <version>" in the list of installed programs and click "Remove" to run the uninstaller. | |||
Even if the uninstall fails, as it may [http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=418369 in some cases], continue on with the rest of the uninstall instructions. | |||
*Delete the Firefox [[Installation directory]], located here, by default: <tt>C:\Program files\'''Mozilla Firefox'''</tt>. | *Delete the Firefox [[Installation directory]], located here, by default: <tt>C:\Program files\'''Mozilla Firefox'''</tt>. | ||
*Enable viewing or searching hidden files and folders (details [[Finding the profile folder on Windows#Viewing hidden files and folders |here]]) then delete these additional files or folders: | *Enable viewing or searching hidden files and folders (details [[Finding the profile folder on Windows#Viewing hidden files and folders |here]]) then delete these additional files or folders: | ||
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'''This step is recommended if you had problems with Firefox and are now preparing for a "clean reinstall"''' or if you want to completely remove Firefox from your system. This will remove the [[Profile_folder_-_Firefox|Firefox user profile data]], which includes bookmarks, passwords, cookies, preference settings and added extensions: | '''This step is recommended if you had problems with Firefox and are now preparing for a "clean reinstall"''' or if you want to completely remove Firefox from your system. This will remove the [[Profile_folder_-_Firefox|Firefox user profile data]], which includes bookmarks, passwords, cookies, preference settings and added extensions: | ||
[[Profile backup| Back up your profile data]] so that you can restore it later, if you wish, then delete (or rename) the '''Firefox''' folder in the [[Profile_folder_-_Firefox#Finding_the_profile_folder | default profile path]]. This folder includes the "Profiles" subfolder and the "[[profiles.ini file |profiles.ini]]" file. In Windows XP, for example, go to "Start -> Run -> (type in) %APPDATA% -> click OK" to open the hidden Application Data folder, then open the "Mozilla" folder and delete (or rename) the "Firefox" folder. | [[Profile backup| Back up your profile data]] so that you can restore it later, if you wish, then delete (or rename) the '''Firefox''' folder in the [[Profile_folder_-_Firefox#Finding_the_profile_folder | default profile path]]. This folder includes the "Profiles" subfolder and the "[[profiles.ini file |profiles.ini]]" file. In Windows XP, for example, go to "Start -> Run -> (type in) %APPDATA% -> click OK" to open the hidden Application Data folder, then open the "Mozilla" folder and delete (or rename) the "Firefox" folder. '''Caution:''' Do not simply delete the profile folder that contains your user data, as doing so can result in a [[Profile_in_use#Check_the_profile_folder_name_and_location | "profile in use" or "already running"]] message when you next attempt to run Firefox ([https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=278860 bug 278860]). | ||
''' | '''Note:''' Starting in Firefox 3.0, the Firefox uninstaller (on Windows) includes the option, "Remove my Firefox personal data and customizations" which, if selected, removes your Firefox user profile data. [http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=613552] | ||
==Related | ==Related bug reports== | ||
*[https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=338752 Bug 338752 - Firefox will not uninstall using the uninstall/install utility in WindowsME Control Panel] | * [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=338752 Bug 338752 - Firefox will not uninstall using the uninstall/install utility in WindowsME Control Panel] | ||
*[https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=330885 Bug 330885 - uninstaller hangs waiting for parent process to disappear] | * [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=330885 Bug 330885 - uninstaller hangs waiting for parent process to disappear] | ||
* [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=398434 Bug 398434 – Provide option to remove profiles during uninstall] | |||
[[ | [[Category:Installation and update (Firefox)]] | ||
Revision as of 01:46, 31 December 2007
This article contains instructions to uninstall Firefox and remove it from your system. Make sure you complete the last step, removing the user profile data, if you wish to completely remove Firefox or perform a clean reinstall.
Important: You should set another default browser if you are not going to reinstall Firefox and it is currently the default [1]. You can use the information in this article as a general guide.
On Mac OS X
Drag the Firefox application to the Trash.
On Linux
Remove the firefox Installation directory, usually: /usr/lib/firefox-<version>. For example, if using Firefox 1.0 it would be: /usr/lib/firefox-1.0
On Windows
Exit Firefox completely, open the Windows Control Panel and then,
- On Windows Vista, go to "Programs -> Programs and Features", select Mozilla Firefox <version> and click click Uninstall. [2]
- On Windows XP (or earlier), double-click "Add or Remove Programs" Select "Mozilla Firefox <version>" in the list of installed programs and click "Remove" to run the uninstaller.
Even if the uninstall fails, as it may in some cases, continue on with the rest of the uninstall instructions.
- Delete the Firefox Installation directory, located here, by default: C:\Program files\Mozilla Firefox.
- Enable viewing or searching hidden files and folders (details here) then delete these additional files or folders:
- The Firefox folder that contains temporary data ( *.mfl files, Cache and Updates), located here: Important: Make sure you delete the Firefox folder under Local Settings or Local. Deleting the wrong folder will remove your user profile data!
- Windows 2000/XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox
- Windows Vista: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Mozilla\Firefox
- Windows Vista: The C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox folder [3] (if it exists)
- Windows XP/Vista: Delete all C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch\FIREFOX* files
- If you installed the Quality Feedback Agent component (aka Talkback), open the %APPDATA%\Talkback\MozillaOrg\ folder and delete all "Firefox<somenumber>" folders found, for example, "Firefox10" "Firefox15" and "Firefox2".
- The Firefox folder that contains temporary data ( *.mfl files, Cache and Updates), located here: Important: Make sure you delete the Firefox folder under Local Settings or Local. Deleting the wrong folder will remove your user profile data!
- If necessary, remove the "Mozilla Firefox" shortcuts in the Windows Start -> Programs menu by right-clicking and deleting the entries. (This step should not be needed unless the Add/Remove Programs uninstaller in the first step failed.)
The Firefox uninstall will leave behind some Windows registry entries, which can be cleaned up using Windows regedit or a 3rd party registry cleaner. Note: registry editing is a potentially hazardous undertaking!.
You may also need to manually change some file associations or icons in your Windows "Folder Options -> File Types" even after setting a new default browser, as reported here.
Removing user profile data
This step is recommended if you had problems with Firefox and are now preparing for a "clean reinstall" or if you want to completely remove Firefox from your system. This will remove the Firefox user profile data, which includes bookmarks, passwords, cookies, preference settings and added extensions:
Back up your profile data so that you can restore it later, if you wish, then delete (or rename) the Firefox folder in the default profile path. This folder includes the "Profiles" subfolder and the "profiles.ini" file. In Windows XP, for example, go to "Start -> Run -> (type in) %APPDATA% -> click OK" to open the hidden Application Data folder, then open the "Mozilla" folder and delete (or rename) the "Firefox" folder. Caution: Do not simply delete the profile folder that contains your user data, as doing so can result in a "profile in use" or "already running" message when you next attempt to run Firefox (bug 278860).
Note: Starting in Firefox 3.0, the Firefox uninstaller (on Windows) includes the option, "Remove my Firefox personal data and customizations" which, if selected, removes your Firefox user profile data. [4]
