If Firefox feels slow, keeps crashing, or behaves strangely, restoring it to its factory settings can often solve the problem. Resetting Firefox returns the browser to its original state, fixing performance issues, crashes, or bugs caused by add-ons, settings changes, or corrupted data.
What Happens When You Reset Firefox?
Resetting Firefox reverts any changes you’ve made to the browser and restores the default configuration:
- The default search engine is restored
- Custom homepages are removed
- Installed extensions and add-ons are disabled
- Performance and accessibility settings return to their defaults
It also clears your browsing data and stored information:
- Browsing history is deleted
- Cookies and cached files are cleared
- Site permissions and preferences are reset
- Saved passwords and autofill data are removed
In short, resetting Firefox gives you a completely fresh start, just like when you first installed it.
When Should You Reset Firefox?
A reset can fix many common browser issues, such as:
- Slow performance or freezing
- Frequent crashes or errors
- Unexpected homepage changes or redirects
- Annoying pop-ups or intrusive ads
If you suspect Firefox has been affected by malware, a reset can help remove malicious changes and disable harmful extensions. It’s a quick and effective way to fix major problems without needing to reinstall the browser.
Keep in mind that resetting Firefox will sign you out of websites and remove your custom settings, but it usually restores smooth and stable browsing.
How to Reset Firefox to Default Settings
Choose your operating system below and follow the steps to reset Firefox back to its default state.
Reset Firefox for Windows
The reset option helps fix most browser problems by restoring Firefox to its factory settings while keeping essential data such as bookmarks, passwords, form entries, browsing history, and open tabs.
To reset Firefox for Windows, follow these steps:
Click the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner and then click on “Help”.
Click on Firefox’s main menu button, represented by three horizontal lines. When the drop-down menu appears, select the option labeled “Help“.
Click “More troubleshooting information”.
From the Help menu, click on “More troubleshooting information“.
Click on “Refresh Firefox”
When the “Troubleshooting Information” page opens, click on the “Refresh Firefox” button.
Confirm that you want to reset your browser settings.
To finish the reset process, click on the “Refresh Firefox” button in the new confirmation window that opens.
Click “Finish”.
Firefox will now close itself and will revert to its default settings. When it’s done, a window will list the information that was imported. Click on “Finish“.
Your old Firefox profile will be placed on your desktop in a folder named “Old Firefox Data“. If the reset didn’t fix your problem you can restore some of the information not saved by copying files to the new profile that was created. If you don’t need this folder any longer, you should delete it as it contains sensitive information.
Reset Firefox for Mac
Just like on Windows, the reset option on Mac fixes many browser issues by restoring Firefox to its factory settings while preserving important data like bookmarks, saved passwords, autofill information, history, and open tabs.
To reset Firefox for Mac, follow these steps:
Go to the “Help” menu.
Click on Firefox’s main menu button, represented by three horizontal lines. When the drop-down menu appears, select the option labeled “Help“.
Click “Troubleshooting Information”.
Next click on the “Troubleshooting Information” option as indicated by the arrow in the image below. This will bring you to a Troubleshooting page.
Click on “Refresh Firefox”
Click the “Refresh Firefox” button in the upper-right corner of the “Troubleshooting Information” page.
Confirm.
To continue, click on the “Refresh Firefox” button in the new confirmation window that opens.
Click on “Finish”.
Firefox will close itself and will revert to its default settings. When it’s done, a window will list the information that was imported. Click on the “Finish“.
Reset Firefox for Android
Unlike the desktop versions, Android’s Firefox doesn’t include a built-in reset option. To restore default settings, you need to clear the app’s data. This will remove cached files, cookies, and stored site preferences, essentially giving you a fresh start.
To reset Firefox for Android, follow these steps:
Open the “Settings” app.
From your home screen or app drawer, tap on the Settings app.
Tap on “Apps”.
In the Settings menu, tap on Apps (or App Manager) to view all installed applications.
Find and select Firefox.
Scroll through the list of installed apps until you find Firefox, then tap on it to open the app’s details.
Tap “Storage”.
Once in the app’s info page, tap on Storage.
Tap “Manage Space”.
Under the storage section, select Manage Space (or Manage Storage).
Tap “Clear all data”.
Select Clear all data to remove all Firefox data, including settings, bookmarks, and accounts.
Confirm by tapping “OK”.
When the confirmation dialog appears, tap OK to complete the reset process.
That’s it. Firefox will now be restored to its default settings. To enhance your browsing safety, we recommend installing an ad blocker such as AdGuard to prevent malicious or misleading ads.
If your system still shows signs of infection after resetting Firefox, follow these additional steps:
- Run a full scan with Malwarebytes Free
- Ask for expert assistance in our Malware Removal Help forum