Old Mac OS X systems can't update beyond Firefox 78 and were moved to Firefox 78 ESR - see Firefox Mac OS X 10.9, 10.10 and 10.11 users move to Extended Support Release (quote) Firefox version 78 is the last supported Firefox version for Mac users of OS X 10.9 Mavericks, OS X 10.10 Yosemite and OS X 10.11 El Capitan. Your User Agent shows that you posted with Firefox 78 on Mac OS X 10.15 which should be able to run the latest Firefox 81 version.

I don't know how you were switched to ESR - maybe you were using an older Mac operating system (such as OS X 10.11 El Capitan) and then later updated your Mac OS? In any case, you can update to the regular Firefox release channel by downloading and installing Firefox 81 from Mozilla's Firefox download page. See How to download and install Firefox on Mac for more information.

That answers why! Thank you. I'd been running El Capitan and am now running Catalina. If I download/install Firefox 81 using the method outlined above, will it be like a regular update? Does ESR need to be deleted/will I be having multiple versions of Firefox? I'm hoping all data migrates over directly and that when I open Firefox again that all my open tabs and saved sessions will remain.

Best is to drag the 78 ESR version to the Trash and install the current release. Hopefully Firefox will pickup your old profile (not sure about the switch from ESR to Release). If Firefox complains then delete the compatibility.ini file in the hidden profile folder.

• ~/Library/Application Support/Firefox/Profiles/<profile>
• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-firefox-stores-user-data

I think it would work to simply download Firefox 81 and install it "over the top" of your current version (which would be in the "Applications" folder by default), using the instructions in the How to download and install Firefox on Mac article. However, you can delete the Firefox 78 application first to be on the safe side - see Uninstall Firefox from your computer.

All of your Firefox user profile data should migrate since it's stored in a separate location.

Hi, I'm here with the same problem and hoping that an upgrade to normal releases will end the constant "Are You a Human" baloney and refusal to shut down.

I'm on OSX Catalina 10.15.7 and running ESR 78.4. Missing some important things, the browser is crippled since upgrading. I'm downloading the latest release tonight and installing in the morning. I'll see if that can be installed over this old esr release. I had thought it would upgrade but it has been weeks of misery.

Thank you for making this answer findable!

Updated this morning and it went so smooth - as I've come to appreciate about FF. Settings and profile just slipped into place as it installed over the latest esr. :)

Now, if I could get back some oulde favorite tools I would be thrilled, but I am happy enough. Thank you for the great product and community.

2fer, Thanks for the feedback, that installing the latest Firefox version over ESR 78.4 worked for you.

Since the original question by the thread owner 777bb ("Why am I running Firefox ESR?) was answered, I'll mark this question solved.

For the record, the question owner sent me this in a PM: 777bb said

I'd meant to get back to the forum, but I've only followed through now, moments ago and see that the thread has since been closed. I trashed the previous version and downloaded the new using Safari, opened it up and everything seems to work great!