I want to downgrade Firefox but keep all of my open tabs?
Despite having the never update Firefox option picked, Firefox force-updated me to the lastest version. Which I hate. It looks terrible, none of my extensions or add-ons work anymore, and the most important one, which gives Firefox the classic look, cannot be updated with the new Firefox (which doesn't support those types of extensions, I think was what they said). It also seems slower, if anything.
I have a bunch of tabs open though, and I would like to keep these tabs. Is there a way to downgrade Firefox to an older, better version yet keep my open tabs?
Thanks.
Réiteach roghnaithe
Hi Aurus, hedge your bets and make a backup. Notes below the break.
Firefox 56 and 57 use a different session history file format than earlier versions, so you won't be able to easily restore your recent tabs to an earlier version. If you need to do that, you can convert to the old sessionstore.js format using a tool on my website: https://www.jeffersonscher.com/res/scrounger.html
Please back up these files "just in case":
You can open your current Firefox settings (AKA Firefox profile) folder using either
- "3-bar" menu button > "?" button > Troubleshooting Information
- (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
- type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter
In the first table on the page, click the "Open Folder" (or "Show in Finder") button.
Double-click into the sessionstore-backups folder. These are the most interesting files:
- recovery.jsonlz4: the windows and tabs in your currently live Firefox session (or, if Firefox crashed at the last shutdown and is still closed, your last session)
- recovery.baklz4: a backup copy of recovery.jsonlz4
- previous.jsonlz4: the windows and tabs in your last Firefox session
- upgrade.jsonlz4-build_id: the windows and tabs in the Firefox session that was live at the time of your last update
The other stuff is from Firefox 55 or earlier.
Read this answer in context 👍 2All Replies (3)
Firefox comes in two or more folders on all computers. They are;
Maintenance: (Programs Folder) <Windows Only> Firefox itself: (Programs Folder) And two folders in the profile of each user on the computer for each Firefox profile for that user.
If you remove the Firefox folder, the user folders would not be affected.
First, Type about:preferences#advanced<enter> in the address bar. Under Advanced, Select Update.
[v56+] Type about:preferences#general<enter> in the address bar. Select Update.
Select Never Check For Updates.
Also turn off Use a background service to install updates
Install Older Version Of Firefox {web link} Be sure to read everything here.
If you still want to downgrade, look under; I still want to downgrade. Click the Directory of other versions and languages link. Look for the directory of the version that you want. But, remember that old versions may have security issues.
You should also check out Firefox; Extended Support Release {web link} ESR Notes System Requirements
You ignored virtually everything I said, so I want to make sure that when you say to remove the Firefox folder, ALL of my tabs will remain and NOT get deleted?
Réiteach Roghnaithe
Hi Aurus, hedge your bets and make a backup. Notes below the break.
Firefox 56 and 57 use a different session history file format than earlier versions, so you won't be able to easily restore your recent tabs to an earlier version. If you need to do that, you can convert to the old sessionstore.js format using a tool on my website: https://www.jeffersonscher.com/res/scrounger.html
Please back up these files "just in case":
You can open your current Firefox settings (AKA Firefox profile) folder using either
- "3-bar" menu button > "?" button > Troubleshooting Information
- (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
- type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter
In the first table on the page, click the "Open Folder" (or "Show in Finder") button.
Double-click into the sessionstore-backups folder. These are the most interesting files:
- recovery.jsonlz4: the windows and tabs in your currently live Firefox session (or, if Firefox crashed at the last shutdown and is still closed, your last session)
- recovery.baklz4: a backup copy of recovery.jsonlz4
- previous.jsonlz4: the windows and tabs in your last Firefox session
- upgrade.jsonlz4-build_id: the windows and tabs in the Firefox session that was live at the time of your last update
The other stuff is from Firefox 55 or earlier.