Try hitting the F11 key. I had this problem and it fixed it for me. It's a toggle that takes it back and forth, showing and not-showing the toolbars. Gives you more space to read the webpages, which on small screens could be a blessing. Hope this works for you!

Common questions after updating Firefox

• https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/common-questions-after-updating-firefox

Check and tell if its working.

I tried hitting the F11 key but nothing happens. I've had to use CTRL W to get out. It's not satisfactory. All I did was update and now nothing works right.

• 'X' mark appears on a Tab only when you click on that Tab OR when you are currently using that Tab
• 'X' mark Always appears at the right-corner on a Window irrespective of the number of Tabs opened in it

Troubleshooting extensions and themes

• https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Troubleshooting%20extensions%20and%20themes

Check and tell if its working.

How am I supposed to exit Firefox when the "x" at the top has disappeared?

That X is for closing the Window not for closing Firefox.

One reason for missing the the Close Window button would be if you had the "Auto Hide" extension and have bookmarks on top or hide the title bar with the extension in full Window mode (similar to full screen but within the Window boundaries). Simply using F11 for Full Screen and then F11 again to toggle out of Full Screen might fix the problem.

You can make Firefox 5.0 look like Firefox 3.6.19, see numbered items 1-10 in the following topic Fix Firefox 4.0 toolbar user interface, problems (Make Firefox 5.0, or 4.0.1, look like 3.6). Whether or not you make changes, you should be aware of what has changed and what you have to do to use changed or missing features.

• http://dmcritchie.mvps.org/firefox/firefox-problems.htm#fx4interface

That X is for closing the Window not for closing Firefox.

To properly close Firefox use File -> Exit, or the new "Firefox" button then Exit. You can always use "Alt" to display the menu. If in Full Screen mode (F11) you may have to press "Alt" a second time for the menu to appear.

Failure to properly close Firefox will result in more frequently have Firefox hang, and have to use the Windows Task Manager to close Firefox. While it may affect other systems as well the problem is much more prevalent on Windows systems.

Failure to close Firefox properly will cause problems for people using app-tabs, Though people using app-tabs in my opinion should also have those app-tabs bookmarked in a folder for situations where they do lose all of their tabs or some of their app-tabs.

Okay, I'm confused. I know the "x" is to close the window, but Firefox is the one that has made it disappear so I can't close it. I thought that when I was ready to get off the internet, closing the window WAS closing Firefox (or IE, for that matter). So how is this "closing Firefox properly" done?

I finally have (how I don't know) been able to get my screen back the way it was (not like the older version, but at least I have "File Edit View History Bookmarks Tools and Help back at the top).

As far as I know I never touched anything saying auto hide. What I stupidly hit was full screen not knowing what it meant. They should make it easier to get back out of something like that. From now on I'll just never try new stuff...obviously you can enter a maze that you can't get out of unless you're a geek.

Thank you for your help, though. Still I fail to see how this upgrade is better. It is worse. And there is no choice but to get the upgrade or dire circumstances will result according to Firefox.

So to close Firefox I now need to use three steps instead of one? I've been closing the internet using the "x" since forever (13 years anyway). Never read anywhere or had anyone tell me that was wrong before. So evidently I've been doing it wrong all alone. Oh, well.

What new Firefox button? There is a very small one at the top left of my screen, is that it? I guess just hit Close.

I only have Bookmarks, no app-tabs that I'm aware of, I never even heard of them before.

Thanks for trying to help, if it weren't for other users on forums no one would get help with anything at Firefox I guess. Not weird I suppose; it's the same with Blogger, Google and Picasa. Of course there is no help at all with Facebook.

So is your problem resolved now ??

for latest Firefox features, see this:

• http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/central/

The new Firefox button is mutually exclusive (or at least it's supposed to be) to the menu bar, so by showing the menu bar you won't (usually) see the Firefox button.

Closing the last Window works for most applications and browsers and certainly better than in Firefox which may open sub-tasks. Neither Microsoft nor Mozilla knows why it is a problem with Firefox. Mozilla will not work on solving it unless offered a real solution because there is a way of closing Firefox to avoid the problem -- in other words Mozilla doesn't think a lot of people have the problem. If I ever run across the Microsoft KB article I will include it along with one of the Mozilla references in item #38 close Firefox

http://dmcritchie.mvps.org/firefox/firefox-problems.htm#close_firefox

If you want to close Firefox and immediately restart it use the "Restartless Restart" extension via its keyboard shortcut. (link to the extension is in item #38 link)

Never heard of "app-tabs", they were mentioned on the startup and videos for Fx4 and Fx5, really they were, but you would think there would at least be a link for "App Tabs" (without the hyphen) in the following

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/features/

To put your toolbars like you used to have them or at least understand the changes use the link in the second part of my first reply referring to ten (1:10) steps.

http://dmcritchie.mvps.org/firefox/firefox-problems.htm#fx4interface

With Full Screen (F11) you will not see the Window Close button ("Ctrl+Shift+W"). In full screen mode you can move the cursor up to the top of the screen to see the toolbars or toggle out with F11. The shortcut you mentioned ("Ctrl+W") closes a tab so if that closed your window then it was the only tab AND do you don't always show your tabs bar (tab strip) which makes for interesting anomalies, Tools > Options > Tabs >

[x] Always show the tab bar.

Please don't take offense, I know you're trying to help but this seems to be getting more and more complicated. For instance, I'm not even sure what the tabs bar is, but I always have to show it now?

It seems that I have to go through all this rigamarole to recognize and/or understand how to do things that I was able to do with ease on the old Firefox. That seems an unbelievably stupid way to supposedly progress, but I guess Mozilla doesn't care. I first changed to Firefox a few years ago and really liked it and it seemed more trouble-free than IE, but I'm seriously thinking of going back to IE, because all these sudden complications are ridiculous. I shouldn't have to be a computer genius to use a browser.

You said "If you want to close Firefox and immediately restart it use the "Restartless Restart" extension via its keyboard shortcut. (link to the extension is in item #38 link)" ...whaaaat? I don't know what you're saying at all. How would I know the "Restartless Restart" extension's keyboard shortcut? What is "item #38 link"? Actually, I don't understand anything you said after "immediately restart it..."  :(

Well, I got back my "x" but now I'm afraid to use it since I found out I've been doing that wrong for 13 years. *big sigh*

Okay, never ever worry. Unless you see "Firefox already running" whenever you try to start the browser after closing it (and have to end the Firefox process through the Task Manager), you can safely close your browser by closing the [X] button in the upper-right corner of the screen. However, if you're encountering that error, however unlikely that is, you should close it by choosing File-Exit in the browser's main menu (or Exit in that newly invented ugly orange shtick). It's still pretty easy, and just the same way it works for the absolute majority of programs.

Try "Reset all user preferences to Firefox defaults" and "Reset toolbars and controls" on the Safe mode start window.

• https://support.mozilla.com/kb/Safe+Mode
• Help > Restart with Add-ons Disabled

See also:

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Corrupt_localstore.rdf