TL;DR
If your Firefox keeps crashing on your Mac:
- Update Firefox to prevent crashes.
- Clear download history to fix crashes.
- Disable hardware acceleration to resolve conflicts.
- Use Safe Mode to disable conflicting plugins.
- Reset database to fix freezes (deletes today’s history/bookmarks).
- Reinstall Firefox to fix persistent crashes.
Tried and Tested ✅: The methods and steps mentioned in this article have been tried and tested firsthand by Ojash Yadav on his MacBook Pro M3 and rechecked for errors on Hashir’s MacBook Air M2.
Firefox crashing on your Mac can be incredibly frustrating, especially when you’re in the middle of something important. Don’t worry—I’ve tried a few solutions that actually work. In this post, I’ll walk you through simple steps to fix the problem and keep Firefox running smoothly.
6 Quick Fixes to Try If Firefox Keeps Crashing on Your Mac
Why You Can Trust MacBook Journal 
We always conduct first-hand research and verify every method or solution we present, ensuring you receive reliable and effective advice. Learn more about our process.
Keep reading for a step-by-step guide for each of the six methods to fix the Firefox keeps crashing on your Mac issue:
1. Check for Updates
Ensure your Firefox browser is up-to-date to fix compatibility issues and crashes. Make sure your Firefox browser is up to date by following these steps:
- Open Firefox, click Firefox in the menu bar, and select About Firefox.
- The About Firefox page will open and automatically check for updates.
- If updates are available, click the Restart to Update Firefox button to install them.
- This should resolve the Firefox crashing on your Mac issue.
Ensure that your version of Firefox is compatible with your macOS version. Some older versions of macOS may not support the latest Firefox features, leading to crashes.
2. Clear Download History
Removing old download history can resolve crashes that occur during file downloads. Follow these steps to clear your download history on Firefox:
- Open Firefox, click the Firefox menu button in the top-right corner, and select Downloads.
- In the Downloads Library, click Clear Downloads to remove the download history.
- Now, restart Firefox to check if it still crashes.
To learn how to clear cookies on Mac, read my detailed guide here.
Tip: For additional cleanup, tools like MacKeeper can help optimize your Mac’s performance.
3. Turn off Hardware Acceleration
Disabling hardware acceleration can prevent crashes caused by performance conflicts. Follow these steps to turn off hardware acceleration:
- Open Firefox, click Firefox in the menu bar, and select Settings.
- In the General tab, scroll down to the Performance section.
- Uncheck the box next to Use recommended performance settings.
- Uncheck the box next to Use hardware acceleration when available.
- Restart Firefox to apply the changes.
⚙️ Not all plugins are compatible with macOS, which can cause Firefox to crash. Always check plugin compatibility before installation.
4. Boot into Safe Mode
Safe Mode helps identify and resolve plugin or extension conflicts causing Firefox crashes. Here’s how to boot your Mac into Safe Mode:
On Apple Silicon Macs
- Click the Apple icon and choose Shut Down from the drop-down menu.
- Wait for your Mac to shut down completely and press the power button to turn it on.
- Keep holding the power button until you see the Loading startup options screen.
- Select a volume from the options.
- Press and hold the Shift ⇧ key and click Continue in Safe Mode.
- Your Mac will restart automatically, and you will see Safe Boot in the menu bar when the login screen appears.
On Intel-Based Macs
- Restart or turn on your Mac and press and hold the Shift ⇧ key immediately.
- Keep holding the Shift ⇧ key until you see the login screen.
- Release the Shift ⇧ key and log in to your Mac.
- You may be asked to log in again.
- You’ll see Safe Boot in the menu bar on your first or second login window.
- Open Firefox and check if it works properly in Safe Mode.
- If Firefox works fine in Safe Mode, you may need to remove certain plugins or extensions causing the crashes.
- To exit Safe Mode, restart your Mac normally.
5. Reinstall Firefox
If Firefox still crashes after trying the above steps, reinstalling the browser can help resolve any underlying issues:
- Close Firefox and open the Applications folder in Finder.
- Locate the Firefox application and drag it to the Bin.
- Click Go in the menu bar and select Go to Folder.
- Enter the following path in the text box and press Enter:
~/Library/
- In the Library folder, navigate to the Caches and Application Support folders, locate the Firefox folder in each, and delete it.
- Visit the official Mozilla Firefox website and download the latest version of Firefox for Mac.
- Install Firefox by following the on-screen instructions.
6. Create a New Places Database
If Firefox freezes randomly, it’s possible the database in Firefox has become corrupted. Resetting the places database can resolve this issue.
Resetting the places database will delete today’s history and bookmarks.
- Click the Firefox menu, select Help, and choose More Troubleshooting Information.
- In the Application Basics table, locate the Profile Folder section and click Show in Finder.
- In the Finder window, navigate to the profile folder named gdpl1e1q.default-release (the name may vary slightly).
- Quit Firefox completely.
Warning ⚠️ : Frequent crashes might indicate deeper system issues. If Firefox continues to crash after troubleshooting, consider checking your Mac for hardware problems or system corruption.”
Stop Firefox Crashes on Mac
Now that you know how to fix Firefox crashing on Mac, learn how to improve your browsing experience further with these tips:
- Remove unnecessary browser extensions to avoid slowdowns.
- Clear Safari cache to boost performance.
- Block corrupt websites on Safari to prevent crashes.
