TL;DR
If your Firefox keeps crashing on your Mac, try these solutions:
- Clear Download History: Clear Firefox’s download history to fix crashes related to downloading files.
- Create a New Places Database: Reset the places database to fix random freezing issues, but note that this will delete today’s history and bookmarks.
- Turn off Hardware Acceleration: Disable hardware acceleration in Firefox settings to resolve crashes caused by conflicts with your Mac’s configuration.
- Check for Updates: Ensure Firefox is up to date to prevent crashes from outdated software.
- Boot into Safe Mode: Boot your Mac into Safe Mode to identify and disable conflicting plugins or extensions in Firefox.
- Reinstall Firefox: Uninstall and reinstall Firefox to fix persistent crashing issues by resetting the browser.
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 really frustrating, especially when you’re in the middle of something important. But I’ve found some solutions that actually work. In this post, I’ll share the simple steps I’ve used to fix this problem and keep Firefox running smoothly. Let’s fix those crashes together.
Before We Begin
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6 Quick Fixes to Try If Firefox Keeps Crashing on Your Mac
To fix the Firefox keeps crashing on your Mac issue, start by clearing your download history to free up resources. If the problem persists, try turning off hardware acceleration in the settings, and make sure Firefox is up to date.
You can also boot your Mac into Safe Mode to check for conflicting plugins or extensions, and if needed, create a new places database to fix any corrupted files. If all else fails, reinstall Firefox to ensure a fresh start.
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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. Clear Download History
Browser crashes can be frustrating, be it Safari crashing or Firefox. When Firefox freezes or crashes while downloading files, clearing your download history can often resolve the issue. 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.
2. 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.
Here’s how to create a new places database on Firefox:
- 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.
3. Turn off Hardware Acceleration
Hardware acceleration can sometimes conflict with certain configurations on your Mac and lead to crashes in Firefox. Disabling hardware acceleration might resolve the issue.
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.
4. Check for Updates
Outdated software can often cause compatibility issues and lead to Firefox 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.
5. Boot into Safe Mode
If Firefox keeps crashing on your Mac even after updating the app, booting your Mac into Safe Mode is your next step. It can help identify any conflicting plugins or extensions which you can disable and use Firefox without the 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.
6. Reinstall Firefox
If Firefox still crashes after trying the above steps, reinstalling the browser can help resolve any underlying issues.
Follow these instructions to reinstall Firefox on your Mac:
- 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.
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.”
Why Does Firefox Keep Crashing on Your Mac?
There can be several reasons why Firefox might be crashing on your Mac. Here are some common causes:
- 🔍 Outdated Firefox version: If your Firefox is outdated, it can cause crashes and freezes. It is because the outdated version is incompatible with newer system requirements.
- 💀 Corrupted Firefox profile: Sometimes, the user profile that Firefox uses to store settings and data can become corrupted, leading to crashes.
- ⚠️ Conflicting software: Other software installed on your Mac, such as security software, ad blockers, or other browser extensions, can also interfere with Firefox and lead to crashes.
- 💾 Insufficient system resources: If your Mac is running low on memory (RAM) or disk space, it can impact Firefox’s performance and stability.
- 🎮 Graphics driver issues: Outdated or incompatible graphics drivers can cause crashes in Firefox. Make sure your Mac has the latest graphics drivers installed.
- ⚙️ Hardware issues: In rare cases, a faulty hardware component can cause Firefox crashes. If Firefox is consistently crashing even after trying the above steps, it might be worth considering a hardware issue.
⚙️ Not all plugins are compatible with macOS, which can cause Firefox to crash. Always check plugin compatibility before installation.
Prevent Firefox Crashes With MacKeeper in Just One Click
If Firefox keeps crashing on your Mac, consider a one-click solution like MacKeeper before trying other solutions. MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup feature scans and cleans up Mac’s storage system, removing unwanted or unnecessary files and optimizing performance.
Here’s how to use the Safe Cleanup feature:
- Download and install MacKeeper on your Mac.
- Launch the app and open Safe Cleanup from the Cleaning section.
- Click Start Scan.
- Select the files you want to remove or click Check All.
- Click Clean Junk Files.
- This will remove the selected junk files from your Mac. You can click Rescan to repeat the process.
What Else Can MacKeeper Do?
Besides cleaning up junk files from your Mac, MacKeeper can remove login items, run a virus scan on your Mac, and free up memory. If you’re interested in learning about its other features, read my detailed MacKeeper review.
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:
- Unnecessary browser extensions can cause your browser to slow down. Learn how to remove browser extensions on Mac.
- If you use Safari, learn how to clear Safari cache on Mac to enhance its performance.
- Sometimes, corrupt websites can also cause browser crashes. Learn how to block websites on Safari on Mac to prevent crashes.
