Join the AMA (Ask Me Anything) with the Firefox leadership team to celebrate Firefox 20th anniversary and discuss Firefox’s future on Mozilla Connect. Mark your calendar on Thursday, November 14, 18:00 - 20:00 UTC!

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

firefox 20 in private browsing clicking to see a video clip (ex. youtube) quite often opens the non private tabs

  • 4 replies
  • 4 have this problem
  • 20 views
  • Last reply by JoaoNT

more options

when surfing in private browsing (firefox 20 and OS windows 7) it happens often (not always) that clicking to see a video clip (in youtube for example) opens the non private tabs. I need to over the mouse on the firefox icon in quick start tool bar to show bowth browsing modes and then open the private browsing tab or tabs. Although I use chrome less then 5% the time and 95% firefox this never happened with chrome.

when surfing in private browsing (firefox 20 and OS windows 7) it happens often (not always) that clicking to see a video clip (in youtube for example) opens the non private tabs. I need to over the mouse on the firefox icon in quick start tool bar to show bowth browsing modes and then open the private browsing tab or tabs. Although I use chrome less then 5% the time and 95% firefox this never happened with chrome.

Chosen solution

I think I was distracted by the private/non-private aspect...

There is a bug with the Flash plugin (version 11.3 and higher) on Windows 7, even in all non-private browsing, where opening a page with Flash media causes that window to move behind another Firefox window -- if no other pages have used Flash within the previous 3 minutes. You can read more about that bug in this thread: Opening New Windows and Shockwave Flash.

It's possible that the isolation between private and non-private windows has made this problem worse, if each new window gets its own load of Flash, but I haven't experimented with it just yet to see whether that seems to be the case.

Read this answer in context 👍 3

All Replies (4)

more options

As you know, Firefox 20 has a whole new way of doing private browsing ,so some bugs are to be expected.

I didn't think it was possible to open a non-private tab in a private window. When I try to drag tabs between a regular window and a private window, Firefox will not move them.

If you mean that you've discovered a link that launches a new non-private window from a private window, perhaps this is a link inside the Flash plugin itself? Firefox might be failing to detect that those originated in a private window. If you can spot a pattern to it, that would be really helpful in tracking it down.

more options

Many thanks for your help. The problem I refer it's easier than the approach you suggest in the second part of your answer. Let me put in a very simple way what happens. I start firefox in the normal way, non private session and suppose I have two or three tabs opened. Then I decide to start a private browsing, again with two or three tabs. Both browsing modes are opened as we can see overing the mouse on the firefox icon and it's possible to choose one of them clicking on the image over the icon. What happens frequently is when in private browsing clicking to see a video clip, for example in youtube, instead of opening the video clip and continuing in private browsing, the existing non private session opens exactly as it was. The video clip opens and the private browsing session continues. If you over the mouse on the firefox icon you can see the two sessions namely the private with the video clip playing. Just click on it and you change to the private session. So, there are not non private tabs opened in the private window nor any link that launch a new window. Both sessions stay as they where it's just a small inconvenience that to get the private session you need to over the mouse and click on it. As you suggest it seems more a small bug due to the new way of doing private browsing. Kind regards

more options

Chosen Solution

I think I was distracted by the private/non-private aspect...

There is a bug with the Flash plugin (version 11.3 and higher) on Windows 7, even in all non-private browsing, where opening a page with Flash media causes that window to move behind another Firefox window -- if no other pages have used Flash within the previous 3 minutes. You can read more about that bug in this thread: Opening New Windows and Shockwave Flash.

It's possible that the isolation between private and non-private windows has made this problem worse, if each new window gets its own load of Flash, but I haven't experimented with it just yet to see whether that seems to be the case.

more options

Many thanks jscher That explains why I never had this problem with chrome, although as said I use this browser only about 5% of the time, as chrome doesn't use the Adobe flash plugin. Hope they will solve this problem soon although the inconvenience is really small at least in my case. Once more again thanks and accept my best regards.