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Firefox won't save previous tabs IF another instance of Firefox is running including Private mode

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  • Last reply by marhan91

marhan91
marhan91
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For example, say, you have 3 opened tabs in a Firefox (FF) windows. Normally, when you close FF and then re-open FF, it restores 3 previous opened tabs.

But, if you have another FF windows opened at the same time, when you close the FF windows with the 3 opened tabs and re-open back a new FF windows, FF won't restore the 3 opened tabs.

Same thing happens when you have another Private FF windows at the same time, when you close the non-Private FF with the 3 opened tabs, and then you re-open FF, it loses the 3 opened tabs.

That's why you can see 'countless' question about lost opened session, because of the issue above along with crash etc.

Is this a bug or a known feature?

For example, say, you have 3 opened tabs in a Firefox (FF) windows. Normally, when you close FF and then re-open FF, it restores 3 previous opened tabs. But, if you have another FF windows opened at the same time, when you close the FF windows with the 3 opened tabs and re-open back a new FF windows, FF won't restore the 3 opened tabs. Same thing happens when you have another Private FF windows at the same time, when you close the non-Private FF with the 3 opened tabs, and then you re-open FF, it loses the 3 opened tabs. That's why you can see 'countless' question about lost opened session, because of the issue above along with crash etc. Is this a bug or a known feature?

Chosen solution

Make sure you do not close Firefox by clicking the close X on the Firefox Title bar as that only closes the current window. If you have multiple windows or Private Browsing windows open, then you run the risk of losing tabs in unnoticed windows.

  • "3-bar" menu button -> Exit (Power button)
  • Windows: File -> Exit
  • Mac: Firefox -> Quit Firefox
  • Linux: File -> Quit

You can check if you can reopen a closed window (Firefox remembers three closed windows) "History -> Restore Previous Session" and "History -> Recently Closed Windows/Tabs".

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All Replies (3)

marhan91
marhan91 Question owner
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Related question: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1409205

Helpful?

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
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Chosen Solution

Make sure you do not close Firefox by clicking the close X on the Firefox Title bar as that only closes the current window. If you have multiple windows or Private Browsing windows open, then you run the risk of losing tabs in unnoticed windows.

  • "3-bar" menu button -> Exit (Power button)
  • Windows: File -> Exit
  • Mac: Firefox -> Quit Firefox
  • Linux: File -> Quit

You can check if you can reopen a closed window (Firefox remembers three closed windows) "History -> Restore Previous Session" and "History -> Recently Closed Windows/Tabs".

Helpful?

marhan91
marhan91 Question owner
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Thanks for the workaround, didn't know that.

Another workaround that I found:

  • Close 'main' Firefox on last, e.g. you have one main FF and one temporary FF, so always make sure you close the temporary FF first before the main one, so FF will retain last opened tab for the main FF (risky to do)
  • Using additional Portable Firefox (Portableapps.com), so each FF will have it's own saving last opened tab. (no risk)

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