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

Since updating Firefox, Google appears as a string of foreign characers

  • 3 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 8 views
  • Last reply by cor-el

more options

Hi, since updating Firefox, as the title says, any google page just appears as a string of foreign characters. I've had pages like this before, but only when connecting to live streams. I've disabled all Google-related plugins and addons, but still the problem persists. The solution in the other thread to do with about:config (changing an option to 'true' failed. The only other difference to it is that it won't connect in http any more, just https. Any help?

Hi, since updating Firefox, as the title says, any google page just appears as a string of foreign characters. I've had pages like this before, but only when connecting to live streams. I've disabled all Google-related plugins and addons, but still the problem persists. The solution in the other thread to do with about:config (changing an option to 'true' failed. The only other difference to it is that it won't connect in http any more, just https. Any help?

Chosen solution

Hey TheDefiniteArticle,

We've been tracking this issue for a few days now. What date did it start to occur? Wondering if it's an extension update or something.

  1. In the url bar, type about:config and hit enter. Confirm that you will be careful and proceed.
  2. In the search bar at the top of the page, past this text without the quotes "network.http.accept-encoding"
  3. This should narrow down the values in the config file to a single line. In the column that says "Value" please tell me what you see.
  4. This field should read "gzip, deflate" without the quotes. If that is not the value, double click on that field and paste this vale in.
  5. Restart Firefox and try a page that has had strange encoding previously.
Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (3)

more options

Chosen Solution

Hey TheDefiniteArticle,

We've been tracking this issue for a few days now. What date did it start to occur? Wondering if it's an extension update or something.

  1. In the url bar, type about:config and hit enter. Confirm that you will be careful and proceed.
  2. In the search bar at the top of the page, past this text without the quotes "network.http.accept-encoding"
  3. This should narrow down the values in the config file to a single line. In the column that says "Value" please tell me what you see.
  4. This field should read "gzip, deflate" without the quotes. If that is not the value, double click on that field and paste this vale in.
  5. Restart Firefox and try a page that has had strange encoding previously.

Modified by Matt_G

more options

Hi, thanks! That's working a treat! It was set to blank - a 'user set' thing (seeing as I've never messed with the config I presume it was one of my addons).

more options