Avatar for Username

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

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

Why does Firefox keeps randomly switching between windows?

  • 4 replies
  • 3 have this problem
  • 18 views
  • Last reply by testy

testy
testy
more options

If I have several windows open in firefox, it will randomly switch from one window to another. Seems to be worse if I have a lot of tabs open. It doesn't switch to another tab in the same window - it just jumps to the visible tab in another window. Its seems pretty random - I can be watching a video, scrolling down a page, or waiting for a page to load, when it will just switch to another window. I can usually switch right back, but sometimes it will do it repeatedly. For example, I was just watching a video on NYTIMES.com and it kept jumping to another window every few seconds. I would switch back to the video, and it would jump to a different window (same one every time).

I am running 44.0.2 on windows 7. I usually have 2-4 windows open.

If I have several windows open in firefox, it will randomly switch from one window to another. Seems to be worse if I have a lot of tabs open. It doesn't switch to another tab in the same window - it just jumps to the visible tab in another window. Its seems pretty random - I can be watching a video, scrolling down a page, or waiting for a page to load, when it will just switch to another window. I can usually switch right back, but sometimes it will do it repeatedly. For example, I was just watching a video on NYTIMES.com and it kept jumping to another window every few seconds. I would switch back to the video, and it would jump to a different window (same one every time). I am running 44.0.2 on windows 7. I usually have 2-4 windows open.

All Replies (4)

John99
John99
more options

Interesting. My Firefox has been doing that, but I do not mind and thought maybe I had deliberately turned on the new Push notifications option, but apparently I have not.

Do you have the push notifications turned on. Are the tabs it switches to or tries to switch to part of a single website.

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

This can also happen if a plugin like Flash is used in the other window.

You can check for issues caused by plugins.

  • set plugins to "Ask to Activate" on the about:addons page (3-bar Menu button/Tools > Add-ons > Plugins)
  • plugins are not affected by Firefox Safe Mode
testy
testy Question owner
more options

John99 said

Interesting. My Firefox has been doing that, but I do not mind and thought maybe I had deliberately turned on the new Push notifications option, but apparently I have not. Do you have the push notifications turned on. Are the tabs it switches to or tries to switch to part of a single website.

I haven't turned on push. It doesn't switch to a different tab in the same window or to a different place on a page, it jumps from window to window.

testy
testy Question owner
more options

I don't cor-el said

This can also happen if a plugin like Flash is used in the other window. You can check for issues caused by plugins.
  • set plugins to "Ask to Activate" on the about:addons page (3-bar Menu button/Tools > Add-ons > Plugins)
  • plugins are not affected by Firefox Safe Mode

I don't think that is it. the page it switches to can be any page (flash or not). it is usually the "next" window down (i.e. if I had minimized the first window, it would be the next window I would see). It is kind of like the active window suddenly jumps to the back.