In Firefox 29 and higher, there isn't any built-in option to hide the main navigation toolbar, so there isn't any way built-in way to turn it back on.

To rule out extensions as a possible culprit, could you try Firefox's Safe Mode? That's a standard diagnostic tool to bypass interference by extensions (and some custom settings). More info: Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode.

You can restart Firefox in Safe Mode by tapping the Alt key to display the classic menu bar, then

Help > Restart with Add-ons Disabled

After Firefox closes, it should display a small dialog: click "Start in Safe Mode" (not Reset)

Is the toolbar there?

Another thing Safe Mode does it ignore the localstore.rdf file, which contains toolbar layout information and sometimes can become corrupted. To eliminate localstore.rdf as a factor, you can rename the file and customize from scratch.

Open your current Firefox settings (AKA Firefox profile) folder using either:

• "3-bar" menu button > "?" button > Troubleshooting Information
• (classic menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
• type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter

In the first table on the page, click the "Show Folder" button.

Leaving that window open, switch back over to Firefox and Exit

Pause while Firefox finishes its cleanup, then rename localstore.rdf to something like localstore.old

Start Firefox up again. Hopefully your navigation toolbar will appear normally.

Hello,

Safe mode starts by holding the shift key down and launching FF. Using the alt key did nothing.

I did start it in safe mode and the problem wasn't there. I un-installed and reinstalled Firefox and it was back again.

I was unable to follow the instructions for localstore.rdf. I was unable to open current Firefox settings (AKA Firefox profile) folder by these instructions. The first two weren't present and about:support simply takes you to a bunch of troubleshooting links.

I then launched Firefox as a reset and now it looks and acts correctly. I had hoped to avoid a lot of time and trial / error issues, but this was not to be. Thank you for trying to help!

I didn't mean to suggest you couldn't come back with interim results and get further suggestions.

The Reset feature moves your old settings folder to the desktop, inside an Old Firefox Data folder. If you find that something essential is missing, please post back for suggestions on how to recover it from that folder.

Hello, how would I know something essential is missing? I'm not being rude, I simply don't know. It's like the tools that were given for finding the possibly corrupt folder, but if none of those are there or don't work, then how do you know where they are? I do see the folder on my desktop. Is it something I can safely delete once I have FF restored to how I want it to behave?

My plan now is to re-install the crucial add-ons that I like and see what happens as each one is activated. It is extremely frustrating when programs like FF make changes that cause a nightmare of problems for the end user, because they think there is a feature we can do without. If they'd left the navigation toolbar option in the system then this never would have been a time-sucking issue.

I do thank you for your help.

Hi ChrystinP, you wrote:

It is extremely frustrating when programs like FF make changes that cause a nightmare of problems for the end user, because they think there is a feature we can do without. If they'd left the navigation toolbar option in the system then this never would have been a time-sucking issue.

Mozilla didn't remove the navigation toolbar. What you saw in Firefox's Safe Mode is the normal uncustomized operation. The problem most likely was due to (1) one of your extensions or (2) the localstore.rdf file that you were not able to find.

The most likely thing to be missing after a reset, once your have reinstalled the extensions that work correctly, is data stored those extensions. In some cases, this is just a few settings and no special effort is justified. In other cases, well, you'll know if something important to you is missing.

The most likely cause is an installed extension or a problem with a theme (less likely that this would hide the NT completely).

You didn't include the troubleshooting information that includes a list of installed extensions.

• Help > Troubleshooting Information

Otherwise we might have been able to give more precise suggestions.

An extension like the Classic Theme Restorer adds the choice to toggle the NT off/on to the toolbar context menu.

Did you miss the button in the first section on the troubleshooting information page?

• Help > Troubleshooting Information > Profile Directory: Show Folder (Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder)