If anyone knows, could you please let me know if this is a known bug. Thanks.

I have seen several posts about it and have recently experienced it myself. Some users previously had the browser reporting a problem restoring tabs when they had NOT selected that option. Perhaps in their zeal to correct that, the developers have created the problem I and others are experiencing. Your version pre-dates the change.

I suggest exiting from the menu rather than closing windows.

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/97.0.1/releasenotes/

Thanks.

I find it so upsetting that developers make changes for the sake of change and as a result, every new version is delivered with significant problems. That's why I resist upgrading, never any visible benefit, only new problems to fight.

I tested quitting Firefox and when I reopen it, the tabs are NOT restored. It is an obvious bug. I tried to find it in the bug list, but it is too cryptic.

What do you mean by exiting from menu? If I quit or restart, tabs are not restored.

Make sure you do not run Firefox in permanent Private Browsing mode (Always use Private Browsing mode; Never Remember History).

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/private-browsing-use-firefox-without-history
• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/common-myths-about-private-browsing

• Settings -> Privacy & Security
  Firefox will: "Use custom settings for history"
• remove checkmark: [ ] "Always use Private Browsing mode"

Thanks. I NEVER use Private Browsing mode and I always go back to History to find entries. My settings are not what you mentioned.

The problem is very easy to replicate for anyone who cares to see it. Just quitting Firefox will do the job, with zero options to reopen the tabs that were previously open. It is not a good "feature". it used to work before without any issues.

It would be great if developers would not try to "fix"/change what works.

Does it work with the startup setting to restore the tabs ?

• Settings -> General -> Startup

Startup was always set (and it is set now) to "open previous windows and tabs". As I mentioned before, the problem happens despite this setting. Anyone can easily repeat it. Thanks.

Does Firefox update the recovery files in the sessionstore-backups folder ?

You will normally find these files in the sessionstore-backups folder:

• previous.jsonlz4 (cleanBackup: copy of sessionstore.jsonlz4 from previous session that was loaded successfully)
• recovery.jsonlz4 (latest version of sessionstore.jsonlz4 written during runtime)
• recovery.baklz4 (previous version of sessionstore.jsonlz4 written during runtime)
• upgrade.jsonlz4-<build_id> (backup created during an upgrade of Firefox)

You can check for problems with the sessionstore.jsonlz4 file in the Firefox profile folder that stores session data.

• rename/remove sessionstore.jsonlz4 and sessionstore.js

You may also have to rename the sessionstore-backups folder.

When sessionstore.jsonlz4 is deleted you lose pinned-tabs and open tabs and you will have to recreate them, so if necessary make a note or bookmark them. sessionstore.jsonlz4 is only present in the Firefox profile folder when Firefox is closed.

You can use the button on the "Help -> More Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page to go to the current Firefox profile folder or use the about:profiles page (Root directory).

• Help -> More Troubleshooting Information -> Profile Folder/Directory:
  Windows: Open Folder; Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder
• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-firefox-stores-user-data

I appreciate your replies, cor-el. I am sorry, but these instructions are WAY over my head. I am just a plain old user, not a systems programmer, assuming that applications work without someone debugging them.

Ever since I started using Firefox and until I upgraded to version 95, I never had this problem. I always have quite a few open tabs, so I can testify that they always opened after I quit Firefox.

In the past and now, when I decide to Quit Firefox, a message was/is displayed asking me to: "Confirm before closing multiple tabs" or cancel. I never had any other options.

Please let me know the following: - if this is not a bug but an intended feature, then how can I quit without closing tabs? Is there any way to do that? - if one cannot quit without closing tabs, then what is the setting for "open previous windows and tabs" good for? When can the previous tabs be opened at startup (after what method of exiting Firefox)?

Hopefully you or someone else who knows, can at least explain the "thinking" behind what's happening.

Thanks.

It's definitely not an intentional change to lose tabs.

When this happens, does "Recently Closed Windows" list any other windows, other than the one that Firefox opened?

There was a bug several versions back where a window could become corrupted and tab history wasn't saved for that window, causing the tabs in that same window to be lost session after session when that corrupted window was restored. This should have been fixed a while ago, but to be safe(r), you could open a new window (Command+N) for each group of tabs that address a different subject so all your eggs aren't in the same basket of the first opened window. When you Firefox > Quit, these will all be considered "open" windows that should be restored automatically.

Thanks, jscher2000.

I checked now and "Recently Closed Windows" lists 3 windows: 2 untitled and one for a website I tried to open earlier.

I also followed your advise and opened another window with a few tabs. I quit Firefox and the tabs in the new Window were restored. I will continue to split tabs to be on the safe side as after loosing them the first time, it happened multiple other times with brand new, extra clean windows. It might be one of those intermittent bugs, but quite frustrating if you are counting on the tabs opening.....