Join the AMA (Ask Me Anything) with the Firefox leadership team to celebrate Firefox 20th anniversary and discuss Firefox’s future on Mozilla Connect. Mark your calendar on Thursday, November 14, 18:00 - 20:00 UTC!

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

Downloaded Version 4 - My tabs dont save on exit - have tried all the suggested solutions in help but still doesnt work

  • 2 replies
  • 49 have this problem
  • 9 views
  • Last reply by cor-el

more options

Firefox suggested downloading the latest version (4.0). I downloaded - but then my tabs did not save for the next session. I tried all the suggested solutions in "Help" but the tabs still do not save on exit.

Firefox suggested downloading the latest version (4.0). I downloaded - but then my tabs did not save for the next session. I tried all the suggested solutions in "Help" but the tabs still do not save on exit.

All Replies (2)

more options

One of the changes in Firefox 4: by default Firefox 4 does not display the "Save Tabs and Exit" warning message when closing multiple tabs, but it can be turned back on by changing some preferences.

  • Saving tabs was not removed from Firefox 4, but it works a bit differently.
    • By default, Firefox 4 will not ask to save tabs, but instead it will always save your tabs on exit. You can restore them next time by choosing "Restore Previous Session" from the History menu, or pressing the restore button on Firefox's default home page.
    • Note: This was a decision by the developers. On this forum, we are all uncompensated volunteers here to help other users. The developes/employees of Mozilla/Firefox rarely, if ever visit here.

Also make sure you do not clear "Browsing History" when using Clear Recent History:

To display the "Save Tabs and Exit" message when closing multiple tabs, you can do the following:

  1. Type about:config in the URL/Location/Address bar and press the Enter key
  2. Accept the warning message (promise to be careful)
  3. The preferences page/list will open
  4. Filter = browser.tabs.warnOnClose
  5. If its value is set to false, double-click on it (in the lower panel) to toggle its value to true
  6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for these following 3 preferences also:
    • browser.warnOnQuit
    • browser.warnOnRestart
    • browser.showQuitWarning
  7. See:




You need to update the following:

  • Shockwave Flash 10.2 r152
  • Next Generation Java Plug-in 1.6.0_23 for Mozilla browsers
  1. Check your plugin versions on either of the following links':
  2. Update the Flash plugin to the latest version.
    • Download and SAVE to your Desktop so you can find the installer later
    • If you do not have the current version, click on the "Player Download Center" link on the "Download and information" or "Download Manual installers" below
    • After download is complete, exit Firefox
    • Click on the installer you just downloaded and install
      • Windows 7 and Vista: may need to right-click the installer and choose "Run as Administrator"
    • Start Firefox and check your version again or test the installation by going back to the download link below
    • Download and information: http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/
      • Use Firefox to go to the above site to update the Firefox plugin (will also install plugin for most other browsers; except IE)
      • Use IE to go to the above site to update the IE ActiveX
    • Download Manual installers.
  3. Update the Java plugin to the latest version.
more options

Make sure that you do not use Delete browsing, search and download history on Firefox to clear the "Browsing History"