Firefox update notifications no longer appear
Firefox no longer prompts when an update is available for download on Windows 11 (still seems to work on Windows 10 though). I have "Check for updates but let you choose to install them" selected in settings. On my Windows 10 machine, I always get prompted to download a new Firefox update. On Windows 11, nothing. I'd never know a new version was available if I hadn't already been prompted by Firefox on my Win 10 machine.
Outside of the OS, all the Firefox settings and addons are identical between the two machines. I do have sync on for Firefox. Notifications are turned on in Win 10 and Win 11, but Firefox isn't listed as an app in either to turn notifications off or on in Windows. Not certain why I'm notified on one computer but not the other regarding Firefox updates being available.
Issue seems to have begun with Firefox 110.
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Did you get Firefox 110.0.1 a couple weeks ago?
With "Check for updates but let you choose to install them", you've probably gotten used to Firefox displaying a little drop-down from the main menu button at the right end of the toolbar when an update is available. It doesn't send that to Windows, or at least I've never seen it there.
When a new major version is released, the update server limits the number of Firefox users who get the update during the first few days while Mozilla watches for any catastrophic problems. So if your Firefox checked for updates, there is a good chance the update server will deny that one is available during those first few days until the developers have given the all clear.
I did not get notified on the Win 11 machine regarding 110.0.1. I was prompted to download the update on my Win 10 machine. I waited 3 days on the Win 11 machine for an update prompt, never got one and finally updated manually.
I can't recall ever being prompted to download/install an update for Firefox on the Win 11 machine, but it is a fairly new (3 months old) computer and Firefox's behavior hasn't been a primary concern.
I included the Windows notification settings info for completeness of information, I doubted Firefox uses that subsystem for notifications, but wanted to include everything I checked that might be related.
I do understand that Firefox uses a 'slow rollout' process for major version updates. It was the release 110.0.1 that caught my attention.
Thanks for the response.
Has Firefox been able to find updates if you open the dialog at
- menu button > Help > About Firefox
- (menu bar) Help > About Firefox
Yes, I can update fine from the dialog you cited. Issue is that (on Win 11 computer) I'd never know about a pending update to Firefox unless I manually check for one. The notification you mentioned in your first response never appears. I'm never prompted to download a new version of Firefox. I only know if I check manually on Win 11 Firefox or when I see the notification/prompt on my Win 10 Firefox.Thanks.
Thank you for testing that. It sounds like Firefox can reach the update server on its own, so maybe there is a problem with the frequency of update checks or the background task that can check even while Firefox is closed. Hopefully someone else can suggest what to check next.