Hi,

You can try deselecting Use hardware acceleration when available in Tools (Alt + T) > Options > Advanced > General. Options > Advanced and restart.

Options

Hardware Acceleration

That did not change how it works.

This first started yesterday, after I had already used the browser without incident, and I had not turned the computer off since then. It actually started when I noticed my theme had graphical issues with my buttons. I changed back to the default theme and that fixed, but the issue with the blank tabs stayed.

I really want this fixed because it makes me worry about my computer having a virus or something though I am careful and my antivirus hasn't caught anything.

Start Firefox in Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode to check if one of the extensions or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem (switch to the DEFAULT theme: Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Appearance/Themes).

• Don't make any changes on the Safe mode start window.
• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Safe+Mode

• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Troubleshooting+extensions+and+themes

Safe mode doesn't fix the issue, which doesn't surprise me since nothing changed until after the issue started when I tried to fix it.

The blank tabs still make my screen turn completely black after a couple seconds.

I'm using an HDMI connection to my monitor, if that would matter at all.

Useful information, many thanks to the author. It is puzzling to me now, but in general, the usefulness and importance is overwhelming. Very much thanks again and good luck! Please keep up the good articles, thanks!

(unrelated links removed by mod)

Can you also try to Disable all the Plugins in Tools > Add-ons after starting in safe mode.

I tried that. It didn't work. It must be an issue with Firefox or my computer somehow, but it only affects blank tabs in Firefox.

Please also check in a new profile.In the Windows Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Event Viewer > Windows Log, you can try to check for any messages related to Firefox in the Application branch and also for any messages/errors related to graphics in the System branch after this occurs. If possible you can also try to check in Windows Safe Mode.

I looked where you said, though it was the first I ever heard of that area of my computer so it was confusing. I only saw one reference to Firefox, but it was a rare crash likely because I left it open over night. It is an error that has happened before and shown me an error box, but rarely ever happens.

I did not see any reference to my screen darkening or any graphics errors for any of the times that the screen darkened.

It never does bring up an error box. It is as if my computer is intentionally making the screen black, as if the monitor went into sleep mode yet not sleep mode.

This is really odd. I have no idea why this started, especially considering nothing on my computer had changed at the time. It's just as if my computer just automatically changed something on me.

One thing to note.... Firefox has been asking me if I want it to remember passwords for sites again, since the problem started, as if I never set those settings before.

I don't have any idea if that has anything to do with the problem though.

Can you also check in Windows Safe Mode?? This would help to eliminate many different possible causes.

The problem did not occur in safe mode, but why? That will be hard to figure out the cause.

It could be an issue with the screensaver (perhaps 3D) kicking in, if this is happening at the start of idle time, or it could be the graphics functionality getting stuck at idle time when a program is active. You can try to change the screensavers to none or set another one to test. You can also try to definitely eliminate Firefox functionality as a cause by creating a new profile and deselecting hardware acceleration in it. Please also, check to make sure that there are no default Extensions or themes (Appearance) in Tools (Alt + T) > Add-ons and also Disable all the Plugins.

It's not the screensaver or 3D, as my computer was in use and I don't have the hardware "oomph" for 3D. I have had hardware acceleration disabled since it was first suggested.

I accidentally figured out a partial fix though. My screen does not go black when the Firefox window is not maximized.

If I have it any size other than maximized it will not make my screen go black. I have no clue why the orientation of the program window matters.

On a hunch.... I had recently changed my color options, under Options>Content>Colors, so that the background of a blank tab was the lower left "pure black". That was the problem.

I changed the background color to the grey directly above that lower left black square and the issue is now gone.

Why would the background color being "pure black" make my monitor go all black?

I don't know if there is any bug related to this. But this happens in spite of disabling hardware acceleration and doesn't happen in Windows safe mode. So it could be more than a Firefox issue. You can also file a detailed report here. Hopefully a definite solution can be determined.

I reported it there.

I think the reason it did not happen in Windows safe mode was either because the Firefox window was smaller, perhaps not maximized, or it changed the display settings for my entire computer.

Either way, safe mode changes a lot of things so it would be very hard to figure out what change fixed the issue, if any.

I just know that it only happens when I have the default Firefox background color set to "pure black" and the window maximized with a blank "new tab" as the "active tab".

Thanks for reporting. Please do keep us updated. It would be helpful.

After further thought, maybe it's a graphics driver issue or something as I have seen this happen before with full screen applications and movies that have a "pure black" screen for just a coupel seconds.

I have no idea who to ask for help with that though.

Thankfully, I have been able to work around it to use my computer, but I hope it does not get worse.

You can also post here. Hopefully there could be a graphics or OS tweak/solution.