Address bar and tabs not clickable after running Firefox for some time

[lcfreitasf]

As per title. Randomly, after some time, the address bar and tabs no longer respond to clicks. You have to close the browser and open again. It keeps happening though. I don't know if this is related, but this never happened before and started happening some time after the most recent update.

118.0.1 (64 bit) - OS Ubuntu 20.04

[lcfreitasf]

I forgot to add: pages displayed work as normal (except that you can't change the tab). Minimize, Maximize and Close buttons also work as normal.

[hluaces_sketch]

Same thing here.

Essentially, I can't click:

- address bar
- the "star" icon
- forward, back and refresh buttons
- all extensions
- minimize, maximize and close buttons
- any button

I'm using:

- Ubuntu 24
- Firefox 138.0.1, as provided by the official apt repo

List of extensions:

- 1password
- joplin web clipper
- kagi search
- simple tab groups
- ublock origin

[birdi]

Hi! Happening to me as well, you are the only other person I've found with the same issue. I believe the original post is about a slightly different issue.

I am on 138.1.1(-1), on EndeavourOS and my list of extensions is as follows:
- uBlock Origin
- Bitwarden
- BetterTTV
- Plasma Integration

Really annoying issue because it's not consistently repeatable, I can't test what could be causing it. This has been happening for about a week now.

At least your post tells me it's not specific to Arch/EndeavourOS, KDE Plasma or my extensions (except maybe uBlock Origin, doubt it).

Please let me know if you find anything. Also probably should make a proper post about this, for more visibility.

EDIT:
Found a matching bugzilla entry
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1964372

[hluaces_sketch]

Hey there! thanks for letting me know, although it really does seem like the same issue to me.

I've read the bugzilla entry you've linked, and while it looks similar, the video attached to it is not showing the same behavior as my case. When it happens to me, the interface does not respond at all: I can't close tabs, select the address bar, click on icons, and so on. Note how the clip  shows how tabs can actually be interacted with (e.g.: the user is closing them) and how they react somehow to the user inputs by displaying tooltips and thumbnails, which they didn't do in my case.

Is your case the same?

[birdi]

I just got the bug again and managed to test a few things. After some persistent clicking, dragging tabs around, and resizing/fullscreening the window, I was somehow able to unstuck the address bar without needing to restart. In the Bugzilla video, the user also couldn't close tabs at first, until it suddenly started working again. I forgot to check the tooltips this time (I'm always in the middle of something when this happens).

I think this might be different from the original post in this thread, since they mention not being able to switch tabs, whereas I’ve always been able to. Also it's from two years ago. Still, it’s probably a similar underlying issue.

[hluaces_sketch]

Note I have several firefox windows open. This seems to only happen on one of them (the first that I've opened).

[MALWARE]

Same for me. Arch Linux, Firefox 138. Cant click on address bar, on menu, on extension icons, back, refresh buttons. Can switch tabs, but can't close them. Only restart helps.

[birdi]

Found some more bugzilla issues which seem related:
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1961060
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1964500
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1964617
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1955112 (might include more than one issue)

[frankuster]

Same issue on Arch, Mozilla Firefox 138.0.1. Address bar is unresponsive, so are extensions, the burger menu etc. Bookmarks can be clicked, and tabs can be closed by middle clicking them but not by closing them with the x button. Opening a new tab lets you access the address bar once (it's already selected). A really frustrating bug

[datdutch]

Also affected. Home button and downloads dropdown can still be clicked everything else is unresponsive. also cant close tabs clicking the button but I can still switch between tabs

[birdi]

After reading some of the bugzilla issues and getting this bug again a few times, I've noticed that simply rearranging tabs by dragging will unlock the address bar and buttons again. I've tested it twice now and it has worked instantly both times. So while we wait for a fix, this might be a good solution. Certainly a lot less annoying than restarting the whole browser.

Meanwhile I've gotten plenty of other issues, PiP randomly popping up when switching streams on twitch, a few weird hangs and new tab backgrounds being blank when the computer is rebooted (I've had to click the "Reset to default" button, restart the browser and then set the background again.)

Also the new custom backgrounds flicker when you interact with anything. I know this is not the place for these reports but just wanted to say that 138 has felt pretty rough as a whole.

[Forwat]

I have the same issue on fedora, you fix work thanks

[augustineps]

that just worked instantly. THANKS. I was managing with Ctrl+L all this while for the taskbar whenever it went wrong

[greylander]

I am experiencing this too. firefox on a very recent insall of Kubuntu 25.04. 138.0.1 (64bit).

This is the snap distribution of firefox. I'm using extensions darkreader, Enhancer for Youtube, uBlock origin, and youtube column customizer. But I don't think it's the extensions.

My guess is the problem is something to do with snap & apparmor.

Going to change my firefox to the deb version and see if that helps.

[hluaces_sketch]

I've always been using the deb package, so I doubt that snap is the culprit in this particular problem.

I've just had another hang and what Birdi suggested works: by rearranging the tabs the UI got unstuck.

[greylander]

There may be other causes of firefox hanging. Though in my troubleshooting of this it was mentioned firefox can end up later updating to the snap version after you've installed the deb version, unless you take some steps to prevent that from happening.

The apparmor issue is very noticable and switching to deb version or otherwise disabling apparmor from messing with firefox (put it in "complain" mode for firefox, for example) solved my lagging issues. I never tested the "move tabs around" workaround to see if that would get it unstuck.

Currently I just use brave(chromium) & librewolf(mozzilloid) and avoid the mainstream browsers. I've also removed snap entirely from my Kubuntu system. I'm tempted to completely rip apparmor out as well.

[runlevel0]

KDE Neon.
No Apparmour, same issue.

I do suspect the Plasma add-on.

It would be nice to know if all the people reporting this issue are using KDE?

[runlevel0]

Same here. Deb package, official Ubuntu.

[Arkevorkhat]

Also experiencing this issue. Running Firefox 138 on Arch Linux, installed using pacman from the official arch repos. Generally occurs after I've had more than a couple tabs open for more than an hour. Only fix currently is to close all open windows and start a new session.

[Zhenyapav]

Also experienced this, Arch Linux, Librewolf (firefox fork), both from AUR and Flatpak. Rearranging tabs helps

[Maicon]

Same problem with Firefox 138 on Fedora 42 (Flatpak or RPM) on Wayland.

On X11 is ok.

[DragoonAethis]

One more "me too" on Arch (138.0.3 from official repos) with KDE on Wayland. Happened a few times over the last week or so, restarting helps.

[gcad]

Same issue with Firefox 138.0.1 for Fedora, on Fedora 41.

The temporary fix of dragging the tabs around did work, though.

[kkjdroid]

Same issue, KDE neon Noble, Firefox 138.0.3 deb, more extensions than I care to list. Dragging tabs does work as a workaround.

[hugoameln]

I have this on librewolf (a firefox fork) 138.0.4-1 as well. I am on fedora 42 KDE

[cippo1987]

Same problem here with Ubuntu 24.10, 138.0.1 (64-bit) using SNAP. All the menu and address bar are blocked.
The problem goes away if i rearrange the tab.

[heinzA1]

Same here. Happens also in the private mode.

Running Firefox 138.0.4, 64bit, deb-version.

[Alr888]

The same issue, I have 138.0.4, kubuntu 25.04. My fix restart firefox, very annoying.

[yonseca]

Same issue here. Firefox 138.04, up-to-date Arch Linux, Gnome Shell 48.1.

Before restarting I try to focus the address bar with control-L, then navigate with tab/shift+tab and enter.

[runlevel0]

Hmm, not the Plasma addon then???

[tetsuo]

Same here. Firefox for Fedora 138.0.1 (Fedora 6.14.6-200.fc41.x86_64)

[Daskye]

Same, problem goes away if I re-arrange tabs. In Zen browser (firefox fork)

[gamerwepx19]

Yes re-arraning works. But this thread started on 2023 2 years later and still same problem. And its linux (arch) specific because in my windows boot , it works fine there

[Daskye]

Interesting, I'm also using Arch

[birdi]

Still happening in 139.0

[nobkd]

Same issue on my end. I'm on FF 138.0.4, Fedora 42 KDE
Happened 2 times in the last week. Saw another person with the same issue.
Re-arranging tabs solves it for me too.