Feedback: Automatic Updates and Forced Browser Restarts

[Aura]

Automatic Updates and Forced Browser Restarts are a bad idea. They can interrupt the browsing experience, and can cause people to lose a lot of text if they are in the process of composing a piece of written work - be that an email or a post on a website or a submission to an online writing challenge or something else - due to automatic updates that start without their permission and then force a browser restart automatically, without giving them a warning they can actually use to save whatever it is they're working on BEFORE Firefox decides to reboot.

This was a bad idea for MicroSoft Windows, and it's a bad idea for Mozilla Firefox.

[Agentvirtuel]

Hello

Update Firefox to the latest release
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/update-firefox-latest-release

For information purposes
https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/discussions/forced-restart/m-p/43683
https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/discussions/upgrade-notification-spam/m-p/64080/highlight/true#M22529

[ThePillenwerfer]

If you go to Settings and scroll nearly to the bottom you can change "Automatically install updates (recommended)" to "Check for updates but let you choose to install them."

[Agentvirtuel]

Hello

Firefox options, preferences and settings
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-options-preferences-and-settings#w_general

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Firefox Updates
This is where you can check your update history or change update settings for Firefox.

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Question? are the options the same if it's an download Firefox on Windows from the Microsoft Store
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/download-firefox-windows-microsoft-store

An subject https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1403147

[RancidPoncho]

I'm not sure what version you're referring to but on 131.0.3 there is no longer any options in the settings menu to change the behavior or updates.

Even the link you sent no longer shows any details about accessing update history or changing update settings.

Beyond automatic updates...there should be more user control around what tasks firefox adds to the scheduler. Does it really need to check for updates every hour of every day? No wonder this browser is such a memory hog.

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@Agentvirtuel wrote:

Hello

Firefox options, preferences and settings
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-options-preferences-and-settings#w_general

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Firefox Updates
This is where you can check your update history or change update settings for Firefox.

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Question? are the options the same if it's an download Firefox on Windows from the Microsoft Store
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/download-firefox-windows-microsoft-store

An subject https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1403147

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[ThePillenwerfer]

This is from Firefox 131.0.3:—

[RancidPoncho]

As it turns out, even though I downloaded directly from Mozilla, clicking the very first download link that appears, it forced me to download the MSIX package version of the browser which is still 131.0.3 but with the updates forced through Microsoft and the options removed from settings.

I uninstalled it and dug deeper into the website until I had more choices about the version I was downloading and that gave me the functionality that you have.

[Agentvirtuel]

Hello

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@RancidPoncho wrote:

the functionality that you have.

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I presume you have described this article, only applies to Firefox on Windows
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/enable-background-updates-firefox-windows

[Agentvirtuel]

Hello

Like this https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1403147 ?

A picture is worth a thousand words and can go a long way to help explain a problem, Aura, please, could you also provide a screenshot

An another subject and screenshot https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/enable-background-updates-firefox-windows and https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/ideas/option-to-disable-update-reminders/idc-p/47735/highlight/true#M...

[Agentvirtuel]

Hello ThePillenwerfer

According to your screenshot, apparently, you are running Linux

Other illustration under Linux

[SIfu]

I think the best way to update should be the same as Chrome/Edge.

Download the update background and install the update background.

These two processes shouldn't be impactful or interruptible.

[tkl]

Just experienced a forced restart, lost my progress, made this account to rant how unacceptable this is, did the settings mentioned above now, being unhappy with it because I want the automatic updates and don't want to be asked.

What's worth a web browser, which can not be trusted to keep working as long as I need it?!
Really questioning my lifelong loyalty now.

[Bryan]

This 'feature' is so annoying!  After a couple of occurrences I turned the automatic update feature off, however earlier today I got a pop up notification about a new update. It was a good time to update, so I went trough and forgot about it. Not even sure if I did restart the browser right after but it worked the rest of the morning. Hours later (not kidding, it's after lunch now) the browser stops working out of nowhere to force a restart.

There must be a more user friendly way to do this..

[itsme642]

I'm really starting to get pissed-off with this "feature." I am seriously considering changing browsers. STOP this feature.  Allow users to choose when to restart.

[Agentvirtuel]

Hello

https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/ideas/get-rid-of-the-quot-restart-required-quot-in-firefox/idi-p/775

[Agentvirtuel]

About Settings/General/"Update Firefox" is missing
Another https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1498260

[Shadywood]

Even though I had automatic updates turned off, Firefox and Thunderbird just locked up my computer to try and force an update.  I had a blank screen and literally had to do a hard reboot just to regain control.  When it came back up, both Thunderbird and Firefox refused to operate unless I allowed an update.  I am typing this on Chrome right now because Firefox just sits and spins.

I do an update twice a year.  THAT'S ENOUGH.  Being able to control updates is the ENTIRE REASON I USE MOZILLA.  Now I'm forced expose my life to Google because Mozilla insists on controlling my life.  They forced an update on my phone yesterday, which I allowed because I don't keep anything there I care about.  It effectively broke Thunderbird, by make it so hard to switch accounts as to be useless.

Why can't these MORONS figure out that the entire reason anybody uses their stuff is to retain control of OUR stuff!  This PC belongs to ME, you morons!  NOT YOU!

Goodbye, fools!