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To stop Firefox from reopening your last tabs during ordinary launches, open Settings (called Preferences on some systems), choose General, and under Startup clear Open previous windows and tabs. Firefox saves that change automatically.
To suppress the separate recovery process that appears after a crash, open about:config, find browser.sessionstore.resume_from_crash, and set it to false. This is an advanced setting. If a crash has already produced a Restore Session page, select Start New Session for that incident.
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What is the difference between normal startup restoration and crash recovery?
Firefox has two related but separate ways to reopen tabs. The everyday startup control restores the windows and tabs from your previous normal session when Firefox launches. Crash recovery is a safety mechanism that attempts to bring back the session that was open when Firefox terminated unexpectedly.
Mozilla describes the feature this way: “Firefox can restore your open tabs and windows from your last session—even after a crash or restart.” The same general behavior can therefore appear in two different situations: a normal launch with the Startup option enabled, or a launch after an unexpected shutdown that triggers a recovery page.
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| Control | What it affects | Where you change it | When it takes effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open previous windows and tabs | Automatic restoration on ordinary startup | Settings/Preferences → General → Startup | Future normal launches |
browser.sessionstore.resume_from_crash |
Automatic restoration after an unexpected shutdown | about:config |
Future crash-recovery events |
| Start New Session | Declines the session offered by a current crash prompt | Restore Session page | Only the current recovery incident |
Clearing the Startup checkbox does not by itself explain every recovery prompt, and selecting Start New Session once does not permanently change either setting. Treat them as three distinct controls.
How do I stop Firefox from reopening previous tabs on a normal launch?
Use Firefox’s supported Startup setting. This is the appropriate first step when tabs return every time you open Firefox, even when the previous run ended normally.
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- Select General in the Settings sidebar.
- Scroll to the Startup section.
- Clear Open previous windows and tabs.
- Close the Settings page. Mozilla says the change is saved automatically; there is no separate Save button.
- Exit Firefox normally, reopen it, and check that a clean window appears instead of the earlier session.
This checkbox controls persistent previous-session startup. It is not a command to delete your browsing history, bookmarks, downloads, or saved passwords. It only changes whether Firefox automatically opens the windows and tabs from the prior session when it starts.
What if the wording is slightly different?
Firefox labels can vary by release and operating system. Look for the Startup area in General settings and the option referring to opening previous windows or tabs. If the installed version does not match an older guide, use the labels shown in your own Settings page rather than assuming an old menu path still applies.
How do I disable automatic crash recovery with about:config?
The advanced preference is the deeper control for recovery after an unexpected shutdown. Mozilla warns that Configuration Editor changes can affect browser stability, security, and performance, so use this procedure only when you specifically want to give up automatic crash-session restoration.
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- Click the address bar, enter
about:config, and press Enter. - Read the warning page. If Firefox displays an acknowledgement button, accept it to open the Configuration Editor.
- Use the search field to find
browser.sessionstore.resume_from_crash. - Toggle the preference until its value is
false. The exact toggle icon or control can differ by Firefox release, but the value must readfalse. - Close the Configuration Editor and restart Firefox normally.
Setting this preference to false targets crash recovery; it is not the same as clearing the ordinary Startup checkbox. For a setup that never reopens a prior session during normal launches and also declines automatic crash recovery, apply both controls and then restart Firefox.
Should I change any other session preference?
No additional preference is required for the procedure described here. Firefox’s internal startup mechanism associates the ordinary “Open previous windows and tabs” choice with browser.startup.page = 3, but the visible checkbox is the supported way to manage that behavior. Do not substitute an old preference name from an outdated article for the current setting unless the Firefox version’s documentation explicitly confirms it.
What should I click when the Restore Session page appears?
If Firefox has already crashed and opens a page offering to recover the old windows and tabs, choose Start New Session when your goal is to discard that crashed session. Choosing Restore Session tells Firefox to reopen the offered windows and tabs for that event.
Start New Session is a one-time decision. It handles the recovery prompt currently on screen, but it does not clear the Startup checkbox and does not change browser.sessionstore.resume_from_crash. After starting clean, verify those settings separately if tabs continue returning on later launches.
Can I recover something after starting a new session?
Mozilla says recently closed windows and tabs can still be recovered through History. Open the Firefox menu, choose History, and use Recently Closed Windows or Recently Closed Tabs when those entries are available. This gives you a selective recovery route instead of reopening the entire crashed session automatically.
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Why do restored tabs create a privacy concern?
Session Restore can leave login sessions active in the tabs it reopens. On a shared computer, another person who launches Firefox may therefore see pages for accounts that were still signed in. Mozilla advises considering automatic-session-restore settings in that situation.
- Disable Open previous windows and tabs if you do not want routine launches to expose the prior session.
- Set
browser.sessionstore.resume_from_crashtofalseif you also do not want crash recovery to reopen those tabs automatically. - When Firefox presents a recovery page after a crash, choose Start New Session before handing the computer to someone else.
These choices trade convenience for privacy. Keeping restoration can bring back unsaved work and the sites you were using; disabling it removes that automatic route and requires you to recover selected tabs from History when needed.
Why are private windows treated differently?
Mozilla states that private windows are not restored by Session Restore. The restoration behavior discussed here concerns regular windows and tabs, so disabling the two controls is not a way to change private-window handling.
Regular tabs may still contain active logins when restored. If privacy on a shared device is the reason for changing these settings, close sensitive regular tabs and sign out of sites as an additional precaution rather than relying on one browser preference alone.
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What should I check if tabs still return after I changed the settings?
Work through the controls in order. A single crash prompt can be the residue of an earlier incident, while the Startup checkbox and crash preference govern future behavior.
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1. Identify which behavior you are seeing
- Every normal launch opens the previous session: return to Settings → General → Startup and confirm that Open previous windows and tabs is clear.
- A Restore Session page appears only after a crash: choose Start New Session, then check
browser.sessionstore.resume_from_crash. - Some tabs return but not the whole session: inspect History for recently closed windows or tabs; this may be a selective recovery rather than automatic full-session startup.
2. Check history and privacy settings
Mozilla recommends checking whether Firefox’s history settings are forcing private browsing or clearing browsing history when Firefox closes. Those choices can alter what session data remains available and may make restoration appear inconsistent. Review the History section of Settings and make sure the selected behavior matches your intended recovery policy.
3. Test without extensions
If the settings are correct but Firefox still behaves unexpectedly, use Troubleshoot Mode. Mozilla identifies extensions and corrupted session data as possible causes of abnormal restoration. Troubleshoot Mode temporarily starts Firefox with extensions and some customizations disabled, helping you determine whether an add-on or damaged session information is involved.
4. Recheck after a clean restart
After changing either setting, close Firefox and launch it again. Testing a normal restart separately from a simulated or accidental crash helps you determine whether the persistent Startup option and the crash-recovery preference are each behaving as intended.
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Disabling crash recovery is not a performance optimization with a guaranteed speed benefit; it is a recovery-policy choice. The main benefit is that tabs containing logged-in pages are less likely to reappear automatically after an unexpected shutdown. The cost is that work open at the moment of the crash may not be brought back for you.
| Choice | Benefit | Cost or risk | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keep both restoration controls enabled | Maximum convenience after restarts and crashes | Prior regular tabs and active logins can reappear | Personal computers where recovery is more important than exposure |
| Clear only the Startup checkbox | Normal launches start clean | A crash can still trigger recovery | Users who want predictable ordinary startup but retain crash protection |
| Clear Startup and set crash recovery to false | Clean normal launches and no automatic crash-session reopening | Less automatic recovery after an unexpected shutdown | Shared computers or users prioritizing privacy |
| Use Start New Session for one incident | Discards the currently offered crashed session | Does not change future behavior | A one-time decision after a particular crash |
There is no universal best setting. Decide whether recovering unsaved work or preventing old logged-in pages from appearing is more important in your environment, then apply the corresponding control.
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How can I restore the old behavior later?
You can reverse both persistent changes. Return to Settings → General → Startup and enable Open previous windows and tabs if you want ordinary launches to restore the prior session again. In about:config, search for browser.sessionstore.resume_from_crash and toggle it back to true to allow automatic crash recovery.
Because Configuration Editor preferences are advanced, change only the named preference and avoid editing unrelated entries. Restart Firefox after changing it so you can observe the result from a clean launch.
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Use the visible Startup checkbox for routine previous-session behavior, the advanced preference for crash-specific recovery, and Start New Session for a single recovery prompt. Applying the controls in that order prevents the most common mistake: treating a one-time crash page as proof that the persistent startup setting is still enabled.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing these settings delete my bookmarks or browsing history?
No. The controls decide whether Firefox reopens session windows and tabs; they do not remove bookmarks, downloads, saved passwords, or history. History remains available for recovering recently closed windows and tabs when Firefox has entries for them.
Can I disable recovery for one crash without changing Firefox permanently?
Yes. On the crash-created Restore Session page, choose Start New Session. That declines the offered session for that incident only, leaving the Startup checkbox and the advanced crash preference unchanged.
Why might a recently closed tab be missing from History?
History-based recovery depends on Firefox still having a corresponding recently closed-window or recently closed-tab entry. History and privacy settings that clear data on close or force private browsing can change what remains available.
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It is an advanced Configuration Editor operation, not the normal control for startup behavior. Mozilla warns that incorrect preference changes can affect stability, security, and performance, so use the exact preference and value described here and avoid unrelated edits.
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