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When I have several tabs open and click to close, it tells me I have several open. BUT, it used to ask me first if I wanted to save the current tabs.

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  • Last reply by Helper7677

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Is there a way to set it up so that if you have more than your 3 major tabs open, when you close your browser, have it ask you if you want to save the current tabs? The older version asked that. If I only wanted my primary tabs, I just clicked close. But if I wanted to return to some new tabs I opened in the meantime, I clicked Save. Is there a way to do this with the new version 4.0?

Is there a way to set it up so that if you have more than your 3 major tabs open, when you close your browser, have it ask you if you want to save the current tabs? The older version asked that. If I only wanted my primary tabs, I just clicked close. But if I wanted to return to some new tabs I opened in the meantime, I clicked Save. Is there a way to do this with the new version 4.0?

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One of the changes in Firefox 4: by default Firefox 4 does not display the "Save Tabs and Exit" warning message when closing multiple tabs, but it can be turned back on by changing some preferences.

  • Saving tabs was not removed from Firefox 4, but it works a bit differently.
  • By default, Firefox 4 will not ask to save tabs, but instead it will always save your tabs on exit unless you are in Private Browsing mode. You can restore them next time by:
    1. clicking Firefox button > History >"Restore Previous Session", or
    2. type about:home in the URL bar and press the Enter key, then press the "Restore Previous Session" button
  • Note: This was a decision by the developers. On this forum, we are all uncompensated volunteers here to help other users. The developes/employees of Mozilla/Firefox rarely, if ever visit here.

Some things to check:

  1. Browsing history must be saved
    • Firefox button: Firefox button > Options > Options > Privacy > [X] Remember my browsing history
    • Menu Bar: Tools > Options > Privacy > [X] Remember my browsing history
  2. Also make sure you do not clear "Browsing History" when using Clear Recent History or when closing Firefox
    • Using Clear Recent History
      • Firefox button: Firefox button > History >Clear Recent History
      • Menu Bar: Tools > Clear Recent History
    • When closing Firefox
  3. Make sure you are not in Private Browsing mode or in permanent Private Browsing mode:
  4. If you have theTab Mix Plusextension, then disable the built-in session restore.

To display the "Save Tabs and Exit" message when closing multiple tabs, you can do the following:

  1. Type about:config in the URL/Location/Address bar and press the Enter key
  2. Accept the warning message (promise to be careful)
  3. The preferences page/list will open
  4. Filter = browser.tabs.warnOnClose
  5. If its value is set to false, double-click on it (in the lower panel) to toggle its value to true
  6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for these following 3 preferences also:
    • browser.warnOnQuit
    • browser.warnOnRestart
    • browser.showQuitWarning
  7. See:




You need to update the following:

  • Shockwave Flash 10.2 r153
  1. Check your plugin versions on either of the following links':
  2. Update the Flash plugin to the latest version.
    • Download and SAVE to your Desktop so you can find the installer later
    • If you do not have the current version, click on the "Player Download Center" link on the "Download and information" or "Download Manual installers" below
    • After download is complete, exit Firefox
    • Click on the installer you just downloaded and install
      • Windows 7 and Vista: may need to right-click the installer and choose "Run as Administrator"
    • Start Firefox and check your version again or test the installation by going back to the download link below
    • Download and information: http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/
      • Use Firefox to go to the above site to update the Firefox plugin (will also install plugin for most other browsers; except IE)
      • Use IE to go to the above site to update the IE ActiveX
    • Download Manual installers.