Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Firefox downgrades itself automatically every night

  • 2 replies
  • 0 have this problem
  • 220 views
  • Last reply by Splutt

more options

At some point every night, my Firefox (and only Firefox) reverts to version 111 from the latest version. This happens on 2 different Windows 11 machines.

I can only get Firefox to run again by running from command prompt with "-allow-downgrade" option and then updating again.

I usually don't notice until I launch Firefox the following morning and it gives me a message that the profile was created with an older version and to exit or create a new profile.

I've had Firefox open and then it reverts and it gives me a XULRunner error about the profile being used by an older version.

I don't have any special backup or restore software running and the physical files in my Firefox folder in c:\program files\mozilla firefox are being physically pushed to a prior version dated 3/21/2023.

On both machines, I've completely uninstalled and reinstalled and it's good for a day and then reverts.

No log entries for the reversion can be found. It's just back to a prior version.

I've never come across anything like this before and have scanned for any malware or other issue, but haven't found anything.

At some point every night, my Firefox (and only Firefox) reverts to version 111 from the latest version. This happens on 2 different Windows 11 machines. I can only get Firefox to run again by running from command prompt with "-allow-downgrade" option and then updating again. I usually don't notice until I launch Firefox the following morning and it gives me a message that the profile was created with an older version and to exit or create a new profile. I've had Firefox open and then it reverts and it gives me a XULRunner error about the profile being used by an older version. I don't have any special backup or restore software running and the physical files in my Firefox folder in c:\program files\mozilla firefox are being physically pushed to a prior version dated 3/21/2023. On both machines, I've completely uninstalled and reinstalled and it's good for a day and then reverts. No log entries for the reversion can be found. It's just back to a prior version. I've never come across anything like this before and have scanned for any malware or other issue, but haven't found anything.

Chosen solution

That wasn't the issue. Version reverted again.

But I may have found the root cause.

That app version is stored in Microsoft Intune and even though settings are specified to ignore if the software is updated, it's not doing that and so it's reinstalling the version stored in Intune. There is something about Firefox versioning that Intune isn't happy with.

Found a Reddit post on it. Deploying MSI Firefox with Intune - Firefox gets downgraded to the version I uploaded to Intune

This makes sense now and I'm going to work with things from that direction.

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (2)

more options

May have found the issue. Not sure yet.

On both machines, the Mozilla Updater Service never updated past 111.

Grabbed the custom installer, uninstalled both Firefox and updater, reinstalled and both state version 112 now.

more options

Chosen Solution

That wasn't the issue. Version reverted again.

But I may have found the root cause.

That app version is stored in Microsoft Intune and even though settings are specified to ignore if the software is updated, it's not doing that and so it's reinstalling the version stored in Intune. There is something about Firefox versioning that Intune isn't happy with.

Found a Reddit post on it. Deploying MSI Firefox with Intune - Firefox gets downgraded to the version I uploaded to Intune

This makes sense now and I'm going to work with things from that direction.