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

I want to revert to 3.5

  • 110 replies
  • 1449 have this problem
  • 71 views
  • Last reply by MeadowMuffin

more options

I'm not happy with the new Firefox, which I think is 4.0. It's far too complicated. I just want to go back to 3.5 version. I think it's called 3.5. How do I do it?

I'm not happy with the new Firefox, which I think is 4.0. It's far too complicated. I just want to go back to 3.5 version. I think it's called 3.5. How do I do it?

Chosen solution

I strongly advise against going back to Firefox 3.5, when you installed Firefox 4 it made changes to a couple of files that store user data, those files will no longer work in Firefox 3.5. If you go back to Firefox 3.5 the files containing bookmarks, history and cookies will be lost, causing you to lose all history and cookies, with bookmarks being restored from a backup.

If you want to downgrade it would be better going to Firefox 3.6.15.

To downgrade to Firefox 3.6.* you can uninstall Firefox 4, but do not select the option to "Remove my Firefox personal data". If you select that option it will delete your bookmarks, passwords and other user data.

You can then install Firefox 3.6.* available from http://www.mozilla.com - it will automatically use your current bookmarks, passwords etc.

To avoid possible problems with downgrading, I recommend going to your profile folder and deleting the following files if they exist - extensions.cache, extensions.rdf, extensions.ini, extensions.sqlite and localstore.rdf. Deleting these files will force Firefox to rebuild the list of installed extensions, checking their compatibility, and reset toolbar customizations.

For details of how to find your profile folder see https://support.mozilla.com/kb/Profiles

Read this answer in context 👍 99

All Replies (20)

more options

THANK YOU so much ml it is downloading now, got it. you wouldn't happen to be on myspace and play mobstes would you?

more options

How do I read answers that others have given You? Thanks!

more options

Did a system restore in windows 7----it failed. Used a ghost restore and now I'm a happy camper witn 3.6.16----pity. I liked the look of FF4 and after all the other upgrades working so well I was particularly dissapointed in this one---sorry guys

more options

I like version 4.0. I took me a couple of minutes to find the refresh button but in all it all I could learn to love it. However one of the add-ins I use all time has not been updated yet so I just reverted back to 3.6.16. I download the install file from here

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all-older.html

Uninstall and reinstall was very quick and painless; everything is back to normal. I will try again a couple of weeks when the add-ins catch up.


fixed link.

Modified by James

more options

'''''Not in my experience - I re-installed 3.6 & all I get is a Firefox page welcoming me to 3.6 & urging me to upgrade to 4. I can't access Firefox at all - the button does not respond when I click it -

I un -installed & made a clean install - same problem.

Help will be appreciated, thank you. '''''

more options

Thanks mlwalker. Can't believe the T.S. attitude from Firefox. How hard would it be to warn us?

more options

To go back to earlier version 3.6.16, this worked for me: Control Panel, Add and Remove Programs, Uninstall Firefox 4.0. Then go to http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all-older.html and choose your language and click on the column that says Windows, Mac or Linux. Do it soon because they say it won't be maintained for long. I won't again download 4.0 until everyone agrees Firefox and/or Norton have made it possible to use Norton Toolbar.

more options

I'm unhappy with 4.0 - All of my plugins are disabled. I would like to return to working state - I can't downgrade. If I wanted a browser that looked like this, I would use chrome...

more options

Firefox 4.0 won't even open an Internet connection for me. Why is that???

more options

Jeez, 4. absolutely sucks. Constant jamming, toolbars are chopped up and inefficient. Had to register on this site with freaking Internet explorer which I haven't used for three computers. Tried to download 3.6 again but at one point the only option when installing is to click upgrade (to 4.0 naturally)or not continue the download.

Has anyone seen a response to from support about the complaints. Seems that it's just other users.

Modified by Chum

more options

I as well DO NOT like FireFox 4 and can not revert back to the what used to be the best internet browser.. Sad to say, just reverted back to MicroSoft Explorer until FireFox listens to their Users and fixes 4.0 back to what used to be a very User Friendly browser...

more options

Thank you so much - this worked perfectly!!

more options

I just did this and it worked perfectly - installed all my profile etc. To go back to earlier version 3.6.16, this worked for me: Control Panel, Add and Remove Programs, Uninstall Firefox 4.0. Then go to http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all-older.html and choose your language and click on the column that says Windows, Mac or Linux. Do it soon because they say it won't be maintained for long.

more options

I trusted Firefox and installed FF 4. I never expected Firefox to turn into Google. The LEAST you could have done was warn us that important addons we were using would be rendered disabled!

For starters, I want Google out of my life. I do NOT use their toolbar and Firefox 4 will not be updated to include the Remove Sidebar addon (Not available in Firefox 4). Oddly, it looks as though Google convinced you that it's "Not needed". Nothing could be further from the truth. Their options for people who don't trust them are Nil. You either have to use their toolbar or open cookies to them to get rid of their sidebar, two things I will never do. Even then, I see many complaints that their "removal" doesn't work. So now I am stuck with their sidebar and their stupid "local" searches. I spent hours last night searching for a way to get around this--to no avail.

In addition, my Norton tool bar has been disabled in 4, with no warning first and no option to stay away from FF 4. Worst part is I don't feel I got anything worthwhile in return. I had to go find an addon just to display my icons for things like CookieKiller. 4 is NOT any faster for me. I feel I've been duped into loading a version that takes what I need away from me and gives me things I don't need.

I tried to go back to 3.6.x and ended up even trying a system restore, which also only resulted in a dead Firefox button. Then I reversed the restore. Now I find to go back to 3.6.16 requires copying things I don't know how to copy, reading instructions I don't understand, being warned that I must save or delete certain files first, but to be careful..., blah blah blah. Pretty much I am sick of all this work, I have more to do than dedicate a day to Firefox. I do not like that addons that have been taken from me without pre-warning and I am going to get rid of firefox altogether, just like i got rid of Google. You should have given your end users a warning and a choice and you didn't. Now it looks like it's just too bad if the rest of us don't like FF 4. Just like Google does to its users. That makes you twins.

Do you not see you are losing users -- and if that's okay with you, then continue forcing people to use this version with disabled addons and no updates to important addons. If not, then give us a quick fix to returning to our previous version without having to call Geek Squad. Otherwise, Goodbye Firefox. It was a nice ride till now.

By the way, I had to use another browser to register here. I just saw your instructions on how to register from FF using the config. Again, more work that could result in an error if tried by people who are not comfortable with this kind of stuff.

more options

Hmm, well, I just went here

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all-older.html

Didn't do anything but select install and all my bookmarks, settings, passwords, extensions, addons, etc are there... unlike with 4 where everything disappeared.

more options

went to your advised extension, but it only offered firefox4 for download. Unfortunately I have already advised, in the forum to use this link:(. Sorry to anyone else who tried. Perhaps they changed the page since your answer.

more options

jmcb, Did you see the note at the top of the page of the 3.6.16 download page on how FF 3.6.16 will only be supported or updated for security fixes after a "short time"? In other words, it's use FF 4 or go away. I don't like this one bit. It reminds me of Google.

more options

@ Tagged1963, re Norton: this is -precisely- my problem with 4.0; i can live without Colorful Tabs, but Norton is -not- optional, lol...i'd rather go back to my old IE than go without Norton Identity Safe. if anyone knows whether this incompatibility issue will be corrected (on -either- end!!) i would very much like to know, please!! meanwhile, if i can't find 3.6, as much as i HATE it, i'll just go back to IE and hope a future FF version will be compatible... :((

more options

THANK YOU!!!!! This worked!!!!!

more options

I've been a very happy Fox user for years and have told many others about it. But sorry fells, this time you lost the plot. weather .com - not compatible with 4.0 freecorder not compatible with4.o etc......

right now going back to 3.6.16

Will

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6