Firefox Keeps Minimizing

Many business owners depend on Mozilla's Firefox browser for conducting work online. When content on a Web page in Firefox, or the browser window, keeps minimizing, user frustration and work slowdown often result. These issues usually occur because of human or software errors. Learning as much as possible about why Firefox repeatedly minimizes can help reduce or eliminate interruption to your work.

The content on a page displayed in Firefox can grow smaller repeatedly during work if you accidentally initiate the Zoom Out command with a keyboard or key and mouse wheel shortcut. The Firefox browser window can keep minimizing if you repeatedly click one of two buttons located at the top right corner of the browser by accident. Repeated automatic window minimizing can occur because of certain JavaScript settings that allow Web pages to dictate window size. Additionally, an old add-on that's incompatible with a Firefox update or another add-on, or a new add-on that has glitches, can cause issues.

The Web page view zooms out if you hold down the "Ctrl" key and press the "-" key, or roll the mouse wheel, at the same time. Besides striking the wrong keys when typing, you can also accidentally initiate this command if a key is stuck. Remove these two keys, if possible, clean away any dirt you find, replace the keys and try using Firefox again. If the problem continues, or one or both keys appear broken, take the keyboard to a computer repair shop for repair. To Zoom In to enlarge the appearance of content on a Web page, hold down "Ctrl" and press the "+" key repeatedly until the content is the desired size.

The browser window minimizes partially when you click the Restore Down button marked with two windows. It minimizes completely when you click the Minimize button marked with a line. To determine if you're accidentally clicking either button, check if your cursor is near the top right corner of the screen every time the window minimizes. If you're not causing the issue, check the automatic JavaScript settings. Click the "Firefox" button, select "Options," select "Content" and click "Advanced…" next to Enable JavaScript. Deselect "Move or Resize Popup Windows," if selected, click "OK," click "OK" again, close Firefox, open it and check for issues.

Sometimes you must update, disable or remove a problem add-on to stop Firefox from minimizing. To update add-ons, click the "Firefox" button, click "Add-Ons," click the gear button, click "Check For Updates" and follow the onscreen instructions. If the issue persists, click "Extensions" on the same screen, click a recent add-on's "Disable" button, close Firefox, open it again and check for the issue. If necessary, repeat this process with other add-ons until the minimizing stops. To remove a problem add-on, click its "Remove" button.

Malware can also sneak past your antivirus software and cause Firefox minimizing issues. To check if the software has missed something, close Firefox, open a different browser like Microsoft Internet Explorer or Google Chrome and download and use a free virus scanner, such as AVG AntiVirus Free, McAfee Security Scan Plus or Trend Micro House Call.