Are add-ons keeping you on Firefox 3.6?

Jorge Villalobos

324 responses

Since we implemented Add-ons Default to Compatible, most add-ons that were updated to work on Firefox 4 continue to work on the latest releases. The add-on compatibility problems we’ve had ever since have been minimal.

However, there are still a number of popular add-ons that weren’t updated for the switch to Firefox 4. People who still have these add-ons installed may be skipping Firefox updates because their add-ons are not compatible yet, and probably never will be. As we make a stronger push to move users away from old and potentially insecure Firefox versions, we need to make sure they don’t lose the add-ons they love.

Luckily, we have an amazing add-on developer community, where no abandoned add-on goes unforked. I spent a great deal of time looking for the most popular add-ons still in use on 3.6 and lower, as well as their best alternatives. Here they are.

  • Mr Tech Toolkit. I tried to get in touch with the developers to no avail. They have an updated version available on their site. I normally wouldn’t recommend non-AMO add-ons, but I reviewed the current file (toolkit.xpi, version 6.0.4.9000)  and everything looks good, except for a few features that appear to be broken. If you use this add-on, I’d like to hear which of its features you use.
  • Snap Links.  Compatible alternative: Snap Links Plus.
  • Gmail Notifier. Compatible alternatives: WebMail Notifier, GMail Checker.
  • RapidShare DownloadHelper. Compatible alternative: Rapidshare Helper. This add-on hasn’t received full approval, but it doesn’t appear to have any major problems.
  • Bahasa Indonesia (ID) Language Pack, Estonian Language Pack. You can download the latest Firefox already translated to this language (and many more!) from the International Versions page. Just install it over your current Firefox install and you won’t lose any bookmarks or data.
  • 1-Click YouTube Video Download, YouTube Download, Flash Video Resources Downloader. We have many YouTube downloaders listed on AMO, and I specially recommend Video DownloadHelper.
  • MinimizeToTray Plus. Compatible alternative: MinimizeToTray Revived.
  • Update Notifier. Compatible alternative: Add-on Update Checker.
  • Full Fullscreen. Modern versions of Firefox already hide toolbars in a similar way. There are some kiosk applications listed on AMO, though we normally don’t allow them to get full review.
  • Noia 2.0 (eXtreme). Compatible alternative: Noia 4.
  • PDF Plugin for Firefox on Mac OS X. Compatible alternative: PDF Viewer, a.k.a pdf.js, created by Mozilla Labs and possibly coming soon as part of Firefox.
  • CacheViewer. Compatible alternative: CacheViewer Continued.
  • CustomizeGoogle. I couldn’t find an exact match, but you should try Google Minimalist and SearchTweaker. There are many more, of course.
  • Ad blocker. Compatible alternative: Updated Ad Blocker. And the always popular AdBlock Plus.
  • CuteMenus – Crystal SVG. Compatible alternative: Menu Icons Plus.
  • Mouse Gestures Redox. Compatible alternatives: All-in-One Gestures and FireGestures.
  • 1-ClickWeather, Forecastbar Enhanced, WeatherBug. Compatible alternative: Forecastfox Weather.
  • Easy DragToGo. Compatible alternative: DragIt.
  • Organize Status Bar. Since the status bar was replaced with the Add-on Bar in recent versions or Firefox, you can reorganize all of your buttons and toolbars in one place. This extension isn’t necessary anymore.
  • Chromifox Basic. Compatible alternative: FXChrome.
  • Fox Splitter (formerly Split Browser). The add-on was forked by the developer into the new Fox Splitter. You should uninstall the old version and install this new one.
  • Splash. This add-on displays a splash window before Firefox loads. Understandably, there are no known alternatives. Why would you want to slow down Firefox load time for this? I’d love to know…
  • Smart Bookmarks Bar. Compatible alternatives: Roomy Bookmarks Toolbar and Smartest Bookmarks Bar.
  • SQLite Optimizer. This add-on is generally unnecessary. The largest local DB in your profile is usually the Places DB, and that one is vacuumed when necessary. Other add-ons that handle very active DBs should do the same.
  • Clipmarks. Compatible alternative: Evernote Web Clipper.
  • Auto Shutdown. Compatible alternative: Auto Shutdown NG.
  • AnyColor. The very new Colorlicious covers its most important features. We also recommend giving Background Themes (Personas) a try.
  • Print Preview. Compatible alternative: Print Preview (Update).

I’d like to thank the developers of FireDownload, IE Tab and The Browser Highlighter for upgrading their add-ons between the time this list was compiled and the publication of this blog post.

Are there any other add-ons holding you back on Firefox 3.6 or older? Do you have other recommendations for alternatives? Let me know in the comments!

324 responses

  1. M. wrote on :

    This is the second time I went to update Java, and then found that YouTube videos would no longer work in Firefox – but work just fine in IE. Now I have to troll through a million websites and try and figure out what I did the last time to eventually get it to work again. Very tiresome and frustrating.

    1. Jorge Villalobos wrote on :

      YouTube videos are generally Flash. Go to Plugin Check and make sure you have the latest version of Adobe Flash. If you still have problems, visit our support site.

  2. linda wrote on :

    ive been using firefox a long time.. i have dial up connection……….. having problems with my emai. can not use standard verison (which im able to images in my email) no mail support….. need to got to firefox 4….. how do i do that…………….

  3. Elizabeth wrote on :

    this app. will not load since updating why ???

  4. Gilbert Afriyie Yaw wrote on :

    i have a firefox web browser set up.but any time i try to install,what comes out is the file is corrupt.i have try different set ups but still the same.can someone tell me what the problem is?

    1. Jorge Villalobos wrote on :

      Are you downloading it from mozilla.org? Do you have an antivirus program or proxy that could be changing the file?

  5. Debra Arbaugh wrote on :

    need to up grade Mozilla Firefox

  6. mj wrote on :

    my facebook wont work on firefox why not?

    1. LOVE YAH! wrote on :

      mines doesnt niether and i hate it its so fucked up it wont let me look at anything

  7. Genesis wrote on :

    why Firefox did not work properly in my computer( desktop) ? web search cannot be fund, open it, it gos immediately to yahoo web. without not bring the option why?. please i need help.

  8. H3r1 wrote on :

    Last time I updated the browser and the plugins (using “plugin check”) it damaged my browser and could not use it at all. I had to use System Restore to get it all back. Since I am taking classes and use the computer all day I will not be updating anything (including Java) till I’m all done with school.

    And even then, I’m thinking about using Chrome only and forgo Firefox.

  9. DMG wrote on :

    FoxFire,,,,please help with this confusing problem? I use to have the beautiful, little red fox icon on my task bar….however, my icons are missinf….and I have tried all logical ways of getting your page and icon back on my task bar (it was so much easier having it there…but, now NO…nothing there?
    Please….help me get it back.

  10. The Wanderer wrote on :

    For me, there is one major add-on which has been keeping me on 3.x versions of Firefox:

    BarTab.

    In Firefox 4, one of the several major features of BarTab was implemented in the core Firefox, and the BarTab developer abandoned work on the add-on to go work on Firefox full-time. None of the other important features of BarTab have ever been added to mainline Firefox, and one “wishlist” bug asking for them was immediately closed with a comment indicating that the developers don’t think those features belong in the mainline.

    There have been several attempts by users to update BarTab to continue to work with newer versions of Firefox – although none have ever made it into addons.mozilla.org (where the BarTab page is still controlled by the original developer), and so looking for those versions is a matter of trawling through uncharted back streets. Some of them have been partly successful, but none of them seem to have supported all the features I rely on – including, most importantly, the “select the nearest loaded tab when closing or unloading the current tab” configuration setting.

    Just this last month, I’ve finally dug in and hacked on BarTab till I got that working again. At this point, I may finally be in a position to be able to abandon 3.x versions of Firefox, but the jury is still out. If I do, I hope to release my changes for the use of anyone else who similarly depends on BarTab.

    1. Jorge Villalobos wrote on :

      If you can get this ready for release and upload it to our add-ons site, please post back here so we know about it.

      Thanks!

  11. odessa perry wrote on :

    Whenever I log into this site from my email address, I cannot gain access to the total website. I originally set up Tagged through my email; it worked perfectly. Then I began having issues after I installed the apps menu bar. I never knew about creating a login name or password for Tagged due to the way I installed the program. I tried to start the process correctly once I discovered what I thought was my problem; it worked for a brief time, I was advised by Tagged Administrators about how to resolve what we thought the issue was, from downloading an updated version of Firefox to how to clear my cursor. These things worked for a brief session on Tagged and then my problems came back. I keep getting an incompatability message but don’t understand what it is trying to tell me. Is there any help for me? The last advice I received was telling me to uninstall Firefox and then reinstall it. HELP please!!

    1. bebs wrote on :

      why i cannot access the site http://www.tagged.com in my computer i use mozilla firefox.when i open this page can not access..can you help me please to access this site?as soon as possible..reply me please

  12. Abraham Kuol wrote on :

    Firefox need more improvement so that it could be active and faster.

    Abraham Kuol Dau

    from South Sudan

  13. safia wrote on :

    how can i have latest version of firefox’s

    1. Jorge Villalobos wrote on :

      Just go to mozilla.com and follow the signs.

  14. Judith Gash wrote on :

    I cannot get my Gmail anymore. I switched to Firefox about two weeks ago and everything was fine, but now my mail will not come up. Any suggestions?

  15. kevin wrote on :

    ff 17 has problems with kingdom of camelot add ons, the tool button doesn’t show which is crap when playing that game, me n most of my frends have gone back to using ff16 and turning off the ff upgrade option

  16. Janice McQuarrie wrote on :

    Two months ago I updated to a different provider and ever since then, I can only get on FaceBook, and FarmVille for about 3-4 minutes…I have spent the day with the Tech department and still need to go another round with these folks. I’m thinking maybe, just maybe, I need to go back to a later version of Firefox.. May I get any input on this? I’m even thinking of changing browsers, I need help before I throw everything out in the yard and give up… I have been on Firefox for many years and never had any problem till you folks decided to change everything.. I know you’ve heard the saying and it is so true. IF IT AIN’T BROKE, DON’T FIX IT!!!! Please help, I need my FaceBook and FarmVille back!!!!!Thanks ever so much!!!
    Janice

    1. Janice McQuarrie wrote on :

      What exactly do you mean???

  17. Bill Bethell wrote on :

    How do I get rid of wiseconvert to get my firefox page back?

  18. Brenda Cooper wrote on :

    Why can’t I get java to install on my laptop? I have windows 8.

  19. tom wrote on :

    i hope update firefox 3.6 now is out of the date please please send of the update i use firefox 3.6 5 year i dont like latest beta not me i check online people 10000 people dont like firefox beta this is king firefox 3.6 i hope you guys send the update 3.6 firefox

  20. chol Magook Kur wrote on :

    how do i upgrade Mozilla Firefox on my lapstop.

  21. Ron wrote on :

    I have been told that when my security(Norton) comes up for renewal..do not do it. What do I need to do for my PC?

    1. Ron wrote on :

      Does Foxfire have a security product? I am on Norton now and it comes up for renewal soon.

      1. Jorge Villalobos wrote on :

        Mozilla doesn’t offer security tools, but Firefox itself is very safe to use without any additions, and there are many security and privacy enhancement add-ons available at our add-ons site.

  22. jemy wrote on :

    adds from you tube

  23. Doug Rose wrote on :

    I need WebVisum for us blind computer users to know what a capcha is on a page. any chance Webvisum can be updated to work on current versions?

  24. Danny Moreno wrote on :

    I Have lost whats most important to me besides the general anivirus function-particulary the password manager add on, plus some of the actual antivirus functions themselves-really sucks-have to use other browsers.

  25. Aaron wrote on :

    i cant get my bookmarks to show in my new tab idk if it was an addon or what can u please tell me how to get the 9 bookmarks back on my new tab please thanks

  26. John wrote on :

    I changed my skin and now I can’t figure out how to change it back.

    1. Amy Tsay wrote on :

      Hi John, if you go to Tools > Add-ons to open the Add-ons Manager, you can manage your themes on the Appearance tab.

  27. Owen Jones wrote on :

    How can I stop Google from hi-jacking my Firefox. Every time I set my home page as Yahoo through Firefox I get ggluk as my home page and Google as my search engine. I hate google I want Firefox.

  28. james wrote on :

    ever time i try to go to the log in page of kingdoms of Camelot it seems like its having problems it like some of the page is banned when i don’t have any banned pages

  29. shiv mangal singh wrote on :

    This is the first time I went to update Java, and then found that YouTube videos would no longer work in Firefox – but work just fine in IE. Now I have to troll through a million websites and try and figure out what I did the last time to eventually get it to work again. Very tiresome and frustrating.

    1. shiv mangal singh wrote on :

      firefox pahle se khaphi bhehtar light aur fast advance hua hai

  30. qadeer wrote on :

    I am using fire fox and satisfied with its speed but the issue is its quite annoying that while surfing a site there is no option provided to open a page in new window, is there any solution for this ?

  31. edward wrote on :

    Why can’t I get rid of an unwanted web site that has popped up on my computor?

  32. jungkung wrote on :

    wohoo

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