Downloading to an older Firefox version can lead to data loss and security issues, but there are instances when doing so becomes necessary. This read will teach you three ways to downgrade and install the older version of Firefox.
Reasons Why You May Want to Downgrade Firefox
There can be multiple reasons for downgrading and installing an older version of the Mozilla Firefox browser. Below are some of the reasons for doing so.
- Add-ons on the browser are slowing down your system or taking time to load pages.
- The browser may have discontinued some experimental features or flags in the latest update.
- The latest build of Firefox may have bugs or glitches in it.
- It’s not functioning properly or causing performance and battery issues.
Whatever the reason, though, today you will see how you can easily downgrade your Mozilla Firefox browser to an older version.
How to Check Your Current Firefox Version?
Before downgrading the browser, you may want to check the current version of Mozilla Firefox. Follow the below steps to know your current Firefox version.
On PC
Step 1: Open the Mozilla Firefox browser on your PC.
Step 2: Tap on the hamburger menu at the top and select Help.
Step 3: Finally, click on About Firefox.
Now, you will see the browser version on the About Firefox window.
On Mobile
Step 1: Open the Firefox app on your mobile.
Step 2: Click on the three-dots icon at the bottom and select Settings.
Step 3: Scroll down to the bottom and tap on About Firefox.
On the next screen, you will see the current version of the Mozilla Firefox browser.
Downgrade and Install Older Version of Mozilla Firefox (PC)
First of all, consider that downgrading to an older Firefox version might make the browser prone to risks. If you are aware of these and still want to install an old version, below are the steps.
On Windows
Uninstall the Current Version
To begin with, you need to uninstall the current Firefox version before installing the older version. Here’s how you can uninstall it on your system.
Step 1: Press the Windows+R key to open the Run window.
Step 2: Type control, then hit enter to open the Control Panel.
Step 3: Go to Programs and Features.
Step 4: Select Mozilla Firefox, then tap on Uninstall.
Step 5: Follow the on-screen instructions to delete the browser from your system.
Download and Install an Older Version
After uninstalling the current version of the browser, you need to download an old version of the browser. Follow the below steps to do so.
Step 1: Open the Firefox Older Versions page on a browser.
Step 2: Select a version that you are looking for, and you will see the various builds of the browser.
Step 3: Choose the directory per your system configurations and select one architecture from 32-bit and 64-bit.
Step 4: Now, select your language and region (let’s say, en-US)
Step 5: Finally, download the exe file.
After downloading an older version, you must install it on your computer. Here’s how you can install it.
Step 1: Launch the exe file which we have downloaded.
Step 2: On the setup window, tap on Standard.
Step 3: Follow the instructions and wait for the process to complete.
Disable Auto-Updates
The next thing we have to do is to disable auto-update for the browser. Otherwise, it will automatically get updated to the latest available build. Follow the below steps to disable auto-update.
Step 1: Open the Firefox browser on your system.
Step 2: Tap on the hamburger menu at the top and select Settings.
Step 3: Scroll down and select Check for updates but let you choose to install them.
It will disable the automatic updates on the Firefox browser. Though this will check for the newer version but will install unless you manually confirm to update.
On Mac
Uninstall the Current Version
Just like Windows, first of all, you need to uninstall the Firefox browser from your Mac computer to install a downgraded version. Follow the below steps to Uninstall Firefox on a Mac computer.
Step 1: Open the Finder on your Mac PC.
Step 2: Tap on Applications from the left sidebar.
Step 3: Right-click on Firefox and tap on Move to Trash or Move to Bin to uninstall the browser.
Download and Install the Older Version
Step 1: Open the Firefox Old Versions listing in the web browser.
Step 2: Scroll down and select the version you are looking for.
Step 3: Choose the Mac directory from the given ones.
Step 4: Select en-US or any other language of your choice.
Step 5: Finally, download the dmg file.
Step 6: Disconnect from the internet and launch the dmg file which we have downloaded.
Step 7: Follow the on-instructions and wait for the process to complete.
Disable Auto-Updates
Now, we need to turn off the auto-update for the browser. Here’s how you can do it.
Step 1: Open the Firefox browser on your Mac PC.
Step 2: Click on the hamburger menu, then tap on Settings.
Step 3: Select the checkbox for Check for updates but let you choose to install them.
Once done, it will disable the automatic updates on the Firefox browser.
Downgrade and Install Older Versions of Firefox (Phone)
On Android
You can easily downgrade and install an older version of Mozilla Firefox on an Android device by uninstalling the browser and installing an older version from an APK downloader website. Follow the below steps to downgrade the browser.
Step 1: Uninstall the Firefox app from your Android device.
Step 2: Once deleted, open an APK downloader website like apkmirror.com, uptodown.com, etc.
Step 3: Search for Firefox and download an older browser version.
Step 4: Install the APK file and download the app.
On iOS
Downgrading Mozilla Firefox is almost impossible on an Apple iPhone or iPad. This is because iPhones or iPad devices do not allow sideloading an older version of Firefox from third-party sources.
Wrapping Up: Downgrade and Install Older Firefox
This is how you can downgrade and install an older version of Firefox. I hope the above article helped you install an older Mozilla Firefox browser. If you have any queries related to the article, do let us know in the comments below. Stay tuned on Browser To Use for more such articles and How-tos.
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