Windows Missing in "Window" menu

[philzampino]

For the last two upgrades of Firefox (108.0.2 currently) I've seen strange behavior in the "Window" menu where open windows are missing, and the number of windows shown changes depending on which Firefox  window is currently in the foreground.  It's frustrating because I have to jump from window to window to have the menu show whichever window I'm looking for.

I typically have 10 or more windows open, many with multiple tabs.  I'm not using any particular mode for anonymous or hidden windows.

Am I the only one experiencing this problem?

Sincerely,

phil

[kipuka]

I'm having the same issues

[kipuka]

I think it is worse with 108.0.2.  The previous version would reorder the windows pull down menu randomly.  This current version reorders and deletes windows.  If I go to history and select restore recently closed windows, they come back until I select one of the windows and then they disappear again.

[kipuka]

I seem to have found a work around.  I'm running an older MacBook Pro, if you set a hot corner ---system preferences --- desktop & screen saver --- hot corners --- then set one corner to --- application windows, when you run the cursor to that corner all your windows come up and you can then select the one you want.  Not what I'm used to, but I'll adapt.  Hope this helps!

[glassmkr]

I've been having the same problem running macOS 10.14.6 on a mid-2012 MacBook Pro, and it seems to be getting worse with each Firefox "upgrade". Fortunately, after reading Kipuka's workaround I tried a variation of it that is working for me. Grabbing the top of a window and moving it up as if trying to move it off the screen will show all windows for any open programs, including the missing Firefox windows. (Essentially the same as his hot corner suggestion.) The fact that the windows are missing in the Firefox window menu is still a pain, but this at least lets you find them.

The seems to be no pattern to which windows are missing. The issue appears to be random, with no regard to whether the windows are regular/private, web page vs. a built-in page vs. a blank page, or on the same display vs. on a different display? (As far as the latter, I'm only using one display.) Some of them disappear regardless.

[jscher2000]

There is a big difference between open windows not being visible on the menu and windows getting closed and needing to be reopened from the History menu. Firefox shouldn't close windows on its own (although one-tab windows launched by a website script -- popup windows -- do have permission to close themselves).

If we focus on the open windows that are not listed on the menu, is there any pattern to which windows are missing? For example, does it seem to matter whether it is regular/private, a web page vs. a built-in page vs. a blank page, or on the same display vs. on a different display?

Regarding menu order, Firefox 108 surrendered menu ordering to Mac OS in order to add support for "Tile Window to Left/Right of Screen" and "Move to [SCREEN]". Because Firefox sets the window title to the tab (page) title, a windows will move around the menu as you move between pages. I created an add-on to try to help with stabilizing the order, but as a Windows user, I can't test/debug it fully. If you want to take a look: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/auto-number-windows/

[philzampino]

I can't see a distinct pattern to how windows disappear from the "Window" menu, but if I go back to the first window that I opened on the start of Firefox it will typically show me all subsequent windows.  The sequencing of those windows is not stable, shuffling them around possibly based on last used.  Some windows will show a few other windows, some more, with no consistency that I've yet found.

I believe this change in 108 is likely the cause of the problem.  I'm running an older OS (10.13) because of software compatibility issues, but hope to upgrade in the coming months.  Perhaps that will fix the problem, but for this user the erratic listings of the menu are a real aggravation.

[philzampino]

Before anyone else wastes their time trying, I attempted to regress my Firefox to 107 to test if the window problem went away, but I would have had to create a new profile.  I now plan to migrate to another browser for the time being until this problem is resolved.

[kipuka]

I'm also running IOS 10.13.  In the Firefox version just prior to this current one the drop down would reorder randomly, all windows being displayed in the drop down.  This current version 108.0.2, does not display all the open windows in the drop down.  The private windows are not listed in the drop down, but I've discovered a couple others that are not private that are also not in the drop down.   One window, if I change to another tab will appear in the drop down, back to the other tab, it 'disappears' again.  And I just discovered another non-private window that is not in the drop down.  The best way I've found to get to the windows, is through the hot corner trick mentioned in an earlier post.  Or shrinking windows until I can see the one I want, yet not a great solution.  jscher2000, thanks for replying to Phil and I, I appreciate it!

[philzampino]

Another possible workaround while waiting for a fix, I went into Mission Control and mapped the right control key to show all windows.  I'm not a fan of hot corners, and I don't really use the right control button, so this seems like a decent compromise.  I can't see tabs within each window,  but I group tabs into similar themed windows, so this should help me get through how ever long it takes developers to figure out how to correct the issue.

[Eelectric]

I also ran into this bug recently and reported it on Bugzilla — it's very rare I have enough windows open simultaneously to run into issues like this, so any contributions over there would be much appreciated.