Firefox Memory Useage

[ZeeOSix]

I'm still running Windows 7. I've noticed that the memory usage by Firefox just keeps growing and growing the longer I use it. I do have a bunch of tabs open, but probably only use about 1/3 of them a lot. When I relaunch Firefox with all the same tabs the memory usage starts off around 500,000 KB, but after using if for the day it grows to almost 2,000,000 KB.

I've had Firefox go unstable on me quite a few times towards the end of the day - usually if playing YouTube videos. I'm wondering if it might be because of this ever increasing memory usage. What's causing it to keep increasing memory usage as time go on? Is there a setting I can make that will help prevent it from doing this? Below is a snap-shot of Windows Task Manager showing how much memory Firefox is using.

 

[B320i]

All I can say is that Firefox has had issues for a *very* long time with 'memory leaks' and bloat.

I use SeaMonkey 2.4 on my OS X 10.6.8 Macbook Pro. It has exactly the same issue - even with 8GB of memory, usage after several days (3-4 tabs, but not always) can cause the system to run out of memory and hit the page file. Quitting the application does not cause the inactive memory to be released, OS X will release it (eventually) if it deems this necessary.

Usually a reboot is the only way to free up the memory hogged by SeaMonkey.

My suggestions would be checking for add-ons that are unnecessary and removing or disabling them wherever practicable. You may also wish to try uninstalling and reinstalling the application, or if you're competent, Windows 7.
Some deny it, but I've always found an aged Windows installation that's been through the rigmarole of countless hardware devices, software installs and software updates is quite a lot slower than a clean installation.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I am consistently disappointed with how Firefox still has issues with memory after 15+ years

 

[Nickdfresh]

Do you run any cache-cleaner programs?

 

[VetteElite]

Uninstall adblock plus and install ublock origin. Much better on memory and CPU.

 

[uc50ic4more]

There are a few ways Firefox can eat up loads of RAM. In my experience it can be caused by caching a lot of streaming data and by poor-quality extensions.

Try the scant number of suggestions here for starters: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-uses-too-much-memory-ram

 

[69GTX]

Similar problems to the OP just over the past month or so where Firefox just bogs down and stops working. I have to reboot. Might be a memory issue. Been using FF for a couple years now so this is something new to me. I do keep a lot of tabs open all the time. Maybe it's time to start cutting down on some of them.

 

[SHOZ]

You can override FF memory settings and fix it to at certain amount. Mine is at 1024Mb.

5 Tips To Reduce Firefox Memory and Cache Usage

Type about:cache?device=memory in the address bar and hit Enter. Firefox will display your current number of entries, maximum storage size, storage in use and inactive storage.

 

[JHZR2]

Yes, I see this on my mac after 30 days of uptime or more without restarting firefox.

 

[GenesisGuy70]

I used to really like Firefox but I quit using it about 5 years ago.

If I'm on a PC, I use Google Chrome.

On my Apple products I use the default Safari.

 

[sicko]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
I am consistently disappointed with how Firefox still has issues with memory after 15+ years


Agreed, this has been a problem with Firefox for way too long.

 

[Danno]

What's Firefox? /s

I reboot daily, seems to prevent issues such as memory leak.

 

[LeakySeals]

Originally Posted By: VetteElite
Uninstall adblock plus and install ublock origin. Much better on memory and CPU.

I just did this! Its kind of built in, all I had to do was toggle it. OMG that was a HUGE difference! Thanks!

 

[uc50ic4more]

Originally Posted By: Throt
I used to really like Firefox but I quit using it about 5 years ago.

If I'm on a PC, I use Google Chrome.

On my Apple products I use the default Safari.


For what it's worth, my understanding of Chrome for iOS is that it is simply a wrapper around Safari. Using it should give you a near-identical experience as using Safari (in terms of performance: same rendering engine, etc.; it would sport the Chrome UI, of course...) but you'd then be able to take advantage of Chrome's sync.

 

[Pablo]

I run a high end machine with tons of fast RAM and a couple fast SS HD's. Pretty much choke on nothing. Except FF!!

Firefox is WAY too loosey goosey with RAM. I got royally [censored] one day while watching a very interesting investing live online seminar hosted by Fidelity. Froze up and croaked, and I missed the whole thing! I was just about to dump FF, but I decided to look for some fixes. Adblock is abusive, but I dumped that long ago. The true fix I found works really, really well!!!

It's called Cache Status. I hardly even notice it's running, two tiny icons in your status bar. You can set automatic limits and/or delete RAM Cache and/or Disk cache manually. Get this - my PC never freezes in Firefox, and deleting the cache changes nothing on the screen, or speed of things (maybe it would if you have a slow connection or something).

I am using FF 50.1.0.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: Pablo
I run a high end machine with tons of fast RAM and a couple fast SS HD's. Pretty much choke on nothing. Except FF!!

Firefox is WAY too loosey goosey with RAM. I got royally [censored] one day while watching a very interesting investing live online seminar hosted by Fidelity. Froze up and croaked, and I missed the whole thing! I was just about to dump FF, but I decided to look for some fixes. Adblock is abusive, but I dumped that long ago. The true fix I found works really, really well!!!

It's called Cache Status. I hardly even notice it's running, two tiny icons in your status bar. You can set automatic limits and/or delete RAM Cache and/or Disk cache manually. Get this - my PC never freezes in Firefox, and deleting the cache changes nothing on the screen, or speed of things (maybe it would if you have a slow connection or something).

I am using FF 50.1.0.


Thanks, I had to go look up "Cache Status" ... here's the link on Mozilla's website if anyone else is interested.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/cache-status/

Here's another link that explains the cache memory and what Cache Status does.
http://firefox.add0n.com/cache-status.html

I think I'll give it a try. But I do find if I simply close and restart Firefox (don't have to reboot the computer) that the amount of memory will go back down to around 300K~400K and it then takes all day to build back up to 2,000,000K.

I also always update Firefox to the newest version as soon as it hits the street.

 

[Brad_C]

Originally Posted By: Danno

I reboot daily, seems to prevent issues such as memory leak.


Err, no. It may stop you being significantly impacted by a memory leak, but it does absolutely nothing to prevent it.

 

[Colt45ws]

I moved to Pale Moon. A Fork of Firefox. The difference is phenomenal so far, though I only have a couple hours on it. By this point Fx would be over a GB, but Im holding at under 600MB atm.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Originally Posted By: VetteElite
Uninstall adblock plus and install ublock origin. Much better on memory and CPU.


Thank You.
One question on Ublock Origin.
How can we disable the tracker that displays tracking numbers in our web address toolbar? If not, then is there a way to minimize it's presence?
That icon appears to be the only place inside my computer to get into Ublock's Menu. When I had Adblock Plus, a link existed in my Tools folder. But I see nothing showing / stating Ublock.

=========================

For those of us that surf in Firefox Private Windows with tracking protection, the suggested Cache Status/Cleaner add-on in Firefox seems unnecessary. I have it installed now, to check how it operates. But I suspect I will uninstall it in a couple more days

 

[Pablo]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix


Thanks, I had to go look up "Cache Status" ... here's the link on Mozilla's website if anyone else is interested.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/cache-status/

Here's another link that explains the cache memory and what Cache Status does.
http://firefox.add0n.com/cache-status.html

I think I'll give it a try. But I do find if I simply close and restart Firefox (don't have to reboot the computer) that the amount of memory will go back down to around 300K~400K and it then takes all day to build back up to 2,000,000K.

I also always update Firefox to the newest version as soon as it hits the street.


Sorry, I should have pasted those links. I always have so much open - many tabs, plus re-starting FF is a bit of a hassle because of some other customization. SO - I just set and forget Cache Status frankly. RAM at 2 Meg and disk at 10 meg. It just clears as needed (as set) and I don't even think about it, FF is more rock solid now than any time in the 10+ years of use. Again those numbers might seem low - especially since I have 32Gig RAM - but since everything is so speedy - and in fact PERFORMANCE IS BETTER - I don't care if FF can't cache useless junk.