Firefox 106.0.4 fixes browser crashes
Mozilla released a new version of its Firefox web browser today. Firefox 106.0.4 addresses three non-security related issues in the browser, including a crash fix during media playback that affected some users of the browser.
The new stable version of Firefox is available already. Most Firefox installations will get updated automatically, but users may speed up the installation by checking for updates manually. Users affected by one of the affected issues may want to update early to resolve those.
To run a manual check for updates, select Menu > Help > About Firefox. A popup window opens that displays the current version. A check for updates is run and any update that Firefox finds during the scan is downloaded and installed.
Firefox 106.0.4
Firefox 106.0.4 addresses three non-security issues in the web browser. Two of the three issues affect media playback in Firefox. One addresses a DRM video playback issue that can lead to a crash, the other a crash that could happen during media playback.
The first issue appears to be a regression. Mozilla explains that playback of DRM videos in Firefox could "in unusual circumstances" lead to a crash; this can happen in low-memory situations and other scenarios, according to Mozilla.
The second issue may cause Firefox to crash or freeze; this happens when the browser's GPU process crashes or during a device reset.
The third and final issue addresses an issue with input elements. These stopped working after changing the type from date to datetime-local.
Interested users may check the official release notes, but they do not provide additional information on these issues.
Firefox users who did not notice any of the issues should feel no hurry to update the browser immediately.
Mozilla released four Firefox 106 point releases so far. Firefox 106.0.2 and Firefox 106.0.3 addressed crashes and freezes as well.
Firefox 107, the next major stable version of the browser, is scheduled for a release on November 15, 2022.
Now You: which version of Firefox do you run, if any?
Librewolf gets updates sooner than Firefox on Ubuntu distros. Ubuntu 20.04 is still on Firefox 106.0.2 and I still experience crashes with it.
For those who wants less bugs & more stable firefox, better use or stick to ESR builds.
It’ll give you less headaches than the fast release builds.
Version 106.0.5 is released but it still hangs from time to time if I launch FF. Luckily I can break the freeze by simply right clicking the mouse.
I only use ESR releases. As far as I’m concerned, the “latest stable” release is just out there so others can find the inevitable bugs for me. This is also the reason I delay installing Win updates.
Just the same here, Firefox ESR is the best choice for users that don’t want problems.
Not related to this update, but since about two to three months I have a minor problem with Firefox losing internet connectivity directly after updating. Takes about 30-60 seconds before connection is restored. Anyone else has this problem? Does not occur on ESR or Beta version.
Yeah, I’ve had a similar problem happened to me while using a few number of websites and took longer than 60 seconds for me.
I did a reinstall (with same profile) to test if something changed, but now I have a 15-30s delay every time I restart the browser…
i used portable firefox and a javascript file from ghacks for privacy settings. Updating manually is a hard work and i already updated my ff 2 times. Now i am tired.
102.4.0 ESR. Staying with the stable ESR versions means that in Firefox, I never encounter serious bugs.
I would consider crashing when attempting to play DRM videos to be a feature, not a bug. Version 106.0.3 should be frozen in time and given to people with Netflix addictions.
I personally appreciate @Andy Prough humour. I perceive his comment more as an exasperation of humanity’s addictions to digital services than an effort to “disparage people who want to legitimately use a paid for service they obviously enjoy in a browser of their choice.”. The world would be far better without Netflix, Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, Coca-Cola, MacDonalds, Starbuck … but what is depressing is humanity’s addiction to its own enslavement.
@ Tom Hawack:
Nice summary Tom, I have to concurr.
Crashing is a bug. DRM sucks but it’s optional and only installed with user permission. See https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/enable-drm
Why does this site attract so many people like Andy Prough who try to disparage people who want to legitimately use a paid for service they obviously enjoy in a browser of their choice.
There’s way too much negativity posted as replies here. Be nice to each other, like you would in person.
@DrKnow – “people who want to legitimately use a paid for service”
Do you also legitimately “own” that paid-for DRM service? Can you take it with you? Sell it to others? Make as many copies as you want and give it to friends? Has Netflix (or other company) retained the right to take it away from you? To refuse you future access to the thing you paid for? Does the company have a privacy policy that gives them the right to collect personal information about you while you use the product, and to re-sell that information to other companies? To provide information about your use to government agencies, with or without a subpoena?
There are many, many reasons why DRM-free digital media is superior, and why DRM-entangled media is problematic. A browser that refuses to play any DRM media (such as the GNU Icecat browser) is very valuable for this reason.
The reason this site attracts so many do-gooder jerks like me is because this site actually respects and values privacy and basic concepts of ownership, and Martin has written many articles over the years on how to responsibly own and use digital media. The work of Martin and many other Ghacks members has gone into projects like the Arkenfox user.js over the years, which empower users to assert their rights and freedoms in a highly antagonistic online world.
Running Firefox 106.0.3
What I’m waiting for is that the extensions’ update failure on time-out gets fixed :
[https://www.reddit.com/r/firefox/comments/vrhydf/anyone_else_sick_of_every_browser_being_chromium/]
[https://github.com/mozilla/addons-server/issues/19837]
Haven’t experienced any crash up to now.
Extensions update failure on time-out is fixed now. :)
@nicolaasjan, indeed. This is recent, when I commented above it wasn’t yet.
Update failure on time-out is fixed now. :) Good news. And it han nothing to do with Firefox itself.
I will wait for Firefox 106.0.6 xD!