How to Manually Update a Broken Firefox Extension

Note: This article assumes the reader has knowledge of editing folders and files. When upgrading to a new version of Firefox some Firefox extensions may no longer work. This article explains why this happens and how to fix it. Some people have a favorite extension and it is very frustrating when it no longer works after upgrading to a new version. However, you can usually update yourself. Roll up your sleeves and get ready to dive in:
Step 1. Download the extension you want to update to your hard drive from the developer's website or homepage. This is the *.xpi file. Step 2. Rename the extension from *.xpi to *.zip Really, the xpi file is just a zip file. Step 3. Open and extract the zip file with your unzip utility. If you don't already have a zip utility, 7zip from 7-zip.org works great. Step 4. Open "install.rdf" with your favorite text editor. Step 5. Change the "maxVersion" setting as in the following example. REPLACE maxVersion=3.0+ WITH maxVersion=3.5.* Step 6. Replace the "install.rdf" file with the one you just edited and create a new zip file with 7zip. Step 7. Rename the extension from *.zip to *.xpi Step 8. Install your updated extension. You should be able to simply double-click the xpi file to have Firefox install the extension for you.
Congratulations! You just updated your extension, which in most cases will work with the higher version. It is just that easy.
The best way to learn about how things work on the Internet is to jump in and do things yourself. Updating your non-workable or broken FireFox extension is a great example.
By Brandon Doyle, Owner of DoyleSoft
DoyleSoft pioneered the world's easiest to use Knowledge Base program. The peace of mind a Knowledge Base program can bring you may be more affordable than you might think.
http://doylesoft.com
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