Mozilla Removed Preference to Restore Classic Print Preview in Firefox 97 and Later
Discussion about the removal of “print.tab_modal.enabled” preference/flag and inability to restore classic Print Preview dialog box in Firefox 97 and later versions.
One year back, when Mozilla released Firefox 85 version, the team introduced a new modern Print Preview UI in the web browser. Whenever the user pressed Ctrl+P keys together or selected Print command from Menubar or Firefox Menu, the browser started showing a new overlay window of Print Preview (known as Tab Modal Print User Interface) providing the user a live preview of the webpage along with available settings to customize the print output.
Following screenshot shows the new modern Print Preview overlay present in Firefox 85 and later versions:
Advertisement
Many Firefox users didn’t like the new redesigned Print Preview UI. They wanted to get back the old classic Print Preview dialog box which you get in other apps and programs in the operating system.
Following screenshot shows classic system Print Preview dialog box in Mozilla Firefox:
Fortunately, Mozilla team provided a hidden secret preference/flag to restore classic system Print Preview dialog box in Firefox newer versions to please the users. The preference was “print.tab_modal.enabled” which could be modified using Firefox’s advanced configuration about:config page.
We posted a detailed tutorial about it at following link:
Advertisement
All Firefox users were happy as they were able to bring back the classic Print Preview dialog box in Firefox.
BUT recently the things changed. With the release of latest Firefox 97 version, Mozilla silently removed the “print.tab_modal.enabled” preference/flag from Firefox. The newer versions of Firefox don’t come with this preference. If you search for this preference in about:config page, you’ll not find the preference.
Mozilla team has removed the preference and its functionality from the program code. Even if you manually create the preference, it doesn’t work.
UPDATE: There is a new working way to restore classic print preview dialog box in Firefox 101 and later versions. You can find the method in following article:
New Method to Enable Classic Print Preview Dialog in Firefox 101 and Later
When Mozilla released Firefox 97 version, I started receiving several comments and emails from readers complaining about this change. Here are some comments from readers about the missing preference and inability to restore classic Print Preview in Firefox 97 and later versions:
Unfortunately, Firefox has done it again. Now I can’t even reset the system print dialogue box as the default, even after making the changes in about:config. Is there a way of getting around this so as to reset the old settings without having to revert back to the previous version of Firefox? Help, S.O.S.! Thank You and God Bless You.
This fix no longer works. I used it successfully a couple of months ago, but when Print Preview disappeared off both my computers last week, changing the flag to “false” failed to restore Print Preview. Also, clicking “Use system dialogue” does not give access to Print Preview (Windows 10 Home, 64-bit), and as far as I know, it never has. If you could add a screenshot to the article showing how to get to it, I would be very grateful.
The previous time I used this solution it worked. Somehow this week it suddenly returned to the new dialogue and I am unable to re-set it. This solution no longer works.
Hello V.G., I am writing to report that the “print.tab_modal.enabled” fix, explained above, no longer works. Why oh why does Firefox keep trying to fix things that are not broke and never were broke in the first place?
So Mozilla team has removed the previous workaround to disable new modern Print Preview UI and enable classic system Print Preview dialog box in Firefox newer versions and at the moment, it seems not possible to force Firefox to direct launch classic Print Preview dialog box.
Although the new modern Print Preview UI still contains shortcut link “Print using the system dialog box” to open classic Print Preview dialog box.
I’m trying to find out new ways or workarounds to restore the classic Print Preview dialog again in Firefox 97 and later versions.
If I come across any working solution, I’ll share here on AskVG.
UPDATE: [Tip] Disable New Print Preview UI in Mozilla Firefox
Also Check:
[Tip] Restore Classic Theme and UI in Firefox 91 and Later Versions
[Tip] Restore Full Classic Scrollbars in Mozilla Firefox on Windows 11
[Tip] Restore Warning or Confirmation Box on Closing Firefox Window
Firefox has a good reputation, so why did they neglect peoples’ preference about the ‘Print” situation? Has Firefox grown too large to recognize our complaints? How can we make a complaint about the ‘Print’ that will get noticed?
Thanks for clarifying this. I think I have reached the end of my love affair with Firefox. Each release just gets worse.
UPDATE:
https://www.askvg.com/tip-disable-new-print-preview-ui-in-mozilla-firefox/
i dont understand why everyone is trying to give us a tablet-like experience on a computer. it was bad enough i had to click another button every time i wanted to use the normal save dialog window for office.
Since Firefox is an open source program, I believe that the id**ts with Google and Chrome are the people making all of these changes. I have been a loyal user of Firefox for well over 15 years and what I can say is that every change that has been made since I started using it has forced Firefox to look and feel like Chrome. THAT IS THE END GAME. GOOGLE IN CONTROL! Maybe a Chrome programmer is part of the Firefox team. Please give us back the functions that drove us to Firefox years ago. PLEASE QUIT GIVING INTO GOOGLE AND THEIR CORRUPT WAYS!!!!! Every Change takes something away that I like. GO BACK TO BEING FIREFOX!!!!!
I hate this feature. I often need to print just a selection of something and can no longer do that without several additional steps. How do I go back to a previous version of Firefox?
I wholeheartedly agree with comments made by Bob: March 13, 2022 at 4:00 pm except that I have been using FF since their very beginning, as Netscape and Phoenix. Back then they were willing to be different, clean, fast, safe and a GREAT alternative to the dishonest, spying tech giants.
What changed to make them want to be LIKE the companies we want to escape from? I no longer recommend FF to my customers.
It is so time for a new rebel to emerge. My loyalty to FF is no more. Recommendations?
Adding more steps to a process to improve the UI is brain dead. Isn’t that what preferences are for? They literally removed the preference to avoid these additional steps. What is the point of punishing a user for having a preference?
I use the Print Preview feature all the time and was so happy when there was a way to put it back. Now I’m just not going to be updating Firefox any time soon.
I need Print Preview. If I don’t update, I have it. Therefore, no updating for the foreseeable future.
I’m hoping they put it back…
I found this article after search for why the print.tab_modal.enabled fix stopped working. Thank you for this updated information. I hate this change and I don’t understand why we’re forced to do so many extra steps just to print. The Firefox preview doesn’t even include all of the options, like to select a print tray. I hate it!
As my math teacher wrote for a math assignment that was not entirely good.
Is seen better
Hope Firefox thinks like me and does it better
I always only have to print selection, and could with “Ctrl-p, alt-m, enter” make things happen quickly.
There is a reason why I use the Additive: Tridactyl 1.22.1
When mac can with ctrl-shift-p then you can also with ctrl-alt-p
BR Brian
I’ve had it with Firefox. Few things if any that they have done in recent times have been improvements. Concentrate on security aspects by all means but taking away our right to select what print dialogue set-up we want is too dictatorial for me.
I’ve been using Firefox almost from the very beginning but I’m about to dump it. I’m going to give it until the next update and if I can’t get back to the classic system Print Preview, it’s going to be adios Firefox.
90% of the time, I need to print to PDF. This now takes twice as long because they hijacked the default system print dialog, Added to other constant changes (ie: modifying well established shortcuts) that disrupt (read: lengthen) the time it takes to get things done, it’s time to try another browser. I liked the Mozilla suite of open source tools, but these disruptive changes are not an improvement and frankly stifle my ability to work. I’m very saddened by this.
There is a new working method to restore classic print preview dialog box in Firefox 101 and later versions. Following article contains details about it:
https://www.askvg.com/new-method-to-enable-classic-print-preview-dialog-in-firefox-101-and-later/
Someone from Mozilla needs to start reading these comments and take note, or have they become too arrogant to even care.
Nope. The classic print preview is gone. No more full screen and careful ability to change by the percent or mess with settings. Instead we have this tiny panel box to work with and the only relief is going back to the expected print dialog but the actual full screen sized print preview is absent. FIREFOX PROGRAMMER! TAKE A VERY LONG VACATION AND STOP RUINING THE BROWSER FUNCTION. We want classic print preview back. None of the add-ons related to clever print preview and print tricks work either. Chrome s**ks and so does Chromefox.
For the programmers reading this, good luck. Those spend all day long in the firefox programmer forums like all day long. They’re wasting enough time to discover new medicines, solve the economy, solve all labor issues, solve mankind’s greatest dilemmas. Instead they just waste their time caring about if we have a print preview box or open image in new window function. At this point I wish the program was not free so my boycott would affect their bottom line.
STOP CHANGING FIREFOX! There is a regedit tweak to absolutely stop updates and update reminders just fyi in case anyone wants a piece of that. Missing print preview is just the worst ever. I kept on ff 75 for the longest time, it was clean, narrow, close easy to use bookmarks, no rounded edges, and just better all around. But they broke that somehow too. Firefox now has a mandatory no opt out feature where they apply changes to your browser, even if you don’t update it. So now you know. Telemetry is on full time and there is no way to turn it off.