Sometimes trying out newer versions of Firefox, especially ones that are still in beta, comes at a cost. Since the version you’re running is so new, add-on developers haven’t had the chance to update their add-ons to work with the newer versions.
So this is when you stumble upon an add-on that conveys the following message to you: “This add-on is for older versions of Firefox”.
Fix Incompatible Add-ons
Since your sights are set on using Firefox extensions that keep telling you they’re incompatible with the version you have, and downgrading a version or two isn’t an option, now you can discover a nifty tool called Nightly Tester Tools.
Ironically this is a Firefox add-on that will help you make all other incompatible extensions compatible with the browser version you’re running.
What’s Next
The first step you need to take is to download Nightly Tester Tools here, if you haven’t already.
Next if you still have the extension that was disabled when you upgraded to a newer version of Firefox in your add-ons menu, then you will go to Tools/Add-ons and right-click on your disabled extension, then choose Override Compatibility.
Now it will ask you to confirm your selection by clicking Force Install.
The last step involves restarting Firefox to have your add-on fully working.
Bonus Features
Here you thought it was the end of this add-ons story but actually there are a few other features that this extension allows you to take full advantage of.
With Nightly Tester Tools you’re also able to take screenshots of any webpage and save them in JPEG format. You can easily restore tabs from a previous session if it just so happens that your PC froze and you didn’t have time to properly close your browser window.
Feel free to test all other Nightly Tester Tools features and let us know how you like them in a comment below!
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What’s wrong with just adding “extensions.checkCompatibility false” to about:config? I’ve been using this for months to get old extensions to work with the latest beta until a compatible version comes out and you don’t have to install all the nightly tester tools to do it.
the simplest way is usually the best – adding one boolean variable to about:config is better than installing a whole suite of functions just for the one you want.
You could go about validating extensions that way as well, though there’s a possibility that not all expired extensions will respond to the “extensions.checkCompatibility false” format.
Though once you install this plugin you never have to install it or deal with it again. Both ways are simple, however its just a matter of which one is simpler for the individual to deal with. :)
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Karoly Domonyi
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My Firefox is hanging and crashing even I am using compatiable add-ons and updated version of Firefox ,does I really need to force an add-on to install and get probelma with Firefox .
It works well in my new firefox, but it seems that not all extensions works with it.
I had Chromatabs installed in previous version, and i forced install it with Nightly Tester Tools, but no magic happened here when others did.
you may want to know this.
Okay, not to shabby- I’ll play around with it… thanks for sharing. I’ll try to get Firebug working with this nightly tester. Any thoughts?
-Mig
As an extension and theme author, I might shed a little more light on this subject….
While the nightly tester tools and the about:config entry can allow a non-compatible extension to install, it is by no means a guarantee that the extension or theme will work as expected.
The reason for this is because the theme and extension APIs change with each version of Firefox. Extensions and themes have a block of code in their installers that specifies what versions of Firefox they have been certified for by their author (minimum version and maximum version).
If you do decide to use a theme or extension that is not yet certified for your version of Firefox and it does not work as expected, please remember that the author has not certified it for that version of Firefox. Take that into consideration when contacting the author to report the bug.
I’ve had several users email me over the years, irate that an extension or theme did not work as expected on a version it had not yet been certified.
@Joel reyes
I apologise for the comemnt I made above it’s too harsh ,when using beta versions of Firefox there is no other way to use Firefox add-ons comaptable with Firefox is through nightly tester tools ,since there is no option available .
No problems. We always appreciate any insight on our articles. Everyone’s entitled to an opinion. :)
nighty tester is not compatible withe firefox 3.0.7
The title is wrong.
This does NOT make the extensions compatible. It makes Firefox ignore the fact that the extension isn’t meant to be compatible with that version of Firefox. It might turn out that the extension is compatible and just needs to have its version string updated. It’s just as likely that it’ll turn out that you need to rewrite half the extension to make it compatible.
It’s like forcing Vista to try to install a program for Windows 95. Hey, it might work. It might also give you a blue screen of death.
But the extensions are still compatible in that they work with that Firefox version. You’re just arguing with semantics.
Like Mark pointed out it, this add-on still makes your extensions compatible whether forced or not. You have to see it from this perspective, the add-on was NOT compatible before the tester tool, then once you utilized the tool even if it is a forced compatibility you’re then able to use it.
My Firefox is hanging and crashing even I am using compatiable add-ons and updated version of Firefox ,does I really need to force an add-on to install and get probelma with Firefox
None of this works in 3.5…..
Any ideas?
i have problem,,,can help me to explain how to make add ons for mozila,,,,
My problem was resolved. After updating to 3.5 my life pagerank stooped working, but with this tool is now again at work. Thanks !
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Ironic how I have to ‘force install’ Nightly Tester Tools to be compatible with Firefox 3.5
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