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Firefox version 52 users on Linux baffled without sound

Many Linux users, who updated their browser to the latest version- Firefox 52, which was released last week, found that they were not able to play sound on their browser.

Also, to make things even worse, Mozilla decided to drop its support for ALSA (Advanced Linux Sound Architecture) and requests the Linux users to install the PulseAudio library to support audio playback inside Firefox. Pulse Audio is considered to be of minimum requirement to play any audio on the browser.

ALSA is a software framework included in the Linux kernel that provides an API for sound card drivers. On the other hand, PulseAudio is a modern sound server which finds support on almost all Linux distros, and also on FreeBSD, OpenBSD, and even macOS.

Linux users who use small/old distros are the ones affected mostly. Modern Linux distros come with PulseAudio which is installed by default, although small and minimalistic distros are often released with a built-in ALSA framework. Even the users who have mainstream but very old distributions are facing the problem.

Users, who are frustrated with the lack of sound issues, rebuked the move from Firefox as they claimed that they weren’ t informed about the issue when they updated their browser. Some claim that the Firefox 52 release didn’ t mention anything about ALSA or PulseAudio.

The only way to resolve this problem without installing PluseAudio is by choosing some other browser, or by downgrading to Firefox 52 ESR.

Also, as a heads up, Firefox 53, which is scheduled to be released next month, will not support Linux editions for processors older than Pentium 4 and AMD Opteron.

Tag : Firefox
FAQ
Q
How do I start Firefox in safe mode with command prompt?
A
Start Firefox in Safe Mode
1.Select Restart with Add-ons disabled. You will be asked if you are sure.
2.Click Restart. And you will see the following message box.
3.You need to select Start in Safe Mode. Firefox will start in safe mode with all add-ons disabled. ...
4.Open a command prompt windows, type the following and hit Enter:
Q
How do I stop Firefox auto update?
A
From Firefox Menus
Select the “Menu” button in the upper-right corner, then choose “Options“.
Select “General” on the left pane.
Scroll down to the “Firefox Updates” section.
Select one of the following options as desired: ...
Check or uncheck the “Use a background service to install updates” option as desired.
Q
How can I downgrade my Mozilla Firefox?
A
1.Go to the Firefox install guide. ...
2.Scroll down to the "I still want to downgrade" section. ...
3.Click Directory of other versions and languages. ...
4.Select a version number. ...
5.Select your operating system's folder. ...
6.Select the language folder. ...
7.Click the download link. ...
8.Double-click the Firefox setup file.
Q
How does the Firefox Pocket work?
A
The Pocket for Firefox button lets you save web pages and videos to Pocket in just one click. Pocket strips away clutter and saves the page in a clean, distraction-free view and lets you access them on the go through the Pocket app. All you need is a free account, an Internet connection and the Pocket button.
Q
What is Firefox Health Report?
A
Firefox Health Report (FHR) enables users to optimize their Firefox configuration and will help us build a more excellent browser. As a non-profit dedicated to making the Web better, Mozilla will use FHR to help us improve performance, fix problems and let users see how their browsing experience compares against other instances of Firefox.