Unable to Install Extensions, Themes, or Certain Plugins to Firefox
If you have upgraded your Firefox then you may have run into this situation where you try to install an add-on, plugin, theme, or an extension to Firefox but get this error message:
“Software installation is currently disabled. Click Edit Options… to enable it and try again.”
No matter what you do to Firefox configuration under Tools -> Options, you will not be able to install the software. I ran into this problem recently when I tried to add some cool add-ons to my browser. I was able to find the answer on mozillazine.com.
In Firefox 1.0.x the option to allow Web sites to install software is found under “Tools -> Options -> Web Features -> Allow Web sites to install software”. Starting in Firefox 1.5 the option has been removed from the user interface (UI). The software installation option must be enabled to allow installation of themes, extensions and certain plugins that use the XPInstall method.
If you click a Web site’s “Install” link and you see a message bar that says “Software installation is currently disabled. Click Edit Options… to enable it and try again.”, here’s what you need to do.
Firefox 1.0.x: Click the “Edit Options” button to open the Web Features preferences panel, place a checkmark in front of “Allow Web sites to install software” and try again.
Firefox 1.5: If you previously disabled this option and then updated to Firefox 1.5, the disabled setting will be carried over. Since the option to enable software installation no longer exists in the UI, you will need to use about:config to reset the “xpinstall.enabled” preference to the default “true” value. These step-by-step instructions should fix the problem:
1. Type about:config in the Location Bar and press enter.
2. Type xpi in the Filter box and then locate xpinstall.enabled in the list.
3. Double-click to toggle the value from “false” to true”.
Once you have made the change, you should be able to install software. You don’t even need to restart the browser.
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