How to Fix the “pr_end_of_file_error” Error in Firefox

by Mahesh Makvana

Mozilla Firefox’s “pr_end_of_file_error” error occurs when your browser has an SSL security issue. Usually, items like proxies and VPNs are the causes of this problem. You can follow a few easy methods to get around this problem in your favorite web browser. Here’s how.

Firefox can display the above error because your browser profile is corrupt, your antivirus has detected Firefox as a malicious item, Firefox’s DNS over HTTPS option is enabled, or other reasons.

Table of Contents

    Turn Off Your Computer’s Proxy

    One way to get around your Firefox browser’s “pr_end_of_file_error” error is by turning off your device’s proxy server. A proxy server transmits your data through a third-party server, causing issues with your connection.

    Turning off a proxy server on Windows, Mac, and Firefox is as easy as this.

    Disable Proxy on Windows

    1. Open Settings by pressing Windows + I.
    2. Select Network & internet in the left sidebar.
    3. Choose Proxy on the right pane.
    4. Turn off the Automatically detect settings option.
    1. Choose Set up next to Use a proxy server.
    2. Disable the Use a proxy server option and choose Save.
    3. Reboot your PC and open your site in Firefox.

    Turn Off Proxy on macOS

    You’ll deactivate all kinds of proxies on your Mac to resolve the Firefox error.

    1. Select the Apple logo in your Mac’s top-left corner and choose System Preferences.
    2. Select Network on the following page.
    3. Choose Wi-Fi in the left sidebar and select Advanced on the right.
    4. Open the Proxies tab to view your proxies.
    5. Turn off all the options in the Select a protocol to configure section and choose OK.
    6. Restart your Mac and launch your site in Firefox.

    Deactivate Proxy in Firefox

    Firefox has built-in proxy settings; you can try turning off these proxy connections to resolve your error.

    1. Open Firefox, select the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner and choose Settings.
    2. Scroll the page to the bottom and choose Settings in the Network Settings section.
    3. Choose No proxy on the following page and select OK.
    1. Close and reopen Firefox, then launch your site.

    Disable Your VPN App

    VPN apps route your internet data via a proxy server, sometimes causing issues with your internet-enabled apps. Your Firefox error may be the result of a bad VPN service.

    In this case, turn off your VPN app, and your issue will be resolved. How you disable your VPN depends on the app you’re using. You’ll find the option to turn off the service on the main interface in most VPN apps. Then, open Firefox and try to launch your site.

    If your site launches just fine after disabling the VPN, change your location in the VPN and see if you can then access your site. If that doesn’t work, contact your VPN’s customer support and ask for a resolution. If your issue remains unsolved, you can uninstall your app and get a new one.

    Uninstall a VPN App on Windows

    1. Launch Settings by pressing Windows + I.
    2. Select Apps in the left sidebar.
    3. Choose Apps & features on the right pane.
    4. Select the three dots next to your VPN app and choose Uninstall.
    1. Select Uninstall in the prompt to confirm your choice.

    Remove a VPN App on macOS

    1. Open a Finder window on your Mac.
    2. Select Go > Applications in Finder’s menu bar.
    3. Find the VPN app to delete.
    4. Drag the app over to Trash.

    Turn Off Your Antivirus Software

    Sometimes, Firefox displays a “pr_end_of_file_error” error because your antivirus program detected the browser or your site as malicious. In this case, your antivirus will continue to block your access to your item.

    You can check for that by temporarily turning off your antivirus protection. How you do this depends on the app you’re using. You can find the option to disable real-time protection on the main screen in most antivirus tools.

    If you’re on Windows and use Microsoft Defender Antivirus, you can turn off this tool’s protection as follows:

    1. Open the Start menu, find Windows Security, and launch the app.
    2. Select Virus & threat protection on the app’s main page.
    3. Choose Manage settings under the Virus & threat protection settings header.
    4. Disable the Real-time protection toggle.
    1. Select Yes in the User Account Control prompt.
    2. Quit and relaunch Firefox, then open your site.

    Disable DNS over HTTPS to Fix pr_end_of_file_error

    DNS over HTTPS is a built-in Firefox option that sends your DNS queries over a secure protocol. Sometimes, this feature doesn’t work well and causes various issues. You can fix that by turning off the option in your browser.

    1. Open Firefox, select the hamburger menu in the top-right corner and choose Settings.
    2. Scroll to the bottom and select Settings in the Network Settings section.
    3. Turn off the Enable DNS over HTTPS option.
    1. Select OK at the bottom.
    2. Close and reopen Firefox, then launch your site.

    Refresh Firefox Settings

    If your “pr_end_of_file_error” issue persists, Firefox’s configuration may have a problem. In this case, you can clear your entire browser configuration and start from scratch. This should resolve your issue.

    When you refresh Firefox settings, you don’t lose your essential information, like your saved passwords and bookmarks.

    1. Open Firefox, select the hamburger menu in the top-right corner and choose Help > More troubleshooting information.
    2. Select Refresh Firefox on the page that opens.
    1. Choose Refresh Firefox in the prompt.
    2. When your settings are erased, try to open your site in the browser.

    Create and Use a New Firefox Profile

    If your error remains unresolved, your Firefox profile might be corrupt. A corrupt profile causes various instabilities in the browser, leading to multiple error messages. In this case, you can create a new profile in your browser.

    When you create a new profile, your browser data, like your bookmarks and saved passwords, aren’t migrated. You should manually back up these items before making and using a new profile.

    Export Saved Passwords in Firefox

    1. Select the hamburger menu in Firefox’s top-right corner and choose Passwords.
    2. Select the three dots in the top-right corner and choose Export Logins.
    1. Choose Export in the open menu.
    2. Select a location to save your password file.

    Export Firefox Bookmarks

    1. Select the three horizontal lines in Firefox’s top-right corner and choose Bookmarks > Manage bookmarks.
    2. Choose Import and Backup > Export Bookmarks to HTML.
    1. Select a location to save your bookmarks file.

    Make a New Firefox Profile

    1. Type the following in Firefox’s address bar and press Enter:
      about:profiles
    2. Select Create a New Profile on the following page.
    1. Choose Next in the open wizard.
    2. Type a name for your profile in the text field and select Next.
    3. Choose Launch profile in new browser in your newly-created profile’s section.
    1. Open your site in the new Firefox window that launches.

    Get Around Firefox’s SSL Errors on Your Windows and Mac Computers

    Firefox’s “pr_end_of_file_error” can prevent you from accessing even the most trusted sites on the internet. If your error message doesn’t disappear after a few refreshes, the above methods will help you.

    Once you’ve resolved your browser error, you can open all your sites without issues in your favorite web browser. Happy surfing!

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