Install Firefox add-ons locally

The usual way to install a new Firefox add-on is by left-clicking on the link on a website which will start the installation. You might be asked to allow the website to install add-ons in Firefox but that’s usually it. I have lately experienced some troubles with several installations of Firefox add-ons. I did receive download errors for instance or installations that would simply stop at a point.

My thoughts on this topic were that it would probably be easier to install the add-ons locally, meaning to download the xpi file of the add-on and install it from my local hard drive which would actually be the same process that Mozilla Thunderbird users perform when installation add-ons for the email client.

My only problem was that I did not know if this was possible at all. I did check the add-ons menu first but there was no option to load a xpi file from the hard drive.

I then tried to use the File > Open File menu and what can I say: It works! I was able to install the add-on from my hard drive using the Open File dialog.

You can download the xpi files by right-clicking them and selecting Save As from the menu.