# Broken Browser Support Fix **URL:** \ **Category:** General\ **Created:** [November 9, 2026, 12:03am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/broken-browser-support-fix/416873 "2026-11-09T00:03:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1 ## AI-generated summary [Sin_Shadow_Fox](/t/-/416873/1) reports being locked out of Discourse forums due to an unsupported browser error, specifically when using Firefox 115 ESR. After claiming Discourse support refused to assist, they shared a five-line JavaScript bypass that overrides the `unsupportedBrowser` flag. [darkpixlz](/t/-/416873/4) cautioned against bypassing security warnings, urging users to update their browsers or use modern alternatives compatible with older hardware. Sin_Shadow_Fox clarified they are stuck on Windows 7 because they perceive no improvement in newer Windows versions and rely on Firefox ESR 115 as the only "up-to-date" option from Mozilla for their legacy system. darkpixlz recommended [Supermium](/t/-/416873/8) (a Chromium fork) or [R3dfox](/t/-/416873/8) (a Firefox fork) which are designed to run on legacy operating systems like Windows 98 and 7. [HAWK](/t/-/416873/9) clarified that Discourse developers are technically capable of fixing such issues but choose not to support unsupported browser versions for security and maintenance reasons. The discussion shifted to OS preferences, with Sin_Shadow_Fox expressing satisfaction with Windows 7's stability despite its age, while darkpixlz suggested switching to Linux, noting that Windows 7 is nearing the end of its life. Sin_Shadow_Fox mentioned trying Linux distributions like Cachy and Zorin but found them unsuitable, though darkpixlz recommended using tools like [distrochooser](/t/-/416873/13) to find a more user-friendly distribution.
**Author:** ![Sin\_Shadow\_Fox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/sin_shadow_fox/32/572624_2.png) [@Sin\_Shadow\_Fox](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Sin_Shadow_Fox)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 12:03am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/broken-browser-support-fix/416873/1 "2026-11-09T00:03:17Z")
Sorry about the repost but it seems someone misinterpreted something in my last post. Hopefully this one stays up. Well some time ago a Discourse forum stopped working right. I came here to see if I could find a solution or fix but ran into the same problem. ![Discourse be broken](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/4X/2/0/0/20032bbcbcbf042db27caa7ce8d196f22c23861c.png) So I contacted Discourse support . . . three times. Eventually I was told that the devs were incapable of fixing the issue. ![Discourse flub](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/4X/c/5/4/c542b82a9ff1ac673e2d08826d3f2c801194c2a1.png) Recently I decided to see if I couldn’t troubleshoot the problem myself and . . . with just five lines of code I fixed it. ![Discourse be fixed](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/4X/a/c/4/ac46d56c9c416de94c0fcc9395a145f1e60a982d.png) This was how easy it was to solve this, btw: ```plaintext // ==UserScript== // @​name Discourse Meta - Unsupported Browser Bypass // @​namespace discourse-meta-bypass // @​version 1.0 // @description Fixes Discourse broken browser issue // @​author Sin Shadow Fox // @​match *://meta.discourse.org/* // @​grant unsafeWindow // @​run-at document-start // @license MIT // ==/UserScript== (function() { 'use strict'; Object.defineProperty(unsafeWindow, 'unsupportedBrowser', { get() { return false; }, set() {}, configurable: true }); })(); ``` ---
**Author:** ![spam\_scanner\_bot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/spam_scanner_bot/32/472607_2.png) [@spam\_scanner\_bot](https://meta.discourse.org/u/spam_scanner_bot)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 12:03am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/broken-browser-support-fix/416873/2 "2026-11-09T00:03:24Z")
Unlisted on November 9, 2026, 12:03am UTC ---
**Author:** ![system](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/system/32/443519_2.png) [@system](https://meta.discourse.org/u/system)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 12:04am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/broken-browser-support-fix/416873/3 "2026-11-09T00:04:12Z")
Listed on November 9, 2026, 12:04am UTC ---
**Author:** ![darkpixlz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/darkpixlz/32/549896_2.png) [@darkpixlz](https://meta.discourse.org/u/darkpixlz)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 12:07am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/broken-browser-support-fix/416873/4 "2026-11-09T00:07:40Z")
Hi, as the email says, Firefox 115 is an older and unsupported version for Discourse. I wouldn’t really recommend using [any 3 year old browser](https://www.firefox.com/en-US/firefox/115.0/releasenotes/) regardless of what you want to do with it.. but that warning is kinda in place for a reason. I’m not too sure how well Discourse would work there, but please update your browser if possible instead of trying to get around the wall. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sin\_Shadow\_Fox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/sin_shadow_fox/32/572624_2.png) [@Sin\_Shadow\_Fox](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Sin_Shadow_Fox)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 12:10am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/broken-browser-support-fix/416873/5 "2026-11-09T00:10:37Z")
Unfortunately i don’t really have any say in the matter. That’s up to Mozilla. I’m just trying to get Discourse to work because a lot of sites use it and a broken forum serves no one. P.S. your PFP is adorable 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![darkpixlz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/darkpixlz/32/549896_2.png) [@darkpixlz](https://meta.discourse.org/u/darkpixlz)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 12:14am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/broken-browser-support-fix/416873/6 "2026-11-09T00:14:26Z")
> [@Sin\_Shadow\_Fox](#): > > Unfortunately i don’t really have any say in the matter. That’s up to Mozilla Is there a specific reason you are trying to use ESR 115? If not then I would just go download latest.. if you are on an older system with windows 7 or something else, then I would recommend going and downloading Supermium or the Gecko equivalent (which I know exists, I’m just blanking on the name) > [@Sin\_Shadow\_Fox](#): > > P.S. your PFP is adorable 🙂 thank you! :3 ---
**Author:** ![Sin\_Shadow\_Fox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/sin_shadow_fox/32/572624_2.png) [@Sin\_Shadow\_Fox](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Sin_Shadow_Fox)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 12:17am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/broken-browser-support-fix/416873/7 "2026-11-09T00:17:12Z")
Well, it’s not that I’m TRYING to use ESR 115. That’s just what Mozilla says is up to date. Also, yes, I’m on Win7. Specifically home premium but I’m working to find a Win7 Ultimate WAU key to move up a little. But what’s Supermium/Gecko? Is that something like VxKex? ---
**Author:** ![darkpixlz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/darkpixlz/32/549896_2.png) [@darkpixlz](https://meta.discourse.org/u/darkpixlz)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 12:23am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/broken-browser-support-fix/416873/8 "2026-11-09T00:23:19Z")
> [@Sin\_Shadow\_Fox](#): > > But what’s Supermium/Gecko? Is that something like VxKex? Gecko is the underlying engine of Firefox (like V8 for Chrome), I meant R3dfox. They are basically just new versions of Chrome (Supermium) and Firefox (R3dfox) respectively, designed to run on legacy systems, like how Supermium can go back to Windows 98 I believe (‼). If you can’t or don’t want to update to a newer version (because windows 7 is sick), then I would recommend downloading one of those rather than trying to hang onto old Firefox. ---
**Author:** ![HAWK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/hawk/32/86627_2.png) [@HAWK](https://meta.discourse.org/u/HAWK)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 12:27am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/broken-browser-support-fix/416873/9 "2026-11-09T00:27:21Z")
> [@Sin\_Shadow\_Fox](#): > > Eventually I was told that the devs were incapable of fixing the issue. As I clarified for you earlier in your PM, we are _capable_ of fixing it but we are choosing not to because the browser version is unsupported. ---
**Author:** ![Sin\_Shadow\_Fox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/sin_shadow_fox/32/572624_2.png) [@Sin\_Shadow\_Fox](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Sin_Shadow_Fox)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 12:27am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/broken-browser-support-fix/416873/10 "2026-11-09T00:27:55Z")
Oh! I’ve heard of R3dfox! I’ve actually been considering moving to it for about a year now but I’ve been a bit sketched out by it for the same reason i get sketched out by Linux distros. Still waiting to see how it turns out before i make any final decisions. Also, 98?! Holy shit! lol. That was my first OS. The idea of anything today running on that is wild. As for Windows, Microsoft simply hasn’t made anything better IMO so i haven’t upgraded yet. ---
**Author:** ![darkpixlz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/darkpixlz/32/549896_2.png) [@darkpixlz](https://meta.discourse.org/u/darkpixlz)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 12:35am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/broken-browser-support-fix/416873/11 "2026-11-09T00:35:36Z")
> [@Sin\_Shadow\_Fox](#): > > As for Windows, Microsoft simply hasn’t made anything better IMO so i haven’t upgraded yet. I would definitely recommend you find a Linux distro and swap to that in that case because of how old Windows 7 is at this point along with the fact we’re going on 7 years of no support soon I believe. There’s plenty of distros to choose from and you’re sure to find something that fits what you’re looking for!! ---
**Author:** ![Sin\_Shadow\_Fox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/sin_shadow_fox/32/572624_2.png) [@Sin\_Shadow\_Fox](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Sin_Shadow_Fox)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 12:40am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/broken-browser-support-fix/416873/12 "2026-11-09T00:40:45Z")
While Win7 may be old, it’s still as good as most modern OSs. Haven’t had a problem with it in like . . . 14 years? The really funny part is it got MORE stable after Microsoft stopped supporting it, lol. As for Linux Distros, i haven’t found something that matches what I’m looking for. Cachy/Zorin are close but not quite there and “the big three” are far too user unfriendly for me. ---
**Author:** ![darkpixlz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/darkpixlz/32/549896_2.png) [@darkpixlz](https://meta.discourse.org/u/darkpixlz)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 1:07am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/broken-browser-support-fix/416873/13 "2026-11-09T01:07:53Z")
> [@Sin\_Shadow\_Fox](#): > > The really funny part is it got MORE stable after Microsoft stopped supporting it Amazing things happen when you don’t use AI to slop code your whole operating system :3 > [@Sin\_Shadow\_Fox](#): > > i haven’t found something that matches what I’m looking for Distrochooser is a great resource for finding one that works for you!! It isn’t a definitive resource because you can always swap desktop environments but it’s a good place to get started for a beginner. > **[Distrochooser](https://distrochooser.de/)** > > The Distrochooser helps you to find the suitable Linux distribution based on your needs!