mozilla-mobile/firefox-ios

Reading list articles in weird loading state if accessed in private mode

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#31713 opened on Jan 19, 2026

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Contributor OKGood first issue

Description

Steps to reproduce:

  1. Launch the app and access a website.
  2. Add it to reading list.
  3. Switch to private mode.
  4. Access reading list from the menu and tap on the previously saved article.
  5. Observe

Actual Result:

A blank screen and “loading content” message are displayed.

The content of the article doesn’t load, it needs a refresh or a force close and reopen.

Expected Result:

The content of the article is instantly loaded.

Notes:

Device & build information

  • Device: iPhone 17 pro (iOS 26)
  • Build version: v147.2 (67039)

:information_source: Reference Person

+@Foxbolts+

┆Issue is synchronized with this Jira Bug

Contributor guide

Tech stack
swiftios
Domain
mobile
Issue type
bug
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
half day
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
fresh
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
mostly clear
Prerequisites
Basic iOS development knowledgeSwift programmingUnderstanding of Firefox for iOS reading list feature
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
45
Research direction
Investigate the reading list data loading mechanism, specifically how articles are fetched in private mode versus normal mode. Look at the ReadingListManager or similar classes to see if there is a difference in data container or URL handling. The issue may be related to session separation or private browsing storage. Check the code path from tapping an article in reading list to displaying its content, and identify why it shows a blank screen with 'loading content' in private mode but works after refresh.