Which browser worked best for FAFSA 2024-2025 without glitches?
I'm getting ready to submit my FAFSA for 2024-2025 and I've heard horror stories about the site crashing, forms not saving, and other technical issues. For those who successfully filed without major problems, could you share which browser you used? I've got Chrome, Firefox, and Edge installed, but wondering if one worked better than others. I really don't want to deal with the frustration of having to restart my application multiple times because of some random glitch. Thanks in advance for any insights!
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Kevin Bell
Successfully submitted mine using Chrome about 3 weeks ago with minimal issues. Make sure you're using the latest version though - I had one weird glitch where the parent contribution section wouldn't save until I updated Chrome. Also turned off all my browser extensions just to be safe.
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Ella Cofer
•Thanks for sharing! Did you complete it all in one sitting or were you able to save and come back to it?
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Savannah Glover
Firefox worked perfectly for me and my daughter. Chrome kept timing out on the tax information retrieval tool section, but Firefox handled it smoothly. Also, make sure you're using a laptop/desktop - the mobile version is still buggy regardless of browser.
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Felix Grigori
•FIREFOX CRASHED TWICE FOR ME!!! lost all my data and had to start over. maybe depends on your internet connection too?
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Felicity Bud
Edge worked fine for me, but the key was doing it during off-peak hours. I filled everything out at 5:30am on a Tuesday and had zero issues. My roommate tried at 8pm and kept getting errors. I think server load matters more than browser tbh
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Ella Cofer
•That's a good point about timing. Maybe I'll try early morning too. Did you use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool or enter tax info manually?
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Max Reyes
I tried Chrome, Firefox, AND Safari before finally getting it to work on Edge. The difference seemed to be that Edge handled the IRS Data Retrieval Tool connection better. My SAI came back within 48 hours too! If you're having trouble connecting with FSA on the phone to troubleshoot (I was on hold for 3+ hours), I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an agent in under 15 minutes. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ and their site is claimyr.com. Saved me so much frustration when I needed to verify why my application kept glitching.
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Mikayla Davison
•u seriously paid money just to talk to fafsa?? lol just keep calling back at different times until u get through
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Adrian Connor
The browser matters less than following these technical steps: 1. Clear your cache and cookies before starting 2. Use a private/incognito window 3. Disable all browser extensions 4. Make sure your pop-up blocker is disabled 5. Use a wired internet connection if possible I've helped hundreds of students file their FAFSAs as a financial aid counselor, and these steps solve 90% of the technical issues regardless of browser. If you do encounter the spinning wheel of death, wait 2 minutes before refreshing - sometimes the system is just slow to respond but is still processing.
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Ella Cofer
•This is really helpful info, thank you! I'll definitely try the incognito window tip.
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Felix Grigori
used safari on my macbook and it worked fine but my brother couldnt get the parent plus loan section to load on chrome so maybe avoid that one? idk tho could just be random
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Aisha Jackson
•I think it definitely depends on your specific computer and internet connection. My daughter used Chrome without issues but I couldn't get past the SAI calculation screen until I switched to Firefox.
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Kevin Bell
FYI - If you run into trouble regardless of browser, the FAFSA customer service number is basically useless right now. Been seeing 3-4 hour wait times all month because of the new FAFSA rollout issues. Just be prepared with snacks and movies if you need to call them! 😂
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Max Reyes
•This is where that Claimyr service I mentioned above saved me so much time. I was ready to throw my phone out the window after being on hold for hours.
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