Firefox can remember what you've entered in forms on web pages, also known as text fields. After you've entered something into a form on a web page (such as a search box), the next time you visit that page, your previous entry should be available to re-use. If you find that you can't re-use your form entries, follow the instructions in this article.

• For more information on the form autocompletion feature, see the Form autocomplete article.

Autocomplete does not work on certain forms

If you find that Firefox will save form entries for forms on only some websites, but not on others, the site might be telling Firefox to not save form history. This is especially common on email and banking websites.

Autocomplete doesn't work on any forms

If you find that Firefox will not save any text you enter into forms, follow the instructions below.

Check Firefox settings

Make sure that Firefox is set to remember form entries and that saved form entries are not being automatically cleared:

1. At the top of the Firefox window, click on the Firefox button (Tools menu in Windows XP) and then click OptionsOn the menu bar, click on the Firefox menu and select Preferences...At the top of the Firefox window, click on the Edit menu and select PreferencesAt the top of the Firefox window, click on the Tools menu and select Options...On the menu bar, click on the Firefox menu and select Preferences...At the top of the Firefox window, click on the Edit menu and select Preferences...
2. Select the Privacy panel.
3. Set Firefox will: to Use custom settings for history.
4. Make sure that Remember search and form history is selected.
   • Enabling form autocomplete also makes Firefox store search history for the Search bar in the Navigation Toolbar.
5. Find Clear history when Firefox closes. If it is selected:
   1. Click on the Settings... button.
   2. Make sure that Form & Search History is not selected.
   3. Click OK.
6. Click OK to close the Options windowClick Close to close the Preferences windowClose the Preferences window

If either of those options were not set properly, setting them as above should enable form autocomplete.

Check for conflicting extensions

If you find that Firefox's settings were correct, but autocomplete still doesn't work on any forms, check for conflicting extensions:

1. At the top of the Firefox window, click on the Firefox button (Tools menu in Windows XP), and then click Add-onsOn the menu bar, click on the Tools menu, and then click Add-onsAt the top of the Firefox window, click on the Tools menu, and then click Add-ons. The Add-ons Manager tab will openAt the top of the Firefox window, click on the Tools menu, and select Add-onsOn the menu bar, click on the Tools menu, and select Add-onsAt the top of the Firefox window, click on the Tools menu, and select Add-ons. The Add-ons window will open.

2. In the Add-ons Manager tabwindow, select the Extensions panel.
3. Look for one of these extensions known to conflict with form autocomplete and click on it to select it.
   • RealPlayer Browser Record Plugin
4. Click the Disable button.
5. Close the Add-ons windowManager tab.
6. At the top of the Firefox window, click on the Firefox button (File menu in Windows XP) and then click ExitOn the menu bar, click on the Firefox menu and select Quit FirefoxAt the top of the Firefox window, click on the File menu and select QuitAt the top of the Firefox window, click on the File menu and select ExitOn the menu bar, click on the Firefox menu and select Quit FirefoxAt the top of the Firefox window, click on the File menu and select Quit.

If a conflicting extension was present, form autocomplete should work again after disabling it and starting Firefox again.

Check other programs' settings

Some Internet security software (including antivirus, antispyware, firewall, and privacy programs) will clear Firefox's form history. Check the settings for these programs if you have one or more of them.