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Why do my saved logins and passwords keep disappearing

  • 6 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 13 views
  • Last reply by cor-el

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Firefox updated a few weeks ago and I lost all my saved logins and passwords. I finally got most of the re-saved and it seemed everything was working fine. I turned my computer off today and turned it back on tonight and now all my saved logins and passwords are gone AGAIN. I didn't notice another update. I looked at the password manager, but if I understand that correctly I have to keep entering the password for that. This is getting ridiculous. I'm getting older and can't keep remembering all my passwords or resetting them all the time.

Firefox updated a few weeks ago and I lost all my saved logins and passwords. I finally got most of the re-saved and it seemed everything was working fine. I turned my computer off today and turned it back on tonight and now all my saved logins and passwords are gone AGAIN. I didn't notice another update. I looked at the password manager, but if I understand that correctly I have to keep entering the password for that. This is getting ridiculous. I'm getting older and can't keep remembering all my passwords or resetting them all the time.

All Replies (6)

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Did you only lose the passwords or did you lose other data as well?

You can check in Windows Explorer if there is a previous version of the logins.json and key4.db files available as part of a System Restore point.

If you have a logins.json.corrupt file and a key3.db file in the profile folder then try to rename logins.json.corrupt to logins.json and delete the key4.db file.

You can use the button on the "Help -> Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page to go to the current Firefox profile folder or use the about:profiles page.


You can check if you have an "Old Firefox Data" folder on the desktop in case the Refresh feature in Firefox has been used and a new profile has been created.

when you use the refresh feature in Firefox then a new profile is created and some personal data (bookmarks and history, form data, tabs) is automatically imported. The current profile folder will be moved to an "Old Firefox Data" folder on the desktop. Installed extensions and other customizations (toolbars, prefs) that you have made are lost and need to be redone.

It is possible to recover data from the "Old Firefox Data" folder on the desktop, but be cautious not to copy corrupted files to avoid carrying over problems.

You can copy files like these with Firefox closed to the current profile folder to recover specific data.

  • bookmarks and history: places.sqlite
  • bookmark backups: compressed .jsonlz4 JSON backups in the bookmarkbackups folder
  • cookies.sqlite for the Cookies
  • formhistory.sqlite for saved autocomplete Form Data
  • logins.json (passwords) and key4.db (58+) or key3.db (57 and older) (decryption key) for Passwords saved in the Password Manager
    if you only have key3.db then make sure to remove an existing key4.db
  • cert9.db (58+) or cert8.db (57 and older) for (intermediate) certificates stored in the Certificate Manager
    if you only have cert8.db then make sure to remove an existing cert9.db
  • persdict.dat for words you added to the spelling checker dictionary
  • permissions.sqlite for Permissions and possibly content-prefs.sqlite for other website specific data (Site Preferences)
  • sessionstore.jsonlz4 for open tabs and pinned tabs (see also the sessionstore-backups folder)
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In the event that the passwords information is lost, you should record all information in a separate text file somewhere else on your hard drive, or written down. You can easily copy and paste if you need to do so. If you are concerned about someone else looking at that file, you can compress it using a password.

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I don't have a key whatever file, but I did find the corrupt one and rename it, but now what. I managed to find the refresh and did that and now the logins and passwords I did re-save between last night and this morning are all gone AGAIN! How can I copy my logins and passwords to excel or word when they're not there to copy? I've lost no other data as far as I know.

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So what are your privacy settings set at? Are they checked marked to clear everytime you close FireFox?

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You mean in the history? I have it set to remember history. I have no idea where that would be.

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