How to change or reset your Mozilla account password

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  • Creator: Lucas Siebert
  • Comment: Bug 1930743 - Restructured content (part 4)
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This guide helps you update or recover your Mozilla account password, whether you want to enhance account security or have forgotten your current password. If you’re signed in, follow the quick steps to change your password. If you’re locked out, explore reset options based on your account setup and data recovery needs.

Change your Mozilla account password

If you’re signed in to your Mozilla account, click the heading below to view and follow the steps to change your password.

Change your Mozilla account password while signed in

If you can sign in to your Mozilla account, you can change your password by following these simple steps:

  1. Go to Mozilla account Sign in.
    Sign in MA
  2. Sign in with your current password.
  3. In the Security section, next to Password, click Change.
    CHANGE PASSWORD
  4. Enter your old password, then your new password.
  5. Click Save to complete the change.
    SAVE button

Reset your Mozilla account password

If you can’t sign in to your Mozilla account, you still have options to reset your password and regain access. Depending on your account setup, certain methods can help you retain your saved data. Select the option that best describes your situation to follow the appropriate steps.

Reset password retaining synced data

If you’re locked out and have synced data saved on Mozilla’s servers, a recovery key recovery key is necessary to reset your password without data loss. Click the heading below for step-by-step instructions to securely reset your password and preserve your synced data.

Password reset with recovery key

  1. Go to Mozilla Account Sign in.
    Sign in MA
  2. Click Forgot password? and follow the prompts.
    Forgot password
    Note: This will also reset your account recovery key.
  3. On the Mozilla account password reset page, enter your email address and click Continue.
    Reset password
  4. You will receive an 8-digit confirmation code via email. See I'm having problems confirming my Mozilla account for help confirming your account.
  5. Enter the confirmation code and click Continue.
    8 digit code
  6. Enter your account recovery key.
    Recovery key
  7. Create a new password.
    new password
  8. After resetting your password, a new account recovery key will be generated for you.
    Note: Recovery keys expire after every use, so it’s important to replace the previous one you had saved.
    new key

Reset password without retaining synced data

Without a recovery key, synced data can’t be recovered after resetting your password. For best results, reset from the device where you last signed in, allowing Firefox to access local browser data. Encrypted Sync data on Mozilla’s servers will be erased, but data on your device will remain safe.

Password reset process without recovery key

Important for Sync users: If you reset your password without a recovery key, all encrypted data saved through Sync on Mozilla’s servers will be erased.
  1. Go to the Mozilla account password reset page (or click Forgot password? from the sign in page).
  2. Go to Mozilla Account Sign in.
    Sign in MA
  3. Click Forgot password?.
    Forgot password
    Note: This will also reset your account recovery key.
  4. On the Mozilla account password reset page, enter your email address and click Continue.
    Reset password
  5. An 8-digit confirmation code will be emailed to you. See I'm having problems confirming my Mozilla account for help confirming your account.
  6. Enter the confirmation code and click Continue.
    8 digit code
  7. If you have Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) enabled, you will be asked to enter the code from your application at this time.
    2fa code
  8. Create a new password.
Warning: If you are a Sync user and likely to have data stored on Mozilla’s servers, a warning will appear informing you that your encrypted browser data may be deleted. This applies only to data stored on the servers and will not affect the data stored locally on your device.
  • For users with a recovery key configured

If you have a recovery key but clicked Can't find your recovery key?, you will see a slightly different message regarding data recovery. In this case, you will be prompted with a screen guiding you to retrieve your recovery key or continue without it.

  • For users with a recovery key who clicked 'Can't find your recovery key?'
can't find recovery key
  • For users without a recovery key
users without recovery key

Reset Mozilla account password with data loss

If you only need to reset your password and don’t require any data recovery, click the section below and follow the steps.

Password reset with complete data loss

  1. Go to the Mozilla account password reset page (or click Forgot password? from the sign in page).
  2. Enter your email address and click Continue.
    Reset password
  3. An 8-digit confirmation code will be emailed to you. See I'm having problems confirming my Mozilla account for help confirming your account.
    8 digit code
  4. Enter the confirmation code from the email and click Continue.
  5. If you have Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) enabled, you will be asked to enter the code from your application at this time.
    2fa code
  6. Follow the on-screen instructions to create a new password.
    new password
  7. After signing in with your new password, you’ll need to sign in again on all of your devices.
Note for Sync users: We recommend creating an account recovery key. This allows you to securely restore your information (such as passwords, bookmarks and settings) in the event you forget your password again. This does not include subscription related information, as that is stored separately.

Restore browser data after a Mozilla account password reset

If you’re on the same device, your browser data is safe since it’s stored locally. Simply sign in to your Mozilla account in Firefox using your new password and select Sync now from the Firefox application menu IG main menu. For a new device or an older Firefox version that doesn’t support Sync, transfer your data using the Firefox backup assistant.

Restore data on the same device

If you’re using the same device, your data is already safe!

  1. Sign into Firefox with your new password.
  2. Click Sync now in the Firefox menu.

Restore data on a new device

  1. Sign in with your new password on your original device first.
  2. Click Sync now in the Firefox menu.
  3. Sign in with your new password on the new device and sync.

Move data to a new device or use an older Firefox version without sync support

If you are moving to a new device or using a version of Firefox that no longer supports sync, you can transfer your browser data via the Firefox backup assistant as long as you still have your original device.

Recover data without the original device or after data loss

Regrettably, if your original device is unavailable or the data was erased during a crash or wipe, there is no way to restore your passwords, bookmarks, etc.

Difference between browser data and encrypted data

  • Browser data includes information such as browsing history, bookmarks, saved passwords, and settings, stored directly on your device. This data remains accessible as long as you have the device and haven’t removed the data.
  • Encrypted data is created when you use Sync. You can choose to sync selected data, which is then stored on Mozilla’s servers in an encrypted form to ensure privacy and security. You can access encrypted data from any device where you’re signed in with your Mozilla account.

Impact on data after a password reset

If you reset your password using a recovery key, you will retain access to encrypted data. Without a recovery key, encrypted data on Mozilla’s servers is erased for security purposes, while browser data on your device remains unaffected, allowing you to restore your settings.

Note: Resetting your Mozilla account password doesn’t impact subscriptions or payment details, as these are managed separately.

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