If you share your computer with other people, you may want to prevent them from logging in to your social network account, viewing your stored passwords and changing your bookmarks in Firefox. This article describes basic protections to take. __TOC__ = Use individual user accounts = You should create individual user accounts for each person who regularly uses your computer. This allows each user to have his or her own customization such as the wallpaper and visual style, and his or her own document folders such as the [[Profiles - Where Firefox stores your bookmarks, passwords and other user data|Firefox profile]] that stores your form history, Internet usernames and passwords, bookmarks, and other personal settings. Each person accesses his or her user account with a username and password. To create a user account: {for win} * <u>Windows Vista/7</u>: See [http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/Windows7/Create-a-user-account Create a user account] at microsoft.com * <u>Windows XP</u>: See [http://support.microsoft.com/kb/279783 How to create and configure user accounts in Windows XP] at microsoft.com {/for} {for mac} * <u>Mac OS X 10.6</u>: See [http://support.apple.com/kb/PH6651 Creating a new user account on Mac OS X 10.6] at apple.com * <u>Mac OS X 10.7 and above</u>: See [http://support.apple.com/kb/PH4600 Create a new user account on Mac OS X 10.7] at apple.com {/for} {for linux} * <u>Gnome</u>: See [http://library.gnome.org/users/gnome-help/stable/user-add.html.en Add a new user account] at gnome.org * <u>KDE</u>: See [http://docs.kde.org/stable/en/kdeadmin/kuser/index.html The KUser Handbook] at kde.org {/for} For more information on choosing secure passwords, see [[Create secure passwords to keep your identity safe]]. = Lock your computer when you are away from it = When you leave your computer, you should lock the screen to prevent other people from using your desktop and accessing your files. You will still be logged in and all your applications will keep running, but you will have to enter your password to use your computer again. You can lock the screen manually, but you can also have the screen lock automatically. {for win} * '''Lock after a period of inactivity:''' **<u>Windows Vista/7</u>: See [http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Use-your-Windows-password-for-your-screen-saver-password Use your Windows password for your screen saver password] at microsoft.com ** <u>Windows XP</u>: See [http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/display_assign_screensaver_password.mspx?mfr=true To protect your files by using a screen saver password] at microsoft.com * '''Manual lock:''' Press {key [[Image:Windows Key]]+L}. {/for} {for mac} * '''Lock:''' ** <u>Mac OS X 10.6</u>: See [http://support.apple.com/kb/PH6324 About the General pane of Security preferences] at apple.com ** <u>Mac OS X 10.7 and above</u>: See [http://support.apple.com/kb/PH3956 Require a password to wake your Mac] at apple.com * '''Sleep and idle modes:''' **See [http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2412 About Energy Saver sleep and idle modes in Mac OS X] at apple.com {/for} {for linux} * <u>Gnome</u>: See [http://library.gnome.org/users/gnome-help/3.5/display-lock.html.en Automatically lock your screen] and [http://library.gnome.org/users/gnome-help/stable/shell-exit.html.en#lock-screen Lock the screen] at gnome.org * <u>KDE</u>: See [http://docs.kde.org/stable/en/kde-workspace/kcontrol/screensaver/index.html Screen Saver] at kde.org {/for} = Set a Firefox master password = In case someone would access Firefox if you forgot to lock your computer, you can also set a Firefox master password. For more information, see [[Use a Master Password to protect stored logins and passwords]]. [[Template:ShareArticle|link=http://mzl.la/13O1sYt]]

If you share your computer with other people, you may want to prevent them from logging in to your social network account, viewing your stored passwords and changing your bookmarks in Firefox. This article describes basic protections to take.

Use individual user accounts

You should create individual user accounts for each person who regularly uses your computer. This allows each user to have his or her own customization such as the wallpaper and visual style, and his or her own document folders such as the Firefox profile that stores your form history, Internet usernames and passwords, bookmarks, and other personal settings. Each person accesses his or her user account with a username and password.

To create a user account:

For more information on choosing secure passwords, see Create secure passwords to keep your identity safe.

Lock your computer when you are away from it

When you leave your computer, you should lock the screen to prevent other people from using your desktop and accessing your files. You will still be logged in and all your applications will keep running, but you will have to enter your password to use your computer again. You can lock the screen manually, but you can also have the screen lock automatically.

Set a Firefox master password

In case someone would access Firefox if you forgot to lock your computer, you can also set a Firefox master password. For more information, see Use a Primary Password to protect stored logins and passwords.