Profiles - Where Firefox stores your bookmarks, passwords and other user data
Revision Information
- Revision id: 232461
- Created:
- Creator: unixfan
- Comment: Resubmitted prior changes to the Linux section
- Reviewed: No
- Ready for localization: No
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Firefox stores the changes you make to it, such as your bookmarks and extensions, inside a folder called a profile. Firefox stores your profile separately from its main installation for a few reasons:
- To prevent data loss if something goes wrong with the main program
- To allow you to uninstall Firefox without losing your information
- To allow you to wipe your information or troubleshoot a problem without reinstalling Firefox
Table of Contents
How do I find my profile?
- Click the menu button , click and select .From the The Troubleshooting Information tab will open. menu, select .
- Under the Application Basics section next to Profile FolderDirectory, click . A window will open that contains your profile folder.Your profile folder will open.
Finding your profile without opening Firefox
Firefox stores your profiles in this location on your computer, by default:
C:\Users\<your Windows login username>\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\
By default, Windows hides the AppData folder. Follow these steps to find it:
- Press +R on the keyboard to open the Run dialog
- Type:
%APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\
- Click . A window will open that contains profile folders
- Double-click the profile folder you want to open
- From the Start Screen, click the Desktop tile to open the Desktop view
- From the Desktop, hover in the lower right-hand corner to access the Charms
- Select the charm to open the Search sidebar
- In the search box, type:
%APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\
without pressing Enter. A list of profile folders will appear - Click on the profile folder you want to open
- Click the Windows button to open the Start menu
- In the Search box at the bottom of the Start menu, type:
%APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\
without pressing Enter. A list of profiles will appear at the top of the Start menu - Click on the profile folder you want to open
- Alternatively, you can find your profile by pressing the key and typing:
%APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\
- Click the Finder icon in the dock
- On the menu bar, click the option or alt key, and select . A window will open containing your Library folder. menu, hold down the
- Open the Application Support folder, double-click the Firefox folder, and then the Profiles folder.
Your profile folder is in this folder.
Firefox stores your profiles in this location on your computer, by default:
~/.mozilla/firefox/
To access this directory, follow these instructions:
- Open a terminal
- Change the directory to the aforementioned path by typing:
-
cd ~/.mozilla/firefox
-
- List the contents of the directory:
-
ls
-
What information is stored in my profile?
Bookmarks, Downloads and Browsing History:
- places.sqlite
This file stores all your Firefox bookmarks and lists of all the files you've downloaded and websites you’ve visited - bookmarkbackups
This folder stores bookmark backup files, which can restore your bookmarks - favicons.sqlite
This file stores all of the favicons for your Firefox bookmarks
For more information, see Bookmarks in Firefox and Restore bookmarks from backup or move them to another computer.
Passwords:
- key4.db
- logins.json
Firefox stores passwords in these two files. For more information, see Password Manager - Remember, delete and edit logins and passwords in Firefox
Site-specific preferences:
- permissions.sqlite
- content-prefs.sqlite
These two files store many of your Firefox permissions, such as which sites may display pop-ups and per-site zoom levels (see Font size and zoom - increase the size of web pages)
Search engines:
- search.json.mozlz4
This file stores user-installed search engines. For more information, see Add or remove a search engine in Firefox
Personal dictionary:
- persdict.dat
This file stores any custom words you have added to Firefox's dictionary. For more information, see How do I use the Firefox spell checker?
Autocomplete history:
- formhistory.sqlite
This file stores what you have searched for in the Firefox search bar and what information you’ve entered into forms on websites. For more information, see Control whether Firefox automatically fills in forms
Cookies:
- cookies.sqlite
This file stores your browser cookies. A cookie is a data file stored on your computer by a website you’ve visited.
DOM storage:
DOM Storage is designed to provide a larger, more secure, and easier-to-use alternative to storing information in cookies.
- webappsstore.sqlite
This file stores DOM storage data - chromeappsstore.sqlite
This file stores information for about:* pages.
Extensions:
- extensions
This folder, if it exists, stores files for any extensions you have installed. To learn more about Firefox extensions and other add-ons, see Find and install add-ons to add features to Firefox.
Security certificate settings:
- cert9.db
This file stores all your security certificate settings and any SSL certificates you have imported into Firefox.
Security device settings:
- pkcs11.txt
This file stores security module configuration.
Download actions:
- handlers.json
This file stores your preferences that tell Firefox what to do when it comes across a particular type of file. For example, this file stores the preference that make Firefox open a PDF file with Acrobat Reader when you click on it. For more information, see Manage file types and download actions in Firefox.
Stored session:
- sessionstore.jsonlz4
This file stores the currently open tabs and windows. For more information, see Restore previous session - Configure when Firefox shows your most recent tabs and windows.
Toolbar customization:
- xulstore.json
This file stores toolbar and window size/position settings. For more information, see Customize Firefox controls, buttons and toolbars.
User preferences:
- prefs.js
This file stores customized user preferences, such as changes you make in the Settings dialog located at about:config. The optional user.js file, if one exists, will override preferences made in-browser
Containers:
- containers.json
This file stores the details of containers used by the Container Tabs feature, including those created by extensions such as Facebook Container.
Working with profiles
- Profile Manager - Create, remove or switch Firefox profiles explains how to do things such as creating a new profile, setting a new default profile, and deleting an old profile.
- Recover user data missing after Firefox update explains how to use the Profile Manager to switch profiles if multiple profiles exist.
- Back up and restore information in Firefox profiles explains how to back up and restore a profile. It also explains how to move your profile information to a different location on your hard drive or to another computer.
- Recovering important data from an old profile explains how to copy files to a new profile and includes a list of files that store information helpful for recovery.