Did Firefox save my logins? Did this website save them? How do I control what logins are entered automatically on websites? We'll explain how to store your logins so you can control what happens automatically.

How to tell where your login will be stored

Your logins may be stored in the Firefox Password Manager and in cookies.

The Firefox Password Manager securely stores the usernames and passwords you use to access websites and then automatically fills them in for you the next time you visit.

When you enter a username and password Firefox hasn't already stored for a website, Firefox's Remember Password prompt will ask if you want Firefox to remember them. When you click Remember Password, the next time you visit the website, Firefox will automatically log you in to the website.

A cookie is a piece of information that a website stores on your computer. Some websites will save your login information on cookies.

When you visit a website and check a box that says something like, "Remember me", the website will save your login information, such as your username and password or just your username, on a cookie. The next time you visit the website, your computer will send your login cookie back to the website, and you'll be logged in automatically or required to enter your password but not your username to log in.

The pros and cons of storing your logins in the Password Manager and cookies

The Firefox Password Manager

One advantage of using the Firefox Password Manager is that it stores all your logins - your usernames and passwords - in one single place. You can find your logins in the Firefox Password Manager and not worry about forgetting where they are.

On the other hand, putting all your logins in one place, unprotected, can be risky. Theoretically, someone who has access to your computer could open and view your logins in the Firefox Password Manager and go on an Amazon shopping spree ! Fortunately, Firefox lets you use a master password to prevent others from accessing your logins without your permission.

Cookies

An advantage of using cookies is that they can keep you logged in a website so that you can skip the login page and quickly get to where you want. Facebook and Twitter's cookies will let you do this, for instance.

One disadvantage of using cookies is that they will lose your login information whenever you clear your computer's cookies and cache. This could happen by accident if you are trying to fix a problem between your computer and a website. So you would then need to re-enter your login information the next time you visited your favorite websites.

Strategies for saving your login information

Use your memory

If you want the most secure method for storing your login information, then you should rely on your own memory. Choose a different login for every website — see Choose a strong password — and memorize your logins.

Use the Password Manager and the Master Password

But maybe you want a more secure way of remembering your logins. The next most secure method for storing your logins is using the Master password with the Password Manager. Choose a different login for every website, save those logins in the Password Manager, and secure the Password Manager with your Master password.

Use the Password Manager without the Master Password

Or perhaps the risk of someone accessing websites with your logins is low — your computer doesn't leave the house, it's connected to a secure network, and the people who use it are trusted. In that case, you should just choose different logins for every website, save those logins in the Password Manager, and skip the Master password.

Store your logins in both the Password Manager and cookies

Finally, maybe what you are really looking for is speed. You want to skip those login pages you might otherwise have to visit many times a day. Also, your computer is in safe hands and the websites are low risk (ones not connected to a credit card). If that's the case, you'll want to store your logins in both the Password Manager and website cookies.

Deleting usernames and passwords in Firefox

You can easily manage logins that Firefox has saved for you. The Password manager - Remember, delete, change and import saved passwords in Firefox article shows you how to delete your usernames and passwords.

Deleting website cookies

You can also manage website cookies that save your logins for you. To delete cookies for one or more websites stored on your computer, see the article, Clear cookies and site data in Firefox.

What do third-party password managers do?

Third-party password managers are softwares, such as websites and desktop applications that store your logins for you and allow you to access your logins from any browser (Firefox, Chrome, Safari, etc.). They often provide more features, such as random password creation, password auditing, and security for additional private information (credit card numbers, confidential documents, bank account information, insurance numbers, etc.).

What are some widely used third-party password managers?

Here are three third-party password managers that can securely store your logins:

RoboForm completely automates password entering and form filling with one click, which is very efficient for companies and their employees.

1Password works exceptionally well with all browsers and stores more than just passwords, such as credit card numbers, bank information, software licenses, and user id information.

KeePass is free and is available for just about every commonly used computing platform, including mobile devices.