Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

How can I get out of permenant Private Browsing, I want to save passwords?

  • 4 replies
  • 11 have this problem
  • 12 views
  • Last reply by drmerlansky

more options

I have tried several times to turn off private browsing which requires a re-start. After restart, private browsing is still engaged. What I want is to be able to save passwords from time to time and can not restore that function while in private browsing.

I have tried several times to turn off private browsing which requires a re-start. After restart, private browsing is still engaged. What I want is to be able to save passwords from time to time and can not restore that function while in private browsing.

Chosen solution

Your System Details list shows that you have a user.js file in the profile folder to initialize prefs each time Firefox starts. The user.js file will only be present if you or other software has created this file and normally won't be present.

You can check its content with a plain text editor (right-click: "Open with"; do not double-click). The user.js file is read each time Firefox is started and initializes preferences to the value specified in this file, so preferences set via user.js can only be changed temporarily for the current session.

You can delete the user.js file if you didn't create this file yourself.

You can use this button to go to the currently used Firefox profile folder:

Windows hides some file extensions by default. Among them .html and .ini and .js and .txt, so you may only see a file name without file extension. You can see the real file type (file extension) in the properties of the file via the right-click context menu in Windows Explorer.

Read this answer in context 👍 2

All Replies (4)

more options

(Tools) > Options -> Privacy = uncheck Always use private browsing mode

And if that is already unchecked, check your desktop shortcut Target line.

more options

A quick thing you could try. Disable your extension Advanced SystemCare Surfing Protection. See if that helps.

A second thing: you have two versions of Shockwave Flash. You should remove the older one.

more options

Chosen Solution

Your System Details list shows that you have a user.js file in the profile folder to initialize prefs each time Firefox starts. The user.js file will only be present if you or other software has created this file and normally won't be present.

You can check its content with a plain text editor (right-click: "Open with"; do not double-click). The user.js file is read each time Firefox is started and initializes preferences to the value specified in this file, so preferences set via user.js can only be changed temporarily for the current session.

You can delete the user.js file if you didn't create this file yourself.

You can use this button to go to the currently used Firefox profile folder:

Windows hides some file extensions by default. Among them .html and .ini and .js and .txt, so you may only see a file name without file extension. You can see the real file type (file extension) in the properties of the file via the right-click context menu in Windows Explorer.

more options

Thank you so much for the detailed response. With the help of the suggested links below, the issue was solved in short order. I made a backup copy of the user.js file and then deleted the actual file from the folder and the issue was over. Also, per "alan_r" suggestion, I undid all of the "Advanced Systems Care" and "IObit" browsing securities prior...did not solve the problem directly, but did not prevent the needed changes to occur. Thanks to both: ** alan_r and cor-el for there time and help.

* * * Most helpful* * *

drmerlansky