I can't find any of my old data before firefox updated today.
Firefox recently updated(without my permission) and i have no idea how to recover my old data.
When I started up firefox, it came with information telling me to sync to an email and my phone and i did all that.i just cant find anyway of restoring my data. I've tried using this thread to help me but i can't find the old firefox data folder. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1195682
I also remember having mulitiple add-ons like no script and ad blocker plus but i don't know which version they were.
if anyone has information, if would be great if you could help me.
Chosen solution
Wesley Branton said
On the about:profiles page, does your data load if you select the Launch profile in new browser button?
If it does, you should be able to just press the Set profile as default button to have Firefox load that profile automatically when it opens.
Since Firefox recently modified the way that it handles profiles, there have been some issues recently where Firefox will mistakenly make a fresh profile when it updates, hence the fact that you can't see your data. Firefox likely loaded you into this new profile that it made for you, instead of the one that you've been using in the past.
Hope this helps.
yes, it worked, I can see my data and I've set it as the default profile. Thank you so much, you've been a great help!!!
Read this answer in context 👍 0All Replies (8)
If you open the folder %appdata%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles in Windows, how many folders are listed?
See also:
You can check the about:profiles page to see if there are more profiles listed.
- Do NOT click any Remove buttons on this page.
If you do notice that you currently use a xxxxxxxx.default-release profile then you can try to launch Firefox with a previously used xxxxxxxx.default-<time-stamp> or xxxxxxxx.default profile.
Wesley Branton said
If you open the folder %appdata%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles in Windows, how many folders are listed?
only 2 folders are visible.
atdkp.193.default exwaztkn.default.release
If you go to about:profiles, do you only see one profile listed?
If that's the case, go back to the folder mentioned earlier and change the names for the two folder so that they are switched.
Basically, rename folder 1 to folder 2 and folder 2 to folder 1. Hopefully that makes sense.
Then restart Firefox. I'm assuming that Firefox just created a second profile for you by mistake for whatever reason. Renaming the folders just changes the folder that Firefox accesses.
If that doesn't help, change the names back after.
To avoid losing any data, I'd highly recommend copying and pasting those folders to the desktop as a backup before you change the names, just in case something goes horribly wrong.
Hope this helps.
Wesley Branton said
If you go to about:profiles, do you only see one profile listed?
If that's the case, go back to the folder mentioned earlier and change the names for the two folder so that they are switched.
Basically, rename folder 1 to folder 2 and folder 2 to folder 1. Hopefully that makes sense.
Then restart Firefox. I'm assuming that Firefox just created a second profile for you by mistake for whatever reason. Renaming the folders just changes the folder that Firefox accesses.
If that doesn't help, change the names back after.
To avoid losing any data, I'd highly recommend copying and pasting those folders to the desktop as a backup before you change the names, just in case something goes horribly wrong.
Hope this helps.
I went to about profile and it showed two profiles, called default and default release. but i tried that fix you suggested anyway but it didn't work and showed with an error box when I started firefox saying your profile cannot be located. so I just reverted the changes
I can send a screenshot of about: profiles if that would help you.
On the about:profiles page, does your data load if you select the Launch profile in new browser button?
If it does, you should be able to just press the Set profile as default button to have Firefox load that profile automatically when it opens.
Since Firefox recently modified the way that it handles profiles, there have been some issues recently where Firefox will mistakenly make a fresh profile when it updates, hence the fact that you can't see your data. Firefox likely loaded you into this new profile that it made for you, instead of the one that you've been using in the past.
Hope this helps.
Chosen Solution
Wesley Branton said
On the about:profiles page, does your data load if you select the Launch profile in new browser button?
If it does, you should be able to just press the Set profile as default button to have Firefox load that profile automatically when it opens.
Since Firefox recently modified the way that it handles profiles, there have been some issues recently where Firefox will mistakenly make a fresh profile when it updates, hence the fact that you can't see your data. Firefox likely loaded you into this new profile that it made for you, instead of the one that you've been using in the past.
Hope this helps.
yes, it worked, I can see my data and I've set it as the default profile. Thank you so much, you've been a great help!!!
Note that Firefox may still want to open external links in the default-release profile in some cases.