oh you have to click on the image & it expands...still need to size it big enough to read. I'll be going to bed soon, I appreciate all this. Spent the night trying to fix this & the day before similarly banging my head on the wall understanding some financial stuff.

re themes, enabled the 3 system choices, and it only effects the header area. Why are some websites, and the Firefox Preferences pages, all appearing with white text on black background?

re enabled Dark Reader, toggling it on/off in its dropdown menu does nothing.

If pages aren't themed in accordance with your toolbar theme, check the Website Appearance selector: Change website appearance settings in Firefox.

Were you able to find a profile that has your bookmarks?

Just got up... yea, the setting on that APPEARANCE page was "dark" so I put it to "auto." Seems that that page & the Theme selector can clash. There ought to be a user note in each location, warning about interaction with the other. And the mozilla articles should cross reference as well.

Later I will maybe find time & energy to search for the previous Profile. It should contain, what - bookmarks, history, addons ?

UnPaywall shows a green open lock if there is a non-paywalled source for a scholary article - click to goto it.

I have two Firefox icons in the Mac menu bar. One is open. Show in Finder indicates they are BOTH the same file: Firefox WAS 78-15-0esr THEN 102.15.1 NOW 115.25.0esr .app

I guess I can remove the closed one from the menu bar...

Later I will maybe find time & energy to search for the previous Profile. It should contain, what - bookmarks, history, addons ?

Yes, each profile folder has its own bookmarks, history, extensions (add-ons), settings, etc.

I found the correct profile, I think: Profile: default-esr-1 out of 9 profiles. bookmarks, history, addons seem to be present.

Still cannot drag addons from the Toolbar into the Customize / Overflow Menu. However, the overflow menu is DIFFERENT from the Puzzle Piece. Can drag anything into the Puzzle Piece either.

Had to sign in here again, and its a different email & PW than before (auto filled on this profile). TO DO: figure out all the logins I have for Mozilla. https://discourse.mozilla.org "Firefox Accounts"

Firefox Account Tips.

Get Satisfaction account on Mozilla Messaging community MozillaZine account not recognized MozillaZine.org MozillaZine's news site has gone into hibernation

NoScript is no longer showing the: ( "sidebar?") designation in the script list.

History after "today" but younger than 6 months is missing. WTF? Glitch in the update process?

On my computer, the Firefox version is up to date at 115.25.0esr

So I did the same process on my wife's computer, because it also lost the correct profile after upgrading to 115.25.0esr. BUT after finding the profile that contains her bookmarks & history & addons, it is running the previous version of Firefox 115.24.0esr.

So her computer "lost" her profile the first time it upgraded, why should I trust it not to if I do the upgrade again?

Also on my wife's computer I added a few more addons, and they are active, but their icons do not appear anywhere - the toolbar, in the >> dropdown, or in the Overflow box.

I restarted Firefox & problem persists.

On my computer, the Firefox version is up to date at 115.25.0esr So I did the same process on my wife's computer, because it also lost the correct profile after upgrading to 115.25.0esr. BUT after finding the profile that contains her bookmarks & history & addons, it is running the previous version of Firefox 115.24.0esr. So her computer "lost" her profile the first time it upgraded, why should I trust it not to if I do the upgrade again?

Switching profiles through the about:profiles screen shouldn't affect the version of Firefox.app that is running. Could you describe the process you followed to find her older profile?

Also on my wife's computer I added a few more addons, and they are active, but their icons do not appear anywhere - the toolbar, in the >> dropdown, or in the Overflow box. I restarted Firefox & problem persists.

How about the Extensions button drop-down? See: Manage your extensions using the extensions button in the toolbar.

This is strange. Wifes computer has both the Puzzle Piece (extensions button) AND a double arrow icon: >> which also opens an area, containing Save To Pocket Firefox Account.

MY computer, same Firefox version, does NOT have the << icon. Nor those two items

PROCESS FOR PROFILE FIXING- AI after some coaching by me:

in firefox, how to determine which profile was in use before the last version update?

It can be tricky to definitively determine the exact profile used by Firefox immediately before the last version update, as this information isn't always explicitly stored in a single, readily accessible log. However, you can use these methods to get clues and help narrow it down: 

1. Inspect the file within each profile: • Locate the Profiles folder: ◦ Windows: Press on the keyboard, type and click OK. ◦ Mac: Navigate to . You may need to show hidden files. ◦ Linux: Navigate to . You may need to show hidden files. • Open each profile folder within the folder. • Find and open the file in each profile folder using a text editor (like Notepad). • Look for the field within the file. This value indicates the version of Firefox that last used that profile.  • 2. Check the page: • Type into the Firefox address bar and press Enter. • This page lists all your Firefox profiles. • Look for clues like the creation date or whether a profile is marked as the default. While not guaranteed to tell you the exact previously used profile, it may help you infer which profile was most likely in use before the update, particularly if you typically use a specific profile as your default.  • 3. Use the Troubleshooting Information page: • Click the menu button, then Help, and select More Troubleshooting Information. • Under the Application Basics section, look for the Profile Folder entry. • Click Open Folder to directly access the profile folder currently in use. While this tells you the current profile, it may be the same one used before the update, or it may give you a starting point for further investigation if you know this profile was recently active.  • Note: If you typically use a particular profile as your default, Firefox will open with that profile unless you have specifically changed the setting to "Choose a profile when Firefox opens". This means that in most cases, the profile you were using before the update is likely the same one that is currently set as your default. You can confirm or change your default profile on the page. 

why does a firefox update sometimes lose the bookmarks?

The most common reasons why Firefox updates can sometimes result in lost bookmarks are related to profile issues or data corruption: 

• Corrupted or Locked Profile: During an update, if Firefox's default profile gets flagged as corrupted or locked, it might fail to load properly. Instead of fixing the corrupted profile, the browser might create a new, blank profile, making it appear as if all your bookmarks and data are gone. • Automatic Profile Switching: Firefox creates a separate profile for each installation. If a new profile is inadvertently created after an update, it can be set as the default, leading to the display of the new profile's data (which would be empty) instead of your old bookmarks. • Security or Disk Cleanup Software Interference: Occasionally, security or disk cleanup tools can interfere with browser data, potentially deleting or resetting temporary files that might include bookmark information. • Issues with Profile Data Storage: While updates generally handle the conversion of data formats, problems can occur if something changes in how Firefox stores profile information between versions. Trying to use an older version with a profile previously used by a newer version could lead to data corruption. • Add-on Conflicts: In some cases, a newly installed or updated add-on might cause conflicts that lead to the loss of bookmarks. Restarting the computer can sometimes resolve this.  • How Firefox Helps Mitigate Bookmark Loss: • Automatic Backups: Firefox automatically creates backups of your bookmarks, saving up to 15 recent backups in the folder within your profile. • Manual Backups: You can also manually back up your bookmarks to a JSON or HTML file for safekeeping.  • Troubleshooting Bookmark Loss After Updates: • Check for Multiple Profiles: Use in the Firefox address bar to see if a new profile has been created. • Restore from Automatic Backup: In the Firefox Library (Ctrl+Shift+O), go to and choose a date from the automatic backups. • Restore from Manual Backup: If you created a manual backup, use to restore your bookmarks from the backup file. • Check the "Old Firefox Data" Folder: In some cases, Firefox might create a folder on your desktop called "Old Firefox Data" containing a backup of your profile that can be used for recovery. • Check Sync Settings: If you use Firefox Sync, ensure "Bookmarks" are selected for synchronization in the Sync settings.  •

huh? in WHICH folder? The sentence is missing words and has an icon instead "Automatic Backups: Firefox automatically creates backups of your bookmarks, saving up to 15 recent backups in the folder within your profile."

Automatic bookmark backups are stored in the folder within your Firefox profile. Firefox keeps up to 15 of the most recent backups in this folder. 

The location of this folder varies depending on your operating system: 

• Windows: • Mac: • Linux:   • Remember to replace and with your specific details, and you may need to show hidden files to find the folder. 

again, your answer is missing key information and it appears there is an icon instead of the necessary text

The missing information was the folder name "bookmarkbackups." 

The sentence should read: "Automatic Backups: Firefox automatically creates backups of your bookmarks, saving up to 15 recent backups in the bookmarkbackups folder within your profile." 

The location of the folder is: • Windows: • Mac: • Linux:   •

words like "bookmarkbackups" must be displayed as text, not an icon or a URL

File and folder names should be displayed as text. 

Here's the corrected information: • Firefox automatically backs up your bookmarks in the bookmarkbackups folder within your profile. Up to 15 recent backups are saved. • The location of the folder varies by operating system: ◦ Windows: ◦ Mac: ◦ Linux: • is your Windows username, and is a unique identifier for your Firefox profile. You may need to enable viewing hidden files to access the folder on Windows or the folder on macOS. • Bookmarks can be restored from these backups through the Firefox Library. Open the Library (Ctrl+Shift+O or ⇧+⌘+O), click , then . Choose a backup date and click .  •

limit answers to Macintosh osx operating system

Here's how to manage Firefox bookmark backups on macOS: 1. Locating Your Firefox Profile Folder on macOS: • You can find your profile folder through the Firefox menu by going to Help > More Troubleshooting Information > Profile Folder and clicking "Show in Finder". • Alternatively, you can manually navigate to the folder using Finder. Click the Finder icon, then hold the Option or Alt key while clicking the Go menu to select Library. From there, open Application Support > Firefox > Profiles. Your profile folder will be located here.  • 2. Restoring Bookmarks from Backups on macOS: • Firefox automatically creates backups of your bookmarks in the folder within your profile. To restore from an automatic backup, open the Library window (menu button > Bookmarks > Manage Bookmarks), then click Import and Backup > Restore and select a backup from the list. • If you have a manual backup file, you can restore it by opening the Library window, clicking Import and Backup > Restore, selecting "Choose File…", and locating your backup file. • Note that restoring bookmarks from a backup will overwrite your current bookmarks.  • 3. Troubleshooting Bookmark Loss After Updates (Mac): • If you've lost bookmarks, check if you have multiple Firefox profiles by typing in the address bar. You might find your bookmarks in another profile, which you can then set as the default. • If the Bookmarks Toolbar is missing, you can make it visible by right-clicking on the navigation bar or going to View > Toolbars > Bookmarks Toolbar. • Look for an "Old Firefox Data" folder that may have been created on your desktop, as it could contain a backup of your profile. • Restarting your Mac and Firefox can sometimes resolve bookmark issues that appear after installing an add-on.  •

when I choose a new default profile within about:profiles, what do I need to do to put it into active use?

After setting a profile as the default in , you need to close and relaunch Firefox to make that new default profile active. 

Here's the process:

1. Open : Type into the Firefox address bar and press Enter. 2. Set the desired profile as default: Locate the profile you want to use as the default and click the "Set as Default Profile" button below its listing. 3. Close and relaunch Firefox: Close all open Firefox windows. When you open Firefox again, it will automatically launch with the profile you just set as the default.  1. Important Notes: • Setting a profile as default in applies to future Firefox launches. • If you have multiple Firefox installations, setting a default profile in will apply to all of them. • You can also launch a specific profile in a new browser window without setting it as default by clicking "Launch profile in new browser" on the page. However, this will not make it the default for future launches.  •

closing firefox will lose THIS tab/window, preventing me from following the next instructions

sorry about that- didn't mean to post all the stuff that was coaching the AI.

BOTTOM LINE I want to use the profile in use prior to the last firefox update process

To get back to the Firefox profile you were using before the last update, the main approach is to use the page and identify the correct profile, then launch it in a new window and potentially set it as default. 

1. Accessing : • Open your current Firefox window. • Type into the address bar and press Enter. • This page lists all your Firefox profiles, including the one currently in use. The currently used profile will be marked as such.  • 2. Identifying the Correct Profile: • Look at the list of profiles on the page. • If you have more than one profile, one of the others may contain your data from before the update. • You can sometimes get clues from the profile's creation date or name to help you identify the correct one, although it can be difficult to tell for sure.  • 3. Launching the Profile in a New Window: • Find the profile you suspect was in use before the update. • Click the "Launch profile in new browser" button for that profile. • This will open a new Firefox window using that profile, without affecting your current window and its tabs.  • 4. Verifying the Profile: • Check if the new window contains your expected bookmarks, history, and other data. • If it does not contain the data you're looking for, simply close the new window. • You can then try launching another profile from the page until you find the one with your data.  • 5. Setting the Profile as Default (Optional): • Once you've found the correct profile, you can set it as the default so Firefox opens with it automatically in the future. • In the window using the correct profile, navigate to again. • Click the "Set as default profile" button for that profile. This will take effect the next time you launch Firefox.  • 6. Closing the Old Profile Window: • After confirming your desired profile is active and data is in place, you can close the initial Firefox window associated with the old profile.  • 7. Manually Recovering Data (If Needed): • If you can't recover your missing data through these steps, you may be able to manually recover data from an old profile. • You can find more information on recovering data from an old profile in the "Recover important data from an old profile" article on the Mozilla Support website.  • Remember that restoring bookmarks from a backup will overwrite your current bookmarks, so ensure you have a backup of your current bookmarks before proceeding with the restore process. 

AND I SHOULD HAVE ASKED IT HOW TO RESTORE FROM A BACKUP, IF ONE IS AUTOMATICALLY IN THERE SOMEWHERE

I am not sure what your question is. Those sounds like the steps from the first section of the article I mentioned, Recover lost or missing Bookmarks.

Automatic bookmark backups are profile-specific, so while checking a new profile, you can open the Library window and see what is on the Restore menu in that profile. (See: Restore bookmarks from backup or move them to another computer) The backup file can be restore elsewhere once you know which profile it is in.

The process to move addons INTO the puzzle piece is totally non intuitive and nobody will find it by accident. Having hold down a key while doing the expected clicking on the icon is STUPID and even stupider for not saying so when the addon is merely clicked to show its dropdown. :::

Manage pinned extensions Extensions pinned to the toolbar can be managed from the context menu. 'Hold down the Control key while you click the pinned extension in the toolbar' to view the available options.

Fx109PinnedExtension-ContextMenu

You can unpin an extension from the toolbar and restore it to the extensions panel by removing the check mark from the Pin to Toolbar option.

The process to move addons INTO the puzzle piece is totally non intuitive and nobody will find it by accident. Having hold down a key while doing the expected clicking on the icon is STUPID and even stupider for not saying so when the addon is merely clicked to show its dropdown. ::: Manage pinned extensions Extensions pinned to the toolbar can be managed from the context menu. 'Hold down the Control key while you click the pinned extension in the toolbar' to view the available options.

That advice is provided to Mac users because Ctrl+click provides access to the "right-click" context menu for Mac users with a one-button mouse. How do you normally access that menu?

> That advice is provided to Mac users because Ctrl+click provides access to the "right-click" context menu for Mac users with a one-button mouse. How do you normally access that menu? > I have a trackpad. On the puzzle piece, 1 finger tap opens the panel with the addons. 2 finger opens choice between bookmarks toolbar and ocustomize toolbar.

Oh on an addon, you have to UNCHECK the "pin to toolbar." Should say instead "move to..."