Firefox Community Forum

I recently added the primary password (master passwrod) for my firefox browser from the settings.

Normally it locks the browser functionality until the password is correctly entered, but one thing I noticed recently was that the hyperlinks/webpage links from 3rd party app (discord/pdf readers/etc) opens the website regardless of this password input. I can use the page to browse the internet, although the password still works for locking other things like firefox's built-in password manager.

Is this intended mechanism for a "locked" browser?

I will be purchasing a new desktop PC so that I can change to Windows 11 soon. My concern is that I use firefox to store all my passwords. I will need to use a 3rd party to transfer all my data from my old PC, I do not want them to have access to all of my many passwords. What should I do before I hand over my old PC to them for the upgrade to new PC ? I am old and not a tech savvy bloke, so do not get too technical please.

It's been a certain amount of time since I've been waiting for Firefox to fix this major security flaw about the protection of saved password and I haven't seen any upgrade on this aspect. Let me explain : Firefox has the feature of Primary Password where we have to put a password to access the Password manager. Now there is a very big issue with this feature because if I go to any page for which I have saved my password, I just have to select the password and click the eye button to reveal the password, without even needing to put my Primary Password. I know there is a way of just disabling the auto-filling of password but for conveniency purposes it's just better to have a way to select the password. Could there be a way to either ask for the user to enter the Primary Password or implement a way to use the fingerprint to allow the filling of password as it's already the case in other browsers.

My questions are : Is the Firefox team aware of that ? and is there a way to hope that Firefox could finally implement a fingerprint unlock to access sensitive data like passwords ?

Hi,

I’m wondering about how Firefox protects saved passwords, specifically the difference between using a primary password and not using one.

Without a primary password, are my saved passwords stored on my device in plain text, or in a way that could be easily accessed by malware or information-stealing viruses?

If I enable the primary password, does it encrypt my saved passwords or make them inaccessible to such programs?

I’m mainly curious whether using a primary password provides a real security benefit beyond needing it to autofill.

Thanks, Aidan

As stated above, recently everytime I want to go to a sign in page on Firefox, a pop up asks me for my Mozilla password. I have to close the box and continue. Pls help!!!

Operating System: SteamOS 3.7.15 Build: 20250903.1 KDE Plasma Version: 6.2.5 KDE Frameworks Version: 6.9.0 Qt Version: 6.8.1 Kernel Version: 6.11.11-valve24-2-neptune-611-gfd0dd251480d (64-bit) Firefox Browser: Mozilla Firefox Flatpak mozilla-flatpak - 1.0 144.0 (64-bit)

When in browser and signed into account, user is able to copy obscured password information simply by clicking "Copy" in the password manager. User is more familiar with Windows systems and using Firefox browser on that system, which prompts User to input the systems PIN to verify identity.

- I'm used to using Firefox on Windows 10. Recently got a Steam Deck and am trying to relearn Linux as it's been awhile. First thing I downloaded was Firefox so I could easily copy my passwords for VPNs and accounts. Didn't think it would be as easy as clicking "Copy" in the password manager. Is there a way to set up a PIN for a little more added security. I've already created a User Account and it did prompt me once (I think), but with the portability I'd like it to ask for a PIN (shorter than password) or frequently. Thanks

I have no other devices to "sync" to. This may or may not be why my "passwords" in Firefox have been locked down as I can not now log into my hotmail.com account. Passwords are visible in Firefox except for the passkey which I can't seem to delete. I need to either see it or delete it. Also, it won't do any good to send a response to the e-mail linked to Mozilla. I had to create a new temporary account to try to get MS to restore my hotmail.com account. The storing of Passwords by Firefox is not helpful to me & I do not want it & need to turn it off. Thanks for help in this multilayered mess of software I'm using.

I have forgotten my Primary Password for Firefox on my PC.

I found the solution to reset it at: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/reset-your-primary-password-if-youve-forgotten-it It explains that the stored data will be lost, which is fine. I made a recent backup (~99%).

But it does not say what will happen to connected devices (phone) using sync on the same account.

Will the emptied local storage on PC repopulate the data from the phone? Or will the phone sync with the empty storage on the PAC with as a result an empty storage on the phone as well.

A week ago I got a BSOD that ruined the settings of most of my extensions and some of the Firefox's settings (at least it erased my custom findbar.matchdiacritics value, but most likely not just that). After that I moved Firefox's folder and re-installed it. Extensions were also reinstalled.

Before that, Firefox would ask the primary password only when I open it or when I try to reveal a password in the password manager. Now it may (or may not) ask the primary password before an autofill or even for no apparent reason. How can I get back the old behavior?

I tried to set signon.masterPasswordReprompt.timeout_ms to 0, but it didn't seems to help.

Depuis la dernière mise à jour, Firefox me demande le mot de passe principal à chaque ouverture de Firefox. Je ferme ou j'annule et ça marche sans avoir à renseigner mon mot de passe principal. (c'est agaçant !!) La procédure préconisée par Firefox (menu-paramètres-vie privée et sécurité-identifiants et mots de passe-décocher la case à côté d'utiliser un mot de passe principal....... ) ne change rien. Merci

It has been some time since I've used my Mozilla browser and cannot recall what I would have set my master password as. I have tried every password I would have used to no avail. I tried the account recovery with my gmail.com email, but the error message that I keep reaching says that I need the account I would've signed up with? If I enter a completely not related email, I get the proper message that there is no account associated. Being how long it has been, it's not a serious issue to even have access to old credentials, I definitely just want to access my account.

Thank you!

Environment: Windows 10 x64 (22H2) Browser: Firefox v142.0.1 x64 Precondition: Master password set when opening the browser

The user gets full access to the browser (except for access to passwords) when they click cancel password entry. Or close the modal password entry window.

Why is full access to websites and bookmarks granted? An outsider can easily access the browser where you are logged into your email, as well as gain access to your Firefox account management.

I really hoped that without entering a password, no open tabs would load and access to the entire browser would not be granted.

When the master password will actually start working?

Thank you.