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Any IT gurus out there who know Firefox...have lost saved passwords when FF created a new profile and deleted the old profile key3.dbf and logins.json files.

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Any IT gurus out there who know Firefox...have lost saved passwords when FF created a new profile and deleted the old profile key3.dbf and logins.json files. Any ideas, anyone???

Any IT gurus out there who know Firefox...have lost saved passwords when FF created a new profile and deleted the old profile key3.dbf and logins.json files. Any ideas, anyone???

Chosen solution

So there isn't a logins.json file?

I see a key3.db file and an older signons.sqlite file, so you could try to see if you can import the passwords stored in this file.

You can force Firefox to reimport the passwords from the signons.sqlite file and rebuild the logins.json file with these steps:

  • reset the signon.importedFromSqlite pref on the about:config page to the default value via the right-click context menu
  • delete the logins.json file in the Firefox profile folder with Firefox closed

When you restart Firefox then you should have the signon.importedFromSqlite pref with the value set to true. You should have the passwords imported in the Password Manager unless there have been errors either with signons.sqlite or with key3.db.

You can open the about:config page via the location/address bar. You can accept the warning and click "I'll be careful" to continue.

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

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Do you mean that Firefox didn't create an "Old Firefox Data" folder on the desktop or did you delete this folder?

Did you check the default location used for profiles to see if the profile folder is still in place?

You can use this button to go to the current Firefox profile folder and move up one level,

If you do not have a backup of the logins.json (or possibly signons.sqlite) and key3.db files then you passwords are likely lost.

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These can't get your data back, but will help in the future.

These add-ons can be a great help by backing up and restoring Firefox

FEBE (Firefox Environment Backup Extension) {web link} FEBE allows you to quickly and easily backup your Firefox extensions, history, passwords, and more. In fact, it goes beyond just backing up -- It will actually rebuild your saved files individually into installable .xpi files. It will also make backup of files that you choose.

OPIE {web link} Import/Export extension preferences


In the event that the passwords information is lost, you should record all information in a separate text file somewhere else on your hard drive, or written down. You can easily copy and paste if you need to do so. If you are concerned about someone else looking at that file, you can compress it using a password.

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cor-el said

Do you mean that Firefox didn't create an "Old Firefox Data" folder on the desktop or did you delete this folder? Did you check the default location used for profiles to see if the profile folder is still in place? You can use this button to go to the current Firefox profile folder and move up one level, If you do not have a backup of the logins.json (or possibly signons.sqlite) and key3.db files then you passwords are likely lost.

Hello and thanks so much for your reply. The attached immage shows what was left of the old profile folder the dbf has since updated!?! Nothing on Desktop and the new profile folder has the (new) current data. Major headache :(

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Chosen Solution

So there isn't a logins.json file?

I see a key3.db file and an older signons.sqlite file, so you could try to see if you can import the passwords stored in this file.

You can force Firefox to reimport the passwords from the signons.sqlite file and rebuild the logins.json file with these steps:

  • reset the signon.importedFromSqlite pref on the about:config page to the default value via the right-click context menu
  • delete the logins.json file in the Firefox profile folder with Firefox closed

When you restart Firefox then you should have the signon.importedFromSqlite pref with the value set to true. You should have the passwords imported in the Password Manager unless there have been errors either with signons.sqlite or with key3.db.

You can open the about:config page via the location/address bar. You can accept the warning and click "I'll be careful" to continue.

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

more options

Thank you so much - that worked a treat.

Very, very much appreciated.

Best wishes