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how to clear history without clearing logins

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When I clear history under the "History/Clear recent history" tab.. it also clears all my logins, like my email addresses and other places I leave my username in the log in box and then add my password. Is there a way to fix it so these are not cleared when the history is?

When I clear history under the "History/Clear recent history" tab.. it also clears all my logins, like my email addresses and other places I leave my username in the log in box and then add my password. Is there a way to fix it so these are not cleared when the history is?

All Replies (5)

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The Clear Recent History dialog has a details panel where you can select the categories you want to clear. Example screenshot attached. It sounds like you want to avoid clearing Form & Search History, and probably you shouldn't clear Cookies, either.

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A detail like a website remembering you (log you in automatically) is stored in a cookie.

Let the cookies expire when Firefox is closed to make them session cookies instead of using "Clear history when Firefox closes" to clear the cookies.

  • Options/Preferences -> Privacy -> "Use custom settings for history" -> Cookies: Keep until: "I close Firefox"

You can create an "Allow" exception to keep specific cookies.

Remove the cookies from a website to make the website forget about you.


  • clearing "Site Preferences" clears exceptions for cookies, images, pop-up windows, and software installation and exception for password and other website specific data
  • clearing "Cookies" will remove all selected cookies including cookies with an "Allow" exception you may want to keep
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jscher2000 said

The Clear Recent History dialog has a details panel where you can select the categories you want to clear. Example screenshot attached. It sounds like you want to avoid clearing Form & Search History, and probably you shouldn't clear Cookies, either.

I have the first 4 checked. I don't want to be automatically logged in.. I just want my user ID there... and then I will type in password. For instand, I have 3 people facebook accounts. Usually there is a drop down menu of our three FB names. we chose ours, then input our own passwords. In my case... the drop down menu is not there and we have to type the user each time. It didn't used to be like this. I don't know what happened to end it. it is this same way with Yahoo email.... a list of our email accounts, and we choose , then type in password. But when I clear history.. all those are deleted and I have to type them all back in.

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cor-el said

A detail like a website remembering you (log you in automatically) is stored in a cookie. Let the cookies expire when Firefox is closed to make them session cookies instead of using "Clear history when Firefox closes" to clear the cookies.
  • Options/Preferences -> Privacy -> "Use custom settings for history" -> Cookies: Keep until: "I close Firefox"
You can create an "Allow" exception to keep specific cookies. Remove the cookies from a website to make the website forget about you.
  • clearing "Site Preferences" clears exceptions for cookies, images, pop-up windows, and software installation and exception for password and other website specific data
  • clearing "Cookies" will remove all selected cookies including cookies with an "Allow" exception you may want to keep

I have these settings as you suggest. I don't want to be automatically logged in.. I just want my user ID there... and then I will type in password. For instance, I have 3 people facebook accounts. Usually there is a drop down menu of our three FB names. we chose ours, then input our own passwords. But after I clear history... the drop down menu is gone and we have to type the user name each time. It didn't used to be like this. I don't know what happened to end it. it is this same way with Yahoo email.... a list of our email accounts, and we choose , then type in password. But when I clear history.. all those are deleted and I have to type them all back in.

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coffeebreaker said

jscher2000 said
The Clear Recent History dialog has a details panel where you can select the categories you want to clear. Example screenshot attached. It sounds like you want to avoid clearing Form & Search History, and probably you shouldn't clear Cookies, either.

I have the first 4 checked.

Try unchecking the second one (Form history).