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My previous session disappeared when I updated, how can I get it back?

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My previous session disappeared when I updated, how can I get it back?

My previous session disappeared when I updated, how can I get it back?

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If you go to the History menu, is "Restore Previous Session" available? You can check that either:

  • "3-bar" menu button > History
  • classic menu bar: History

If it's grayed out, then that's a bad sign.

Do not close Firefox. First, try to rescue the following files:

Open your current Firefox settings (AKA Firefox profile) folder using either

  • "3-bar" menu button > "?" button > Troubleshooting Information
  • (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
  • type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter

In the first table on the page, click the "Show Folder" button.

In the window that launches, scroll down:

(1) Double-click into the sessionstore-backups folder. Anything from the relevant date/time? If so, copy it to a safe location such as your Documents folder or Desktop.

(2) Back at the main level, scroll down to the sessionstore file(s). Same question. If so, copy it to a safe location such as your Documents folder or Desktop.


The kinds of files you may find among your sessionstore files are:

  • sessionstore.js and recovery.js: the windows and tabs in your currently live Firefox session (or, if Firefox is closed, your last session)
  • recovery.bak: a backup copy of recovery.js
  • previous.js: the windows and tabs in your last Firefox session; sessionstore.bak for pre-33 versions of Firefox
  • upgrade.js-build_id: the windows and tabs in the Firefox session that was live at the time of your last update; sessionstore.bak-datetime for pre-33 versions of Firefox

If you come up with something promising, you may be able to have Firefox use it for your next session (details if relevant).