I found this related post: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1276630

It mentions a process to "show all history" and then open all in tabs but that doesn't sound quite right either, every page in my history would get it's own tab?

Any suggestions for that or any other solutions to my question above?

Sync doesn't transfer details like the tab order and tab back-forward history, it basically just shares the currently open page URLs between your installations of Firefox.

Do you still have the old computer, or its hard drive? If you wanted to transfer an entire session exactly as it was, in theory, you could do that by copying a session history file from one installation to another (Firefox only reads the file at startup, so this involves closing the second Firefox, replacing its own session history file with the transplanted one, and then restarting Firefox). I guess the worst thing that might go wrong is it doesn't work. Is this something you want the detailed steps for?

You can copy/transfer sessionstore.jsonlz4 to your current profile.

You can copy certain files with Firefox closed to the current profile folder to transfer or recover personal data. Note that best is to avoid copying a full profile folder.

You can use the button on the "Help -> More Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page to go to the current Firefox profile folder or use the about:profiles page (Root directory).

• Help -> More Troubleshooting Information -> Profile Folder/Directory:
  Windows: Open Folder; Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder
• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-firefox-stores-user-data

• bookmarks and history: places.sqlite
• favicons: favicons.sqlite
• bookmark backups: compressed .jsonlz4 JSON backups in the bookmarkbackups folder
• cookies.sqlite for the Cookies
• formhistory.sqlite for saved autocomplete Form Data
• logins.json (encrypted logins;32+) and key4.db (decryption key;58+) for Passwords saved in the Password Manager
  key3.db support ended in 73+; to use key3.db in 58-72, make sure to remove key4.db
• cert9.db (58+) for (intermediate) certificates stored in the Certificate Manager
• persdict.dat for words added to the spell checker dictionary
• permissions.sqlite for Permissions and possibly content-prefs.sqlite for other website specific data (Site Preferences)
• sessionstore.jsonlz4 for open tabs and pinned tabs (see also the sessionstore-backups folder)

Sync doesn't transfer details like the tab order and tab back-forward history, it basically just shares the currently open page URLs between your installations of Firefox. Do you still have the old computer, or its hard drive? If you wanted to transfer an entire session exactly as it was, in theory, you could do that by copying a session history file from one installation to another (Firefox only reads the file at startup, so this involves closing the second Firefox, replacing its own session history file with the transplanted one, and then restarting Firefox). I guess the worst thing that might go wrong is it doesn't work. Is this something you want the detailed steps for?

Thank you, yes the steps for that would be great! Also, should I sign out of the account on the new install so syncing doesn't confuse things?

You can copy/transfer sessionstore.jsonlz4 to your current profile.

---

You can copy certain files with Firefox closed to the current profile folder to transfer or recover personal data. Note that best is to avoid copying a full profile folder.

You can use the button on the "Help -> More Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page to go to the current Firefox profile folder or use the about:profiles page (Root directory).

• Help -> More Troubleshooting Information -> Profile Folder/Directory:
  Windows: Open Folder; Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder
• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-firefox-stores-user-data

---

• bookmarks and history: places.sqlite
• favicons: favicons.sqlite
• bookmark backups: compressed .jsonlz4 JSON backups in the bookmarkbackups folder
• cookies.sqlite for the Cookies
• formhistory.sqlite for saved autocomplete Form Data
• logins.json (encrypted logins;32+) and key4.db (decryption key;58+) for Passwords saved in the Password Manager
  key3.db support ended in 73+; to use key3.db in 58-72, make sure to remove key4.db
• cert9.db (58+) for (intermediate) certificates stored in the Certificate Manager
• persdict.dat for words added to the spell checker dictionary
• permissions.sqlite for Permissions and possibly content-prefs.sqlite for other website specific data (Site Preferences)
• sessionstore.jsonlz4 for open tabs and pinned tabs (see also the sessionstore-backups folder)

Thank you, so I would just copy and replace these files on the new device? I don't find the sessionstore.jsonlz4 file in the location you mention though.

Is this the process noted above by jscher2000?

You will only see sessionstore.jsonlz4 when Firefox isn't running. You should only make changes to a profile folder when Firefox isn't running.

You will only see sessionstore.jsonlz4 when Firefox isn't running. You should only make changes to a profile folder when Firefox isn't running.

OK that would explain it.

So if I go in and replace sessionstore.jsonlz4 plus some of the additional files you listed, should I also sign out of sync on the new browser?

Yes, probably best is to logout/disconnect Sync before replacing the files you want to restore.

Also note that syncing history has limitations like the initial sync only uploads new history for the last 30 days and synced history expires in 60 days. With copying places.sqlite you get the full history and bookmarks and so you need to export current bookmarks to an HTML file and import this HTML backup afterward.

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/export-firefox-bookmarks-to-backup-or-transfer
• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/import-bookmarks-html-file

Yes, probably best is to logout/disconnect Sync before replacing the files you want to restore. Also note that syncing history has limitations like the initial sync only uploads new history for the last 30 days and synced history expires in 60 days. With copying places.sqlite you get the full history and bookmarks and so you need to export current bookmarks to an HTML file and import this HTML backup afterward.

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/export-firefox-bookmarks-to-backup-or-transfer
• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/import-bookmarks-html-file

I don't understand, if I'm copying over the places.sqlite file why do I need to import the bookmarks afterwards?

By current bookmarks, cor-el means the ones you saved in the last 5 days. Those are in the places.sqlite file you will be replacing. If you are sure you don't need those recent bookmarks, then you can skip the Export/Import, but you probably should do the Export just in case you later remember that you did want one of those.

By current bookmarks, cor-el means the ones you saved in the last 5 days. Those are in the places.sqlite file you will be replacing. If you are sure you don't need those recent bookmarks, then you can skip the Export/Import, but you probably should do the Export just in case you later remember that you did want one of those.

Everything seems to be in place including favorites saved shortly before transferring everything. I did export the favorites to an html file, but do I need to do anything with it now if it looks like everything is in order?

If everything is good, don't rock the boat. Or, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

If everything is good, don't rock the boat. Or, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

OK, just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.

Thanks for your help with all this!