Profiles - Where Firefox stores your bookmarks, passwords and other user data

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  • Creator: tbba
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  • Reviewed by: scoobidiver
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Did you know that all the settings you make in Firefox, like your home page, what toolbars you use, saved passwords and bookmarks are all stored in a special profile folder? It's true. Your profile folder is kept in a separate place from the Firefox program so that if something ever goes wrong with Firefox your information will still be there. It also means you can uninstall Firefox without losing your settings and you don't have to reinstall Firefox to clear your information or troubleshoot a problem.

This information is here for reference. You don't have to follow these steps unless you were directed to do so from another article.

How do I find my profile?

  • Click the menu button Fx89menuButton, click Help and select More Troubleshooting Information.From the Help menu, select More Troubleshooting Information. The Troubleshooting Information tab will open.
  • Under the Application Basics section next to Profile FolderDirectory, click Open FolderShow in FinderOpen Directory. A window will open that contains your profile folder.Your profile folder will open.
Note: If you are unable to open or use Firefox, follow the instructions in Finding your profile without opening Firefox.

Finding your profile without opening Firefox

Windows Vista and 7

  1. Click the Windows Start button and type %APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\ in the Search box at the bottom of the Start menu, without pressing Enter. A list of profiles will appear at the top of the Start menu.
  2. Click on the profile with “default” in the name to open it in a window.

    ab167bec686b081a25849c98d6bf9ea7-1258940859-69-1.png

Windows 2000 and XP

  1. Click the Windows Start button, and select Run....

    win-run.png
  2. Type in %APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\ then click OK.

    win-rundialog.png
  3. A window will open containing profile folders.
  4. Double-click the folder with “default” in the name to open it.
  1. Open Finder and go to your home folder. Note: your home folder is usually the name of your Mac user account
  2. From your home folder open /Library/, then /Application Support/, then /Firefox/, then /Profiles/. Your​ prof​ile ​fold​er is with​in this​ fold​er.
  1. (Ubuntu) Click the Places menu on the top right of the screen and select Home Folder. A File Browser window will appear.
  2. Click the View menu and select Show Hidden Files if it isn't already checked.
  3. Double click the folder marked .mozilla.
  4. Double click the folder marked firefox. Your profile folder is within this folder.

What information is stored in my profile?

Note: Only important information useful for recovering is described.

Working with profiles


user_pref("capability.policy.policynames", "allowclipboard"); user_pref("capability.policy.allowclipboard.sites", "http://www.mozilla.org"); user_pref("capability.policy.allowclipboard.Clipboard.cutcopy", "allAccess"); user_pref("capability.policy.allowclipboard.Clipboard.paste", "allAccess");