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Why are passwords not remembered in first tab?

  • 3 cavab
  • 1 has this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by cor-el

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I have noticed that sometimes Firefox will not supply previously remembered passwords. After much trial and error troubleshooting, I have determined it is not site related but only happens when the site is opened in the first tab. I can open the same site in a second, third, or fourth tab and the password will fill in as it should but it will NEVER fill in on the first tab for any site. I have searched and many people experience Firefox not filling in the password but no one has figured out it is only in the first tab. I hope this helps you to fix a very annoying problem.

I have noticed that sometimes Firefox will not supply previously remembered passwords. After much trial and error troubleshooting, I have determined it is not site related but only happens when the site is opened in the first tab. I can open the same site in a second, third, or fourth tab and the password will fill in as it should but it will NEVER fill in on the first tab for any site. I have searched and many people experience Firefox not filling in the password but no one has figured out it is only in the first tab. I hope this helps you to fix a very annoying problem.

All Replies (3)

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Start Firefox in Safe Mode to check if one of the extensions (Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Extensions) or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem.

  • Switch to the DEFAULT theme: Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Appearance
  • Do NOT click the Reset button on the Safe Mode start window

Details like websites remembering you (log you in automatically) are stored in a cookie.

  • Create a cookie 'allow' exception to keep such cookies, especially in case of secure websites and when cookies expire when Firefox is closed.
  • Tools > Options > Privacy > "Use custom settings for history" > Cookies: Exceptions

If this remember cookie is removed then you will have to log in again.

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I know all of that. The problem exists ONLY with the first tab. As stated in my original email, I have no problem with ANY site if I open it in any tab other than the first - left most - tab. All of your suggestions would be for if it didn't work at all on any tab.

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If you drag tabs around to another position, does this still happen with the first tab?


Boot the computer in Windows Safe Mode with network support (press F8 on the boot screen) as a test.

Do a malware check with several malware scanning programs on the Windows computer. Please scan with all programs because each program detects different malware. All these programs have free versions.

Make sure that you update each program to get the latest version of their databases before doing a scan.

You can also do a check for a rootkit infection with TDSSKiller.

See also: