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make exception for cooking clearing on firefox close

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  • Last reply by modernNeo

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I am using Firefox-ESR 115.6.0esr (64-bit) on Debian GNU/Linux 11 and I am trying to figure out how to get firefox to clear all the cookies except for a select few.

I had an issue where if I reboot my system and then re-opened firefox, it would automatically open my previous tabs, including my protonmail account, which was good. But if I tried to open a new tab for my protonmail account, I would get hit with a login page. This happened even though I had another active protonmail session going on in the existing tab.

I contact Protonmail and they linked me to this question and I tried to follow it but noticed something odd. the selected solution says > Make sure you use "Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed" and not "Clear history when Firefox closes" to clear the cookies as the latter doesn't honor exceptions.

But, on my firefox, clicking "Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed" automatically results in "Clear history when Firefox closes" also being clicked and I can't seem to undo the association.

Is that answer outdated?

I am using Firefox-ESR 115.6.0esr (64-bit) on Debian GNU/Linux 11 and I am trying to figure out how to get firefox to clear all the cookies except for a select few. I had an issue where if I reboot my system and then re-opened firefox, it would automatically open my previous tabs, including my protonmail account, which was good. But if I tried to open a new tab for my protonmail account, I would get hit with a login page. This happened even though I had another active protonmail session going on in the existing tab. I contact Protonmail and they linked me to [https://support.mozilla.org/tn/questions/1373748 this question] and I tried to follow it but noticed something odd. the selected solution says > Make sure you use "Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed" and not "Clear history when Firefox closes" to clear the cookies as the latter doesn't honor exceptions. But, on my firefox, clicking "Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed" automatically results in "Clear history when Firefox closes" also being clicked and I can't seem to undo the association. Is that answer outdated?

All Replies (7)

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The restored session might be showing a cached page, refresh to see the current login state.

If you are using container extensions like Multi-Account Containers, make sure you are using the correct container.

"Clear history when Firefox closes" now honors cookie exceptions, the important thing here is not to clear "Site settings" as it will clear all exceptions.

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You can use these steps to make a website recognize and remember you.

  • create a cookie allow exception with the proper protocol (https:// or http://) to make a website remember you

You can check that you aren't clearing important cookies.

  • using "Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed" to clear cookies keeps cookies with an allow exception
    in 102+ version toggling this setting makes changes to the "Clear history when Firefox closes" settings and those settings prevail
  • using "Clear history when Firefox closes" in Firefox 102+ honors exceptions and keeps cookies with an allow exception, previous versions removed all cookies

Make sure to keep the "Site settings".

  • clearing "Site settings" clears exceptions for cookies, images, pop-up windows, and software installation and exceptions for passwords and other website specific data
  • Settings -> Privacy & Security
    Cookies and Site Data: "Manage Exceptions"
  • Settings -> Privacy & Security
    Firefox will: "Use custom settings for history":
    [X] "Clear history when Firefox closes" -> Settings
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> The restored session might be showing a cached page, refresh to see the current login state.

I have tried refreshing. it's not a cached page.

> "Clear history when Firefox closes" now honors cookie exceptions, the important thing here is not to clear "Site settings" as it will clear all exceptions.

I am not.

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I've realized something interesting.

When I boot up and open up firefox again and the previous tabs get restored, https://mail.proton.me/u/23/inbox is able to load just fine. If I go to just https://mail.proton.me in a new tab, I get redirected to login, but if in a new tab, I go to https://mail.proton.me/u/23/inbox, I can actually open my inbox in a new tab.

I have respond to ProtonMail to alert them to this weird discrepancy, waiting to see what they say.

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Note that the question you linked (/questions/1373748) is about Firefox 99. In this version "Clear history when Firefox closes" didn't honor exceptions as this was a change that landed in 102, so what I wrote in that reply is no longer valid and modifying "Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed" actually makes changes to the "Clear history when Firefox closes" settings (Cookies and Offline website data).

You aren't using containers as that will isolate cookies ?

Do you keep the cookie exceptions if you check this after you close and restart Firefox ? Is "Clear history when Firefox closes" enabled and if yes, then what is cleared? See my above reply for more detail.

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The Proton cookie exception needs to be for *account.proton.me*.

Visiting ProtonMail in a new tab while logged in does not take me to the login page.

Does it still happen in Troubleshoot Mode?

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@zeroknight > The Proton cookie exception needs to be for *account.proton.me*.

Is that documented somewhere on their site?