Help - how to have 1 windows login, multiple firefox accounts, each with different profile
Hi !
I apologize if this is a repeat, I looked for this specific question and found things similar but nothing that exactly answers it.
Summary / TL;DR - I have 2 mozilla accounts, each with different email (home and work). I want to associate each account with a different firefox profile, and I am having trouble.
More Detailed Description -
I have 2 mozilla/firefox accounts, 1 for home, 1 for work.
What I want -
When I login to my home account on computer 1, it will load all my home profile details - bookmarks, history, passwords, etc.
When I login to my work account on computer 1, it will load all my work profile details - bookmarks, history, passwords, etc.
I want to sync my home account with my mobile device. I do not want this sync to transfer ANYTHING to my work account.
I am running windows 10, there is 1 user on the computer (me), I do not want to add a second user account.
I tried creating different profiles in Firefox, but they are not associated with a Mozilla account. The default profile is my home profile, so if I log into my work account, the profile does not change, and load different bookmarks, history, passwords, etc.
Also I find that when I am using my work profile, if I click on a URL, it will open the link in the home profile.
This is a problem b/c I have history and passwords in work profile I don't want in home and vice versa. Also I sync home profile on desktop to mobile device, and when I log into different accounts I get that message "another user was sync'd to this computer so if you log in it will bring in all their bookmarks, is that OK?"
I want a Mozilla account with 1 email address associated to a specific profile, so when I change Mozilla accounts it changes the profile automatically.
I do not find anything online that talks about how to do this so it seems like it is impossible but this makes no sense to me.
Any help is appreciated, thank you!
Wšykne wótegrona (2)
Hi Adam, let the profiles be the boss, and think of the accounts as a service a profile can use.
I assume you are using the about:profiles page to launch into a different profile?
It sounds as though you have at least two profiles on your Firefox now. Let's say one is called default-release and one is called Work, and your default profile for purpose of your Firefox shortcut and external links is default-release. Sounds good.
P.S. I suggest using a different theme in each profile so you cal immediately tell at a glance which window you are working in. (Use themes to change the look of Firefox)
You can sign into your home Firefox Account in default-release, and your work Firefox Account in Work. They should not cross over.
You did say two things that needs more attention:
_Adam_S_ said
I tried creating different profiles in Firefox, but they are not associated with a Mozilla account. The default profile is my home profile, so if I log into my work account, the profile does not change, and load different bookmarks, history, passwords, etc.
The profile is the boss, the account is a service your Firefox can use in whatever profile happens to be running at the moment. Logging out of one account and into another IN THE SAME PROFILE will cause data mixing. Only log into your work account while in a window of the work profile.
Also I find that when I am using my work profile, if I click on a URL, it will open the link in the home profile.
Do you mean an external link on your system? That will always open in your current default Firefox profile. You can use the buttons on the about:profiles page to switch that designation when needed, or of course right-click > Copy Link and then launch into whatever window you like by pasting the link.
Unfortunately, Firefox doesn't have a way to detect that multiple profiles are running and let you choose where to send the link. Maybe someday.
Does this help?
You got the quoted portions correct -
- I do have two profiles set up right now - The external links are automatically opening in the default profile - The data mixing from multiple accounts in the same profile is exactly what is happening
I appreciate the response, you did a good job of explaining the underlying driver of the situation. I had guessed that the hierarchy went Profile --> Account and not the other way around. Poor showing on Firefox for not allowing me to completely switch everything up by logging into different accounts.
Thanks for the response though it will help me find a workaround.