We're calling on all EU-based Mozillians with iOS or iPadOS devices to help us monitor Apple’s new browser choice screens. Join the effort to hold Big Tech to account!

This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

This is impossible. I refreshed FF, lost all my bookmarks, and can't get them back from the Old Firefox folder.

  • 10 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 4 views
  • Last reply by kemscm

more options

I had to refresh FF because it kept crashing. I lost all my bookmarks -- years of them! I have tried to get them back by importing from the Old Firefox folder, but nothing works. I get NO bookmarks. I have always touted FF as the best browser, but today I am incredibly sad to lose all of those because FF wouldn't stop crashing. It seems one needs more technical expertise than should be required.

I had to refresh FF because it kept crashing. I lost all my bookmarks -- years of them! I have tried to get them back by importing from the Old Firefox folder, but nothing works. I get NO bookmarks. I have always touted FF as the best browser, but today I am incredibly sad to lose all of those because FF wouldn't stop crashing. It seems one needs more technical expertise than should be required.

Chosen solution

Wait, why not just use Restore > Choose File > [old file] ?

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (10)

more options

Did your Refresh resolve the crashing problem? If not, let's focus on that first.

For bookmarks, did you try restoring one of the automatic backups? The following article will get you to the menu, then click "Choose File" and point Firefox up to your desktop, into the Old Firefox Data folder, into the latest profile folder, then into the bookmarkbackups folder.

Any luck? Any specific error message?

more options

Yes, it did solve the crashing problem. Thank you for responding. What article are you referencing that will get me to the menu?

more options
more options

Those are the directions I tried to follow before I posted here. It said it imported 15 bookmarks, but nothing changed that I could see. It should have had more like a hundred...and my bookmarks toolbar never changed.

more options

Right, so, if you open the Restore menu and use Choose File to go to your Old Firefox Data folder, dig into your profile folder, then into bookmarkbackups, do any of those files have your actual bookmarks? The number of items is coded into the file name, in this example, 6186 bookmarks and folders:

bookmarks-2018-10-15_6186_gibberish==.jsonlz4

more options

There are a lot of those files, and yes, they have 154 bookmarks. So, that's good -- they aren't gone :)

more options

There are 2 folders in my Old Firefox folder -- one of them has an empty file in the bookmarks backup folder. I'm going to try moving that folder out of the Old Firefox folder and see if the browser will pick the correct one, given no choices?

more options

Chosen Solution

Wait, why not just use Restore > Choose File > [old file] ?

more options

I must be doing something wrong. It gives me the warning, but my bookmarks don't change. I will keep trying. Knowing they are there is helpful. Thank you

more options

I have them! Thank you so much!!!