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Can't get Firefox to use ported profile files; how to use Synch

  • 4 replies
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  • Last reply by turnrose

turnrose
turnrose
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I have tried numerous times to copy over the contents of my Firefox default profile folder from a Windows 10 PC to a new Windows 11 PC. I followed all the instructions as far as I know (when either saving or pasting the folder contents, Firefox is off; successfully downloaded and installed Firefox on new PC creating a new default profile which is where I pasted the contents from previous PC's profile, etc.) When Firefox is restarted on the new PC, it is just the same as the new installation -- no bookmarks from the old profile show up, e.g.).

Any ideas for how to get this to work are greatly appreciated. I have a lot of bookmarks and need to be able to access them on new PC. (BTW, this approach worked just fine when I installed a new disk drive on the old PC about 5 years ago and brought all the Firefox profile data over - everything came over as expected. I wouldn't think the fact that this is a Windows 10 to Windows 11 porting has anything to do with it not working -- these are just profile folders.)

Would Synching the two PCs work better? Does Synch just add all the profile and password data on the two PCs together so that each ends up with the total of what was on the two individual PCs and nothing on either is lost? When I looked at Synch on new PC, it was not clear how to get it to point to the old PC - Add a New Device just seemed to point to a phone. Again, any help is much appreciated.

I have tried numerous times to copy over the contents of my Firefox default profile folder from a Windows 10 PC to a new Windows 11 PC. I followed all the instructions as far as I know (when either saving or pasting the folder contents, Firefox is off; successfully downloaded and installed Firefox on new PC creating a new default profile which is where I pasted the contents from previous PC's profile, etc.) When Firefox is restarted on the new PC, it is just the same as the new installation -- no bookmarks from the old profile show up, e.g.). Any ideas for how to get this to work are greatly appreciated. I have a lot of bookmarks and need to be able to access them on new PC. (BTW, this approach worked just fine when I installed a new disk drive on the old PC about 5 years ago and brought all the Firefox profile data over - everything came over as expected. I wouldn't think the fact that this is a Windows 10 to Windows 11 porting has anything to do with it not working -- these are just profile folders.) Would Synching the two PCs work better? Does Synch just add all the profile and password data on the two PCs together so that each ends up with the total of what was on the two individual PCs and nothing on either is lost? When I looked at Synch on new PC, it was not clear how to get it to point to the old PC - Add a New Device just seemed to point to a phone. Again, any help is much appreciated.

Chosen solution

Just so anyone reading this knows, the Synch approach worked and did as I was hoping: everything from each PC is now on both.

Thank you!

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All Replies (4)

Chaython
Chaython
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You should be able to create a sync chain from the old device.

As for copying profile data manually, if FF is anything like Chrome, the data there is encrypted, so it can't just be copied over.

You can manually import and export the data... For logins, you can go to the logins page and export logins. For bookmarks, you can go to the bookmarks page and export all bookmarks.

turnrose
turnrose Question owner
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Thank you for replying. However, according to both Mozilla Support docs and my personal experience copying Firefox profiles in the past, it actually is just a copy/paste operation. But it is not working for me now.

Regarding Synch -- if I start a Synch operation with both the old and new laptops signed in, is it correct that the result will be that both PCs will end up with the sum of all the synched elements from both machines? That is, is it "bi-directional" so that nothing is lost? I just want to be sure that I won't somehow accidentally end up with both PCs synched to what is on the new PC which has next to nothing in terms of bookmarks and passwords yet.

Chaython
Chaython
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It should be bidrectional, as Firefox supports features such as seeing your mobile browsing history on the desktop client etc. Never had an issue with FireFox sync.

But I have had syncing issues with so many different apps. So always keep your own offline backups. [Export a bookmarks file once in awhile, export your logins and save them in an encrypted zip], therefore if there is ever a syncing issue, or your profile corrupts or Mozilla has some attack you have your data.

Personally I save all passwords to a password manager now [keepass], because I have hung out with some hackers, and every RAT can steal FF data as you said, it can basically just be copy pasted...

Modified by Chaython

turnrose
turnrose Question owner
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Chosen Solution

Just so anyone reading this knows, the Synch approach worked and did as I was hoping: everything from each PC is now on both.

Thank you!