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How to "forget" a HSTS setting.

  • 8 replies
  • 3 have this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by cor-el

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I am a web developer. I tried HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security) in my developing website.

Now I want to cancel (forget) the HSTS setting for this site, but I cannot. Cannot I access my developing website with HTTP anymore?

I am a web developer. I tried HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security) in my developing website. Now I want to cancel (forget) the HSTS setting for this site, but I cannot. Cannot I access my developing website with HTTP anymore?

Chosen solution

Thanks! Finally I resolved this problem!

Your first reply: "Forget About This Site" (via the right-click context menu of a history item) is the solution, but I guess that once I access the site with HSTS in a browser tab, the tab remembers the HSTS setting after "Forget About This Site".

I tried to reload with F5 key in the same tab, so I cannot access even after "Forget About This Site".

I can access with a new tab now.

Thank you very much, cor-el.

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All Replies (8)

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Maybe "Forget About This Site" (via the right-click context menu of a history item) will help, but that will remove everything from that domain like bookmarks, cookies, passwords, cache, history, and exceptions, so be cautious if you decide to give that a try.

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I tried "Forget About This Site" but still cannot access the developing site with HTTP. I guess the HSTS setting is saved in a different place from the history items.

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Maybe rename secmod.db and if that still doesn't work cert8.db as well to see if that catches it.

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I renamed secmod.db and cert8.db, but still cannot access.

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Remove all files in my profiles folder => Cannot access. Private browsing mode => Can access! But I don't know why it works.

I want to access the site without private browsing mode.

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Private Browsing bypasses the cache (disk cache is disabled) and gives you a new set of cookies.
So Firefox may be using the cache or data stored in the disk cache.

Did you already try to clear the cache?

  • Tools > Options > Advanced > Network > Offline Storage (Cache): "Clear Now"

You may need to use Clear Recent History with the time range set to everything to clear the cache.

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Chosen Solution

Thanks! Finally I resolved this problem!

Your first reply: "Forget About This Site" (via the right-click context menu of a history item) is the solution, but I guess that once I access the site with HSTS in a browser tab, the tab remembers the HSTS setting after "Forget About This Site".

I tried to reload with F5 key in the same tab, so I cannot access even after "Forget About This Site".

I can access with a new tab now.

Thank you very much, cor-el.