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

My profile keeps disappearing after I close Firefox. In order to open it back up, I have to keep re-creating a new one. How to fix?

  • 2 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 4 views
  • Last reply by cor-el

more options

I've already uninstalled, and reinstalled Firefox, and no dice. If I don't re-create the new profile, I get the error message that the profile is missing or inaccessible when trying to open firefox. I have to open the browser by clicking on the new profile I just created in the profile manager box.

I've already uninstalled, and reinstalled Firefox, and no dice. If I don't re-create the new profile, I get the error message that the profile is missing or inaccessible when trying to open firefox. I have to open the browser by clicking on the new profile I just created in the profile manager box.

Chosen solution

This can be caused by a problem with the profiles.ini file.

It is probably best to delete the profiles.ini file to force Firefox to create a new default profile

You can use this button to go to the currently used Firefox profile folder:

  • Windows: %AppData%\Mozilla\Firefox\
    C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\<profile>\
  • Linux: ~/.mozilla/firefox/
  • Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Firefox/

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (2)

more options

Well, if you have already lost your profile, try to delete entirely Firefox from your computer : https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/uninstall-firefox-from-your-computer (or search "delete entirely Firefox" on the web).

After that, check your firewall, your antivirus and your antimalware. It is time to make a security check-up of your computer, to be sure it is clean.

Then download again Firefox, from the official website, and try again to see if the problem is still here.

more options

Chosen Solution

This can be caused by a problem with the profiles.ini file.

It is probably best to delete the profiles.ini file to force Firefox to create a new default profile

You can use this button to go to the currently used Firefox profile folder:

  • Windows: %AppData%\Mozilla\Firefox\
    C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\<profile>\
  • Linux: ~/.mozilla/firefox/
  • Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Firefox/