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my new version of firefox will not save my usernames and passwords - why?

  • 11 replies
  • 94 have this problem
  • 6 views
  • Last reply by cor-el

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My version before I updated to 4 saved all of my usernames and passwords. Since updating to version 4 it only saves a few. I have checked that I am not running in privacy mode and have checked remember passwords and have a master password in the security section. I have a laptop with Windows Vista.

My version before I updated to 4 saved all of my usernames and passwords. Since updating to version 4 it only saves a few. I have checked that I am not running in privacy mode and have checked remember passwords and have a master password in the security section. I have a laptop with Windows Vista.

Chosen solution

Some sites like PayPal, Yahoo, Windows Live and bank sites use autocomplete="off" to prevent Firefox from saving and filling the name and the password.

If a site uses autocomplete="off" then look at this article for a bookmarklet to remove that autocomplete attribute and Firefox will offer to store the name and password.

If a website creates the login form via JavaScript then the password manager doesn't offer to store passwords as well (Bug 518516).

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All Replies (11)

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Do you mean names and passwords in the Password Manager or do you mean that you are no longer logged on to (remembered by) websites after closing and restarting Firefox?

  • Websites remembering you and automatically log you in is stored in a cookie.
  • Create an allow cookie exception (Tools > Options > Privacy > Cookies: Exceptions) to keep such a cookie, especially for secure websites and if cookies expire when Firefox is closed.

Clearing "Site Preferences" clears all exceptions for cookies, images, pop-up windows, software installation, and passwords.


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I mean that Password Manager does not ask if I want the names and passwords remembered except for a couple of sites. Prior to version 4 all my names and passwords were remembered and I had no problem with the sites not remembering me.

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Chosen Solution

Some sites like PayPal, Yahoo, Windows Live and bank sites use autocomplete="off" to prevent Firefox from saving and filling the name and the password.

If a site uses autocomplete="off" then look at this article for a bookmarklet to remove that autocomplete attribute and Firefox will offer to store the name and password.

If a website creates the login form via JavaScript then the password manager doesn't offer to store passwords as well (Bug 518516).

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I'm having a problem where Windows Live login won't remember both of my ID's. In FF 3.6, I used to be able to click in the empty username field and select which ID I wanted to use but since upgrading to FF 4.0, I can no longer do this. I don't want it to remember passwords, just usernames....help pls.

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You can enable save from data if you want to remember the user name.

Tools or Firefox > Options > Privacy > History: "Remember search and form history"


Press F10 or press and hold the Alt key down to bring up the "Menu Bar" temporarily.

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My wife and I both use Hotmail (Windows Live). Versions of Firefox prior to FF4 remembered my wife's username as well as mine. Now that doesn't happen. I've tried without success all the suggestions through tools-options-security, etc.

Can we anticipate this problem being fixed in the near future?

Modified by jameshalex

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Having the same trouble w/hotmail - haven't tried paypal yet. This is so frustrating! We have about 10 hotmail accounts and the names are gone, gone, gone and we have to type them in every time we log on. I don't care about passwords being saved but it was great not having to type in long account names time after time. The "fix" suggested above doesn't work - my setting were set that way already.

I am frustrated altogether with this version.

Why switch the place for "open in new tab" and "open in new window?" What in the name of all that's holy is gained by doing that after we've gotten used to selecting the second option and now that opens one unwanted window after another, instead of just a tab.

Some of these changes are downright senseless. Others are a pain in the neck.

What happened to "user friendly" Mozilla?

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I have this problem too. I liked the old Firefox version since we could have at least five users saved for Hotmail; now one has to type in the whole address. Aargh.

Please fix this I ask of thee.

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I have tried the suggested solution, but it doesn't help. I think I'll start using Explorer again - no problem there!

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I agree! Nothing has worked for me either!

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Make sure that you not run Firefox in permanent Private Browsing - Use Firefox without saving history mode.

  • You enter Private Browsing mode if you select: Tools > Options > Privacy > History: Firefox will: "Never Remember History"
  • To see all History and Cookie settings, choose: Tools > Options > Privacy, choose the setting Firefox will: Use custom settings for history
  • Uncheck: [ ] "Permanent Private Browsing mode"