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  • Last reply by cor-el

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Where is my user profile stored - on my computer or on Firefox computer? I need to re-install Firefox on a new computer. Will I lose my Folders (left side of screen), or are they safely stored with Firefox? Will they reappear when I install Firefox on the new computer?

Where is my user profile stored - on my computer or on Firefox computer? I need to re-install Firefox on a new computer. Will I lose my Folders (left side of screen), or are they safely stored with Firefox? Will they reappear when I install Firefox on the new computer?

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Hi

Best is to backup your current profile folder data yourself and not rely on Sync (Sync isn't meant to be used as a backup).

You can use the button on the "Help -> Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page to go to the current Firefox profile folder or use the about:profiles page.


You can copy certain files with Firefox closed to the current profile folder to transfer or recover personal data. Note that best is to avoid copying a full profile folder.

  • bookmarks and history: places.sqlite
  • favicons: favicons.sqlite
  • bookmark backups: compressed .jsonlz4 JSON backups in the bookmarkbackups folder
  • cookies.sqlite for the Cookies
  • formhistory.sqlite for saved autocomplete Form Data
  • logins.json (encrypted logins;32+) and key4.db (decryption key;58+) for Passwords saved in the Password Manager
    key3.db support ended in 73+; to use key3.db in 58-72, make sure to remove key4.db
  • cert9.db (58+) for (intermediate) certificates stored in the Certificate Manager
  • persdict.dat for words added to the spell checker dictionary
  • permissions.sqlite for Permissions and possibly content-prefs.sqlite for other website specific data (Site Preferences)
  • sessionstore.jsonlz4 for open tabs and pinned tabs (see also the sessionstore-backups folder)