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

Firefox won't save privacy settings; reverts to private browsing

  • 15 tontu
  • 35 am na jafe-jafe bii
  • 6 views
  • i mujjee tontu mooy Hasan

more options

Firefox literally won't let me change my privacy/history settings; whenever I close firefox it reverts to "custom history settings", but acts like it's in private browsing. Only privacy/history is reverting; everything else is fine. Just to repeat, the settings aren't the problem. It's the fact that I can't change them.

Firefox literally won't let me change my privacy/history settings; whenever I close firefox it reverts to "custom history settings", but acts like it's in private browsing. Only privacy/history is reverting; everything else is fine. Just to repeat, the settings aren't the problem. It's the fact that I can't change them.

All Replies (15)

more options

Preferences are not saved

https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Preferences%20are%20not%20saved

Check and tell if its working.

more options

I've already tried everything on there! X( I came here because none of that worked. It shows all of the problems I have, but the solutions just won't work. All of THAT stuff is reverting back too.

more options
more options

Do you have a tick in the box to start in Private Browsing?

  • To see all History and Cookie settings, choose: Tools > Options > Privacy, choose the setting Firefox will: Use custom settings for history
  • "Permanent Private Browsing mode"

Choosing the "Use custom settings for history" setting doesn't make any changes to history and cookie settings.
If Firefox shows the "Use custom settings for history" setting then that is an indication that at least one of the history and cookie settings are not the default to make you aware that changes were made.
If all History settings are default then you see "Firefox will: (Never) Remember History" and the custom settings are hidden.

more options

@mha007 nope, didn't work.

@cor-el Thanks for the advice, but that's my problem! I want to set it to what I want, but it reverts to custom settings, and those settings are DEFINITELY not right/safe. It remembers all my passwords and history, yet deletes all of my cookies, and I can't change it.

more options

-> click Firefox button and click Options -> Privacy -> History section -> Firefox will: select "Use Custom Settings for History" -> Remove Checkmarks from:

1) Permanent Private Browsing mode 2) Remember Download History 3) Remember Search and Forms History 4) Clear History When Firefox Closes

-> place Checkmarks on:

1) Accept Cookies from sites -> click Exceptions... button and click "Remove All Sites" 2) Accept Third-party Cookies -> Keep Until: select They Expire

-> click Firefox button and click Options -> Security -> place Checkmarks on:

1) Warn me when sites try to install add-ons 2) Block reported attack sites 3) Block reported web forgeries

-> Remove Checkmark from Remember Passwords for sites -> click Exceptions... button and click Remove All

-> click OK on Options window -> Close Firefox (click Firefox button and click Exit) -> Restart Firefox (after a while)

Check and tell if its working.

Hasan moo ko soppali ci

more options

I tried that but it still reverts back to everything unchecked, and with cookies at "delete when firefox closes". Again, I really appreciate the advice, but the problem isn't the settings. IT'S THAT THE SETTINGS WON'T CHANGE.

more options

Preferences not saved

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Preferences_not_saved

Check and tell if its working.

more options

Which settings do not stay (un)selected and change?


Start Firefox in Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode to check if one of the extensions is causing the problem (switch to the DEFAULT theme: Firefox (Tools) > Add-ons > Appearance/Themes).

more options

@mha007 still no. @cor-el none of that worked, sorry.

The things that I can't change are tools-options-privacy-history. (that's all that I've checked, though.) Whenever I open firefox, it basically acts like it's the first time I've ever opened it; about 5 pages open up, one for each of my extensions and the "your firefox is up to date" page. This all started about 1-2 weeks ago.

more options

Did you try to delete the file prefs.js in the Firefox Profile Folder ?

Also make sure that you haven't appended the -private switch to the command line in the Firefox desktop shortcut.

See:

more options

I think I've solved it! After exporting my bookmarks(and bookmarks only) to an HTML file and emailing it to myself, I used an uninstaller (IOBit uninstaller that came with advanced systemcare) and completely swept my computer of everything to do with firefox. I re-downloaded firefox, downloaded the emailed bookmarks to the desktop and imported them to firefox, and re-installed all of my extensions and personas. All of the problems are gone now!

Too bad we'll never know what it was XD

more options

To help other users find solutions, please return to this Thread and Sign-in to the forum with your Username and Password:

click on "Solved It" next to the reply ABOVE that BEST solved your question

DO NOT click "Solved It" next to this reply

more options

Ever since I installed the 6.1 update, there was been constant errors. Can't change privacy settings is one, Gmail wont send messages is another and it is slower than ever. I hope this all fixed soon. I have been using Opera for some things as FF just isn't working like it used too.

more options