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.

Avatar for Username

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

Lolu chungechunge lwabekwa kunqolobane. Uyacelwa ubuze umbuzo omusha uma udinga usizo.

Firefox lost my primary password

  • 4 uphendule
  • 1 inale nkinga
  • 1 view
  • Igcine ukuphendulwa ngu cor-el

sbalzac
sbalzac
more options

After updating Firefox this morning on my main PC, I noticed that it didn't ask for my primary password.

I then noticed that it wasn't filling in passwords automatically.

My primary password has disappeared as well as my stored passwords. When I try to set a primary password it tells me that it can't change the password.

I tried creating a new profile and that didn't fix it.

I can use firefox on other devices and all the information is there. But I can't get my passwords on my primary PC.

How do I fix this?

i'm running Firefox 105.0.1 (64-bit) on a Win 11 PC.

After updating Firefox this morning on my main PC, I noticed that it didn't ask for my primary password. I then noticed that it wasn't filling in passwords automatically. My primary password has disappeared as well as my stored passwords. When I try to set a primary password it tells me that it can't change the password. I tried creating a new profile and that didn't fix it. I can use firefox on other devices and all the information is there. But I can't get my passwords on my primary PC. How do I fix this? i'm running Firefox 105.0.1 (64-bit) on a Win 11 PC.

All Replies (4)

jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
  • Top 25 Contributor
more options

First, if you haven't already, please do a regular shutdown and restart of Windows. The purpose of this is to release any file locks and complete any pending updates.

Any improvement?

New Profile

You said this didn't solve the problem. Did you mean it also doesn't work in the new profile? Just to confirm:

(1) The feature is still turned on on the Settings page. Ref. Password Manager - Remember, delete and edit logins and passwords in Firefox

If the setting is grayed or locked off, we need to help you investigate that.

(2) A new profile doesn't have a Primary Password set. In a new profile, you would be created a new Primary Password. It doesn't work? Ref. Use a Primary Password to protect stored logins and passwords

sbalzac
sbalzac Umnikazi wombuzo
more options

None of the obvious fixes solved the problem. I concluded that my profile had become corrupted in some way (I've seen this behavior with Thunderbird -- suddenly it decides that a) there's no primary pw and b) it won't allow a new one to be set).

After some amount of fiddling around with creating a new profile and then swapping back and forth between which was the default, I was able to set a new primary password with the new profile. It was also able to sync everything and restore my various logins. Bookmarks and such I had to transfer manually. Similarly, I had to manually rebuild my various window/tab configurations. However, it now seems to be working.

If Firefox can spontaneously lose a profile like this, that strikes me as a fairly serious bug.

jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
  • Top 25 Contributor
more options

Data files sometimes gets corrupted, but I don't know whether there is a clear pattern to what might cause that.

Many people recommend not relying on browser-based password managers and suggest using disk-based or cloud-based options instead. There are many options, but a free/open-source one is

https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/bitwarden-password-manager/

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

If you are connected to Sync then best is to disconnect Sync temporarily during troubleshooting/repair.

If you have a desktop device with the logins then you can copy/transfer logins.json and key4.db (encryption key) from its profile folder to your current profile folder with Firefox closed.

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