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.

Why does Firefox not remove cookies upon exiting for open tabs?

  • 2 uphendule
  • 14 zinale nkinga
  • 1 view
  • Igcine ukuphendulwa ngu Gonkers

Gonkers
Gonkers
more options

Firefox does not remove cookies for tabs that are left open when exiting the browser even with clear cookie options set. The cookies are only cleared for tabs that are closed before exiting the browser. I cannot understand how this could possibly be a design decision since it completely defeats the purpose of the privacy settings.

Under Options > Privacy I have the following options enabled/selected.

  • Accept cookies from sites (No "Exceptions...")
  • Keep until 'I close Firefox'
  • Clear history when Firefox closes
  • * Download History
  • * Cookies
  • * Active Logins
  • * Cache
  • * Offline Website Data
Firefox does not remove cookies for tabs that are left open when exiting the browser even with clear cookie options set. The cookies are only cleared for tabs that are closed before exiting the browser. I cannot understand how this could possibly be a design decision since it completely defeats the purpose of the privacy settings. Under '''Options''' > '''Privacy''' I have the following options enabled/selected. * Accept cookies from sites (No "Exceptions...") * Keep until 'I close Firefox' * Clear history when Firefox closes * * Download History * * Cookies * * Active Logins * * Cache * * Offline Website Data

Isisombululo esikhethiwe

Those cookies are stored as part of the session data.

You can set the pref browser.sessionstore.privacy_level to 2 (never) or 1 (non-HTTPS, default in Firefox 3 versions) on the about:config page to disable saving cookies via session restore.

Funda le mpendulo ngokuhambisana nalesi sihloko 👍 2

All Replies (2)

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

Isisombululo Esikhethiwe

Those cookies are stored as part of the session data.

You can set the pref browser.sessionstore.privacy_level to 2 (never) or 1 (non-HTTPS, default in Firefox 3 versions) on the about:config page to disable saving cookies via session restore.

Gonkers
Gonkers Umnikazi wombuzo
more options

Thank you for your help. I found more information here... http://kb.mozillazine.org/Browser.sessionstore.privacy_level ...which leaves me to believe it was a design decision to NOT CLEAR your cookies and privacy data if you happened to leave a tab open even with the options set to do so. "Value 0: Store extra session data for any site. (Default starting with Firefox 4.)"