Firefox
Firefox
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All of the changes you make in Firefox, such as your home page, what toolbars you use, extensions you have installed, saved passwords and your bookmarks, are stored in a special folder called a profile. Your profile folder is stored in a separate place from the Firefox program so, if something ever goes wrong with Firefox, your data and settings will still be there. It also means that you can uninstall Firefox without losing your personal information and that you don’t have to reinstall Firefox to clear your settings or troubleshoot a problem.
Table of Contents
- 1 How do I find my profile?
- 1.1 Finding your profile without opening Firefox
- 2 What information is stored in my profile?
- 3 Working with profiles
How do I find my profile?
You can find your profile location and open it from the Troubleshooting Information (about:support) page:
- Click the menu button , click and select .From the menu, select . The Troubleshooting Information tab will open.
- Under the Application Basics section next to Profile FolderProfile Directory, click Open FolderShow in FinderOpen Directory. A window will open that contains your profile folder.Your profile folder will open.Your profile directory will open.
Note: If Firefox displays an error after clicking Open Folder or if you are unable to open or use Firefox, follow the instructions in Finding your profile without opening Firefox.
Finding your profile without opening Firefox
Firefox stores your profile folder in this location on your computer, by default:
C:\Users\<your Windows login username>\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\
Windows hides the AppData folder by default but you can find your profile folder as follows:
- Press +R on the keyboard. A Run dialog will open.
- Alternatively, you can press the key and use the search box.
- Type in:
%APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\ - Click OK. A window will open containing profile folders.
- Open the profile folder you wish. If you only have one profile, its folder would have «default» in the name.
The MSIX (Microsoft Store) Firefox version stores its profiles in a different location. To check if you are using this version:
- Open the Troubleshooting Information page by entering about:support in the Firefox address bar.
- In the Application Basics section, check the Distribution ID line.
- If it contains mozilla-MSIX, this means you are using the MSIX (Microsoft Store) Firefox version.
To find the profile folder for this version:
- Press +R on the keyboard. A Run dialog will open.
- Type in:
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Mozilla.Firefox
without pressing Enter. A list of an only folder will appear. - Click on the suggested folder. Then add:
\LocalCache\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\ - Click OK. A window will open containing profile folders.
- From the Start Screen, click the Desktop tile. The Desktop view will open.
- From the Desktop, hover in the lower right-hand corner to access the Charms.
- Select the charm. The Search sidebar will open.
- In the search box, type in:
%APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\
without pressing Enter. A list of profile folders will appear. - Click on the profile folder you wish to open (it will open in a window). If you only have one profile, its folder would have «default» in the name.
- Click the Windows Start button. The Start menu will open.
- In the Search box at the bottom of the Start menu, type:
%APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\
without pressing Enter. A list of profiles will appear at the top of the Start menu. - Click on the profile folder you wish to open (it will open in a window). If you only have a single profile, its folder would have «default» in the name.
- Click the Finder icon in the dock. On the menu bar, click the menu, hold down the option or alt key and select . A window will open containing your Library folder.
- Open the Application Support folder, then open the Firefox folder, and then the Profiles folder.
- Your profile folder is within this folder. If you only have one profile, its folder would have «default» in the name.
- (Ubuntu) Click the menu on the top right of the screen and select . A File Browser window will appear.
- Click the menu and select if it isn’t already checked.
- Double click the folder marked .mozilla.
- Double click the folder marked firefox. Your profile folder is within this folder. If you only have one profile, its folder would have «default» in the name.
What information is stored in my profile?
Note: This is not a complete list. Only important information is described.
Bookmarks, Downloads and Browsing History:
- places.sqlite
This file contains all your Firefox bookmarks and lists of all the files you’ve downloaded and websites you’ve visited. - bookmarkbackups
This folder stores bookmark backup files, which can be used to restore your bookmarks. - favicons.sqlite
This file contains all of the favicons for your Firefox bookmarks.
For more information, see Bookmarks in Firefox and Restore bookmarks from backup or move them to another computer.
Passwords:
- key4.db
- logins.json
Your passwords are stored in these two files. For more information, see Password Manager — Remember, delete and edit logins and passwords in Firefox.
Site-specific preferences:
- permissions.sqlite
- content-prefs.sqlite
These two files store many of your Firefox permissions (for instance, which sites are allowed to display popups) or zoom levels that are set on a site-by-site basis (see Font size and zoom — increase the size of web pages).
Search engines:
- search.json.mozlz4
This file stores user-installed search engines. For more information, see Add or remove a search engine in Firefox.
Personal dictionary:
- persdict.dat
This file stores any custom words you have added to Firefox’s dictionary. For more information, see How do I use the Firefox spell checker?.
Autocomplete history:
- formhistory.sqlite
This file remembers what you have searched for in the Firefox search bar and what information you’ve entered into forms on websites. For more information, see Control whether Firefox automatically fills in forms.
Cookies:
- cookies.sqlite
A cookie is a bit of information stored on your computer by a website you’ve visited. Usually, this is something like your site preferences or login status. Cookies are all stored in this file.
DOM storage:
DOM Storage is designed to provide a larger, more secure, and easier-to-use alternative to storing information in cookies.
- webappsstore.sqlite
Information is stored in this file for websites - chromeappsstore.sqlite
This file stores information for about:* pages.
Extensions:
- extensions
This folder, if it exists, stores files for any extensions you have installed. To learn more about Firefox extensions and other add-ons, see Find and install add-ons to add features to Firefox.
Security certificate settings:
- cert9.db
This file stores all your security certificate settings and any SSL certificates you have imported into Firefox.
Security device settings:
- pkcs11.txt
This file stores security module configuration.
Download actions:
- handlers.json
This file stores your preferences that tell Firefox what to do when it comes across a particular type of file. For example, these are the settings that tell Firefox to open a PDF file with Acrobat Reader when you click on it. For more information, see Manage file types and download actions in Firefox.
Stored session:
- sessionstore.jsonlz4
This file stores the currently open tabs and windows. For more information, see Restore previous session — Configure when Firefox shows your most recent tabs and windows.
Window positions and dialog settings:
- xulstore.json
This file stores the size and position of the main Firefox window and Library window, selected columns in the Library window, and expanded folders in the Bookmarks Sidebar and History Sidebar.
User preferences:
- prefs.js
This file stores customized user preference settings, such as changes you make in Firefox Settings
dialogs and in customizing toolbars (Customize Firefox controls, buttons and toolbars). The optional user.js file, if one exists, will override any modified preferences.
Containers:
- containers.json
This file stores the details of containers used by the Container Tabs feature, including those created by extensions such as Facebook Container.
Working with profiles
- Profile Manager — Create, remove or switch Firefox profiles explains how to do things like, create a new profile, set a new default profile, and delete an old profile.
- Recover user data missing after Firefox update explains how to use the Profile Manager to switch profiles, if multiple profiles exist.
- Back up and restore information in Firefox profiles explains how to back up and restore a profile. It also explains how to move your profile information to a different location on your hard drive or to another computer.
- Recover important data from an old profile explains how to copy files to a new profile and includes a list of files that store information useful for recovery.
These fine people helped write this article:
AliceWyman, Chris Ilias, philipp, jscher2000 — Support Volunteer, Underpass, novica, Kadir Topal, Tonnes, Michael Verdi, scoobidiver, Swarnava Sengupta, ideato, user669794, astivelman, Sumanshu, Wesley Branton, Lan, innki, Joni, Jeff, lucas12, Krzysztof Żelechowski, Fabi, unixfan, Denys, Justin, BD
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Home » Windows 10 » Mozilla Firefox Profile Location In Windows 10/11
Firefox profiles are similar to user accounts in the Windows operating system. Just like the Windows operating system, Firefox uses accounts to save user data. In Firefox, user accounts are called profiles.
A profile includes user information such as passwords, bookmarks, preferences, history, and other data. In addition to the default profile, you can also create more profiles if you want.
Mozilla Firefox saves all profiles in a location different than its install location.
If you want to backup passwords, bookmarks, and other data without using any additional software, you can simply create a copy of your profile folder before reinstalling the Windows operating system.
In this guide, we will see how to open the Firefox profile folder in Windows 10 and earlier Windows versions.
Method 1 of 3
Open the Firefox profile folder using the Run command
Step 1: Open the Run command box. To do so, simultaneously press the Windows logo and R keys. Alternatively, type Run in the Start/taskbar search and then press the Enter key.
Step 2: In the Run command field, type or paste the following path and then press the Enter key to see your profile folder(s).
%APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\
Method 2 of 2
Open the Firefox profile folder using File Explorer
Step 1: Open File Explorer. Navigate to the following folder:
C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles
In the above path, replace “C” with the drive letter of your Windows 10 installation drive and UserName with your user account name.
Step 2: Under the Profiles folder, you will see the folder(s) with some random letters. If you have more than one profile, all of them will appear here.
Method 3 of 3
Access Firefox profile via Firefox browser
If the profile folder is not present in its default location, you can use this method to know its current location.
Step 1: Launch Firefox. Press the Alt key on the keyboard to see Firefox menus.
Step 2: Click the Help menu and then click the Troubleshooting Information option. This action will open the Troubleshooting Information page.
Step 3: Here, under Application Basics, look for Profile Folder. Next to it, there is the Open Folder button. Click the Open Folder button to open your Firefox profile folder.
Also, read our how to upgrade Firefox 32-bit to 64-bit without reinstalling.
This article is about Firefox’s profile folder. See also Profile folder — Thunderbird and Profile folder — SeaMonkey.
Firefox stores a user’s personal information such as bookmarks, extensions, and user preferences in a unique profile. The first time you start Firefox, it will automatically create a default profile; additional profiles can be created using the Profile Manager. The settings which form a profile are stored in files within a special folder on your computer — this is the profile folder.
Finding the profile folder
The Firefox profile containing your user data and settings is not found in the installation directory but rather in a separate location on your computer. Use the information given below to find your Firefox profile folder.
(Firefox 3.6 and above) You can open your profile folder directly from the Firefox Help menu, as follows: [1] [2]
- In the Firefox menu, click on the «Help» menu item («?» in current versions) and select «Troubleshooting Information». (Alternatively, enter about:support in the address bar.) The about:support page will open.
- Under «Application Basics»,
- On Windows and Linux, depending on Firefox version, click on «Show Folder» (Windows) «Open Directory» (Linux) or «Open Containing Folder».
- On Mac OS, click on «Show in Finder».
Note: On Windows, you can also press the «Alt» key to temporarily show the Firefox menu bar, which contains the Help menu item. [3] [4]
Navigating to the profile folder
Profile folders are placed in a common location by default but are named randomly for additional security (e.g., «xxxxxxxx.default» is the profile folder name for the «default» profile, where xxxxxxxx represents a random strung of characters). If you created a new profile and chose a custom location, see Other methods of finding a profile below.
On Windows 2000 and above, Linux, and starting in Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, the parent folder containing your profile folder is hidden by default and you will need to show hidden files and folders to navigate to the profile folder.
Windows
On Windows 2000 and Windows XP, profile folders are in this location, by default:
- C:\Documents and Settings\<Windows login/user name>\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\<profile folder>
The Application Data folder is a hidden folder; to show hidden folders, open Windows Explorer and choose «Tools → Folder Options → View (tab) → Show hidden files and folders».
On Windows Vista and above, profile folders are in this location, by default:
- C:\Users\<Windows login/user name>\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\<profile folder>.
The AppData folder is a hidden folder; to show hidden folders, open a Windows Explorer window and choose «Organize → Folder and Search Options → Folder Options → View (tab) → Show hidden files and folders».
You can also use this path to find the profile folder, even when it is hidden:
- %APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\<profile folder>
%APPDATA% is a variable represents the C:\Documents and Settings\<user name>Application Data folder on Windows 2000/XP and the C:\Users\<user name>\AppData\Roaming folder on Windows Vista and above.
To find a profile folder in the default location on Windows:
- Press «Windows key + R» to open the Run box
(or, you can click «Start → Run…» on Windows 2000/XP) - In the Run box, type in %APPDATA%
- Click OK. A Windows Explorer window will appear.
- In this window, choose Mozilla → Firefox → Profiles.
Each folder in the «Profiles» folder (e.g., «xxxxxxxx.default») is a profile on your computer.
Windows Vista and above:
You can open the Run box to find the profile folder, as explained above, or you can open the Windows Start menu and use the Windows search box, as shown below on Windows Vista:
- Click the Start button or press the Windows key to open the Start menu.
- In the search box, type in:
- %APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles
- Click on any of the profiles (e.g., xxxxxxxx.default) to open it with Windows Explorer.
Linux
Profile folders are located here:
- ~/.mozilla/firefox/<profile folder>
The «.mozilla» folder is a hidden folder. See this article for more information. To show hidden files in Nautilus (Gnome desktop’s default file browser), choose «View -> Show Hidden Files».
Mac
Profile folders are in one of these locations:
- ~/Library/Application Support/Firefox/Profiles/<profile folder>
- ~/Library/Mozilla/Firefox/Profiles/<profile folder>
The tilde character (~) refers to the current user’s Home folder, so ~/Library is the /Macintosh HD/Users/<username>/Library folder.
For OS X 10.7 Lion and above, the ~/Library folder is hidden by default. See this article to make it appear.
Other methods of finding a profile
File search
Specific files in profiles can be found by using the file and folder search feature of your operating system. This is also useful for finding profile folders that are not in the default location. In Windows 2000 and later, you must ensure that you’re including hidden files and folders in the search, as detailed in this article.
Using the JavaScript or Error Console
You can use the following technique to find the location of the profile that you are currently using. This is useful, for example, if you are using a profile that is not in the default location.
From the Firefox menu bar, choose «Tools -> Error Console» (Firefox 2 and above) or «Tools -> JavaScript Console» (Firefox 1.5). Copy the following code. It is one very long line ending in path—make sure that you get all of it:
Components.classes["@mozilla.org/file/directory_service;1"].getService( Components.interfaces.nsIProperties).get("ProfD", Components.interfaces.nsIFile).path
In the Error Console or JavaScript Console window, paste the code in the field near the top. Click the Evaluate button. The console should display the location of the profile that is currently in use. If you don’t see it, make sure you have the «All» button pushed.
Using an Extension
The easiest method is with an extension. Open Profile Folder will open your current profile folder from «Tools» menu or toolbar button bringing it up with your system, or optionally with another application.
Viewing profile directory structure from above
Up one directory from your profile is the Profiles directory which contains one or more profiles, and one directory above that is the Firefox directory which contains Crash Reports directory, Profiles directory, and profiles.ini file. The profiles.ini is a map of profiles used by the Profile Manager.
Managing profiles
You can select a profile to use, create a new profile, and delete or rename an existing profile using the Profile Manager. Profiles can become corrupted, in which case you need to create a new profile then transfer your data and settings to the new profile. To safeguard your important data you should make a backup copy of up your profile.
It is possible to change the location of the Firefox profile folder but you should read this article for instructions. If you delete, rename or move the profile folder, Firefox may report that it is «already running, but is not responding» when you next start the application (bug 278860). See this article for more information.
Files and folders in the profile
None of these files should be write-protected («read-only» or «locked»), which might be a side effect of backing up the profile to removable media and then restoring your profile from that media. Having read-only or locked files in the profile can result in serious profile issues, as described in this article.
It’s not recommended to edit these files directly. Instead, use their respective interfaces. The three files whose names begin with «user» are exceptions to this—they are designed to be edited directly. For more information on these three files, follow their links in the tables below.
Folders
| Name | Version | Description |
|---|---|---|
| bookmarkbackups | 1.5 and above | Daily rotating backups of your bookmarks. |
| Cache | Linux — all versions. Mac OS/Windows — previous to 1.5 |
Contains cached Internet files. Note: In 1.5 and above on Windows, only profiles in custom locations include the Cache folder. [5] Use about:cache to find the location. See browser.cache.disk.parent directory. |
| OfflineCache | 3.0 and above, as noted | Second disk cache for off-line usage. [6] Note: Only profiles in custom locations on Windows include the OfflineCache folder. Use about:cache to find the location. |
| chrome | 3.6 and below (?) | Contains userChrome-example.css, userContent-example.css, and the optional userChrome.css, userChrome.js, and userContent.css user customization files. Note: The chrome folder is no longer created by default (as of Firefox 4?). [7] [8]. |
| extensions | Installed extensions | |
| microsummary-generators | 2.0 and above | Regularly-updated succinct compilations of the most important information on web pages. |
| minidumps | For Crash Reporter | |
| searchplugins | 1.5 and above | Contains search engine plugins and their icons for the Search Bar |
Files
| Name | Version | Description |
|---|---|---|
| .autoreg | Temporary empty file that signals a change in the installed extensions. | |
| .parentlock (Mac OS X) | See parent.lock | |
| addons.json | 25.0 and above | Stores AddonRepository data previously stored in addons.sqlite. [9] [10] |
| addons.sqlite | 4.0 and above | Stores AMO data for installed add-ons such as screenshots, ratings, homepage, and other details. [11] [12] [13] AddonRepository data migrated to addons.json in Firefox 25. [14] [15] |
| blocklist.xml | 2.0 and above | Automatically downloaded list of blocked add-ons. |
| bookmarks.bak | Previous to 3.0 | Backup of bookmarks.html [16] |
| bookmarks.html | Previous to 3.0 | Bookmarks |
| bookmarks.html.moztmp | Previous to 3.0 | Temporary bookmarks file. If found, remove the ‘read-only’ attribute, as it results in creation of multiple numbered bookmarks-n.html files. [17] |
| bookmarks.postplaces.html | 3.0 (pre-release) | Backup of bookmarks in 3.0 Beta 4 and below and in 3.0 nightly builds prior to 03-14-2008. No longer used in later 3.0 builds. [18] [19] |
| bookmarks-(date).html in bookmarkbackups | Previous to 3.0 | Daily rotating backups of your bookmarks. |
| bookmarks-(date).json in bookmarkbackups | 3.0 and above | Daily rotating backups of your bookmarks. [20] |
| cert_override.txt | 3.0 and above | Store certificate exceptions specified by the user. [21] |
| cert8.db | Security certificates | |
| compatibility.ini | Stores version and path of the application this profile was last used with. When the profile is loaded with an application of a different version/path, the XPCOM components registration process is triggered. This file is automatically generated and can safely be deleted. | |
| components.ini | Previous to 1.5 | Lists extension folders with XPCOM components. Replaced with extensions.ini in 1.5. |
| compreg.dat | Lists registered XPCOM components. Automatically regenerated whenever XPCOM registration process is triggered. | |
| content-prefs.sqlite | 3.0 and above | Individual settings for pages. |
| cookies.sqlite | 3.0 and above | Cookies [22] |
| cookies.txt | Previous to 3.0 | Cookies |
| cookies.txt.moztmp | Previous to 3.0 | Temporary cookies file. If found, remove the ‘read-only’ attribute or delete the file, as it results in multiple numbered cookies-n.txt files. [23] |
| defaults.ini | Previous to 1.5 | Lists extension folders with default pref files. Replaced with extensions.ini in 1.5. |
| downloads.json | 26.0 and above | Per-session download history (paused downloads). Note: long-term download history is stored in the Places database (see places.sqlite). [24] |
| downloads.rdf | Previous to 3.0 | Download history. Can be deleted to resolve slow downloads or hangs. [25] |
| downloads.sqlite | 3.0 and above; Previous to 26.0 | Download history. [26] Removed in Firefox 26.0. [27] |
| extensions.cache | Previous to 4.0 | Lists installed extensions, their IDs, and the folders they are installed to, along with their last-modify time. It is used, for example, to register extensions installed by dropping a folder into one of known install locations. This file is automatically regenerated and can be deleted to resolve various issues. |
| extensions.log | ? | |
| extensions.ini | 1.5 and above | Lists folders of installed extensions and themes. The file is automatically generated by nsExtensionManager and is used by low-level code to detect chrome packages and XPCOM components provided by installed addons. Can be deleted to resolve various issues.
|
| extensions.json | 26.0 and above | Stores XPIProvider data previously stored in extensions.sqlite. [28] [29] |
| extensions.rdf | Previous to 4.0 | Installed extension information. Can be deleted to resolve various extension issues. [30] |
| extensions.sqlite | 4.0 and above | Installed extension information. Can be deleted to resolve various extension issues. [31] |
| extensions-startup.manifest | 1.5 alphas | This file was used in Deer Park alphas and was later renamed to extensions.cache [32] |
| formhistory.dat | Previous to 3.0 | Saved form data |
| formhistory.sqlite | 3.0 and above | Saved form data |
| history.dat | Previous to 3.0 | Browsing history. Can be deleted to resolve various issues. |
| hostperm.1 | Previous to 3.0 | Per-site preferences for allowing cookies and popups. |
| key3.db | Key database | |
| kf.txt | 2.0 | Key database for phishing protection. |
| localstore.rdf | Previous to 34.0 | Toolbar and window size/position settings. Can be deleted to resolve various issues. See Corrupt localstore.rdf. Replaced by xulstore.json in 34.0 |
| localstore-safe.rdf | 1.5 and above | Special version of localstore.rdf used in Safe Mode to set toolbars and window customizations to defaults. [33] |
| lock (Linux) | See parent.lock | |
| logins.json | 32.0 and above | Encrypted saved passwords [34] |
| mimeTypes.rdf | Action to perform when downloading certain types of files. Can be deleted to reset download actions. | |
| parent.lock (Windows) | Marker showing that the current profile is in use. Can be deleted to unlock the profile. | |
| permissions.sqlite | 3.0 and above | Permission database for cookies, pop-up blocking, image loading and add-ons installation. |
| persdict.dat | Personal spelling dictionary. | |
| places.sqlite | 3.0 and above | Bookmarks, browsing and download history [35] [36] |
| places.sqlite-journal | 3.0 and above | temporary store of places.sqlite updates when Firefox is open. [37] [38] |
| places.sqlite-stmtjrnl | 3.0 and above | ? |
| pluginreg.dat | 3.0 and above | Registration of plugin MIME types. Previous to 3.0, pluginreg.dat was located in the «Firefox» folder containing the profiles. |
| prefs.js | All preferences. See: about:config | |
| search.json | 3.5 and above | Cache of search plugin data; used instead of parsing XML files to improve startup time. [39] [40] |
| search.rdf | Previous to 2.0 | Information about your search plugins |
| search.sqlite | 2.0 and above | Information about your search plugins |
| secmod.db | Security module database | |
| sessionstore.js | 2.0 and above | Stored sessions |
| signons.txt | Previous to 1.5.0.10 2.x previous to 2.0.0.2 |
Encrypted saved passwords, requires key3.db to work |
| signons2.txt | 1.5.x after 1.5.0.10 2.0.0.2 and above |
Encrypted saved passwords (and URL exceptions where «NEVER SAVE PASSWORD» is selected), requires key3.db to work [41] |
| signons3.txt | 3.0 and above | Encrypted saved passwords (and URL exceptions where «NEVER SAVE PASSWORD» is selected), requires key3.db to work |
| signons.sqlite | 3.5 and above, previous to 32.0 | Encrypted saved passwords (and URL exceptions where «NEVER SAVE PASSWORD» is selected), requires key3.db to work. [42] |
| urlclassifier.sqlite or urlclassifier2.sqlite or urlclassifier3.sqlite | 2.0 and above | Phishing and Attack site protection data. |
| urlclassifierkey3.txt | 3.0 and above | Key database for phishing protection. |
| user.js (does not exist by default) |
User-set overriding preferences | |
| userChrome.css in chrome (does not exist by default) |
User-set CSS to change the way the application looks | |
| userContent.css in chrome (does not exist by default) |
User-set CSS to change the way webpages look | |
| userChrome.js in chrome (does not exist by default) |
User-set JavaScript to change the way the application works | |
| webappsstore.sqlite | 2.0 and above | DOM storage |
| xpti.dat | Lists registered XPCOM interfaces. Automatically regenerated whenever XPCOM registration process is triggered. | |
| XPC.mfasl (Linux) | ? | |
| XPC.mfl (Windows) | ? | |
| XPC FastLoad File (Mac OS X) | ? | |
| XUL.mfasl (Linux) | See XUL.mfl | |
| XUL.mfl (Windows) | Previous to 1.5 and as noted | Cached user interface data. Can be deleted to resolve various issues. Note: In 1.5 and above, only profiles in custom locations contain XUL.mfl. See Cache folder for file location. [43] |
| XUL FastLoad File (Mac OS X) | See XUL.mfl | |
| xulstore.json | 34.0 and above | Toolbar and window size/position settings (replaces localstore.rdf). [44] |
Files without specific names
| Name | Version | Description |
|---|---|---|
| *.src in searchplugins | previous to 2.0 | Search engine plugins for the Search Bar |
| *.xml in searchplugins | 2.0 and above | Search engine plugins for the Search Bar |
Files and folders outside the profile folder
These files and folders are located in the «Firefox» folder (Windows and Mac) or «firefox» folder (Linux and Unix) containing the profiles.
| Name | Version | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Crash Reports | 3.0 and above | Crash report files for Breakpad. |
| Desktop Background.bmp (Windows) | 1.5 and above | Background image for the desktop set by Firefox. File is created when choosing «Set As Desktop Background…» in the context menu. [45] |
| pluginreg.dat | Previous to 3.0 | Registration of plugin MIME types. In 3.0 and above, pluginreg.dat is located in the profile folder. |
| profiles.ini | Keeps track of profile location. Can be edited to point to a moved profile folder. If deleted, profiles.ini will be regenerated along with a new default profile folder upon program restart. | |
| registry.dat | ? | Kept track of profile location in early Firefox versions (no longer used). |
External links
- Profiles (Firefox Support)
Download Windows Speedup Tool to fix errors and make PC run faster
Like most browsers, Mozilla’s Firefox saves personal information of its users such as bookmarks, passwords, and preferences in a set of files called Your Profile. This profile is maintained at a location different from the Firefox program files. So, if you want to learn how to find your profile without opening the Firefox browser, read this tutorial.
The normal way to find or locate your profile is to click the ‘Open menu’ button, which appears as three horizontal bars, and choose the Help option.
Then, click the side-arrow to locate ‘Troubleshooting Information’ option under ‘Help’ section.
Click the ‘Troubleshooting Information’ tab to open it. The page contains technical information that might be useful when you’re trying to solve a problem.
Then, under the Application Basics section, click on Open Folder. Your profile folder will open.
If you cannot open or use Firefox, you will need to open your profile without opening Firefox. There’s a way of doing it. Here’s how!
Locate Your profile without opening Firefox browser
Firefox browser, by default, stores your profile folder at this location on your computer –
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles
However, Windows hides the AppData folder from direct view. You can locate your profile folder as follows:
Press Windows Key +R on the keyboard. A Run dialog will appear on your computer screen.
Type the following text in the empty field of the ‘Run’ dialog box –
%APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\
Click OK. If prompted for permission, click ‘Yes’. Soon after that, a window will open containing profile folders.
Double-click the profile folder you wish to open. If you only have one profile, its folder would have “default” in the name. You can have multiple Firefox profiles, each containing a separate set of user information.
Alternatively, you can find your profile by pressing the Windows Key key and then start typing: %APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\
To set Windows to show the AppData folder and other hidden files and folders, you need to configure Windows to display hidden files and folders.
A post-graduate in Biotechnology, Hemant switched gears to writing about Microsoft technologies and has been a contributor to TheWindowsClub since then. When he is not working, you can usually find him out traveling to different places or indulging himself in binge-watching.
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If you’re using Firefox, you have your user profile created, and in today’s guide, we’re going to show you everything you need to know about Firefox profile location.
What is Firefox profile location and how to move it?
Where is my Firefox profile located?
To find the location of your Firefox profile, do the following:
- In the address bar type about:profiles and visit that location.
- Locate your profile on the list.
- Check the path in the Root section.
- You can do the same for the Local path.
By default, the location of your profile is usually in the following directories.
For profile settings, data, and bookmarks: C:\Users\WindowsReport\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles
For profile cache files: C:\Users\WindowsReport\AppData\Local\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\
How do I move my Firefox profile to a new computer?
- Locate the location of your profile. Look for the Root folder location.
- Find your profile folder and copy it to a flash drive.
- On the second computer, go to the
C:\Users\WindowsReport\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles
- Paste your profile.
- Start Firefox and check if the new profile is recognized.
- Optional: You can do that for the folder in the Local path as well, just paste it to the
C:\Users\WindowsReport\AppData\Local\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\
- Multiple Profiles in Firefox: How to Manage & Use Them
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- LibreWolf vs Firefox: Which One is Better For Your Privacy?
- Your Account Has Been Locked For Security Reasons in Firefox
How do I import a profile in Firefox?
Firefox doesn’t have the option to import the profile, and the only way to transfer all your data is to follow the steps from the section above and manually copy the profile folders.
We hope that this guide has answered all your questions regarding the Firefox profile location on your PC. Some users prefer using the sync feature for data transfer, but many also reported that Firefox Sync isn’t working for them.
Keep in mind that your profiles can get corrupted, and we wrote about Profile cannot be loaded error in Firefox in one of our older guides, so don’t miss it.
To learn more about Firefox, we have a guide on how to change user agent in Firefox, so you might want to check it out. We also have a guide on how to transfer Firefox profile to a new computer, so be sure to visit it.
To learn more about Firefox, don’t miss our new guide on Firefox incognito shortcut to learn how to protect your privacy. To learn more about private browsing, head to our latest article and learn how to set Firefox Private Browsing to a blank page.
To learn more about Firefox, we have a great guide on how to clear the cache for one site in Firefox, so feel free to check it out. We also have an article on how to use multiple profiles in Firefox, so don’t miss it for more information.
Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He’s a PC enthusiast and he spends most of his time learning about computers and technology.
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s one of the Troubleshooting experts in our worldwide team, specializing in Windows errors & software issues.