Backing up your Firefox Profile

Backing up your Firefox Profile

1X1If you have personal settings, bookmarks and extensions added on to your Firefox Web browser, it is helpful to know how to back-up your profile folder that contains all of this information.   If you are backing up your computer system or you would like to add your Firefox profile to another computer, follow these instructions to locate and restore your profile:

Locating your Firefox Profile Folder

Windows and Mac: Firefox 3.6

(For older versions of Firefox, click here for instructions)

  • 1.  Click on the Help menu at the top of the Firefox browser and select Troubleshooting Information….

firefox_troubleshooting

  • 2.  Under Application Basics, click Open Containing Folder. This will open your profile folder in a new window.

Backing up your Profile

  • 1. Locate your profile as noted above.
  • 2. Close the Firefox browser but leave the profile window open.
  • 3. Go one level above your profile folder.

firefox_up_level

  • 4. For a PC, right-click on the folder and select Copy.
    For a Mac, control-click on the folder and select Copy.
  • 5. Paste the folder to the appropriate location where you store  your back-up files, such as a USB stick, external harddrive or CD/DVD.Restoring your Profile

     

  • 1. Locate your profile as noted above.
  • 2. Close the Firefox browser but leave the profile window open.
  • 3. If your existing profile folder and profile backup folder have the same name, simply replace the existing profile folder with the profile backup, then start up Firefox.
    Note: The file names must match exactly for this to work. If they have a different name or you are saving to a different location, you can find additional instructions here.
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