Firefox keeps deleting my (older) history

I keep a firefox history that dates back several years.
Recently I discovered that my older history had been deleted without me doing anything. I was able to restore it from an older backup, losing months of newer browsing history in the process.
Firefox *keeps* deleting my old history occasionally. I do not want this. I did not ask for it. There are articles on a setting called "browser.history_expire_days" but all I can find in about:config is a setting called browser.history_expire_days.mirror and I don't know what (if anything) will happen if I change it.
I want this behaviour to stop in a reliable manner.

So you are telling me there is no way to keep a longer browser history anymore?
Apparently, you are unable to maintain responsiveness from using a moderately big database file, fair enough.
Worse yet, your engineers do not understand that you DO NOT DELETE USER DATA without asking them. Yes, the history is user data.
How disappointing.
EDIT: I forgot to thank you for your answer, it was helpful regardless

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Firefox keeps deleting my browsing history without warning

I have never had this problem before but all of a sudden Firefox keeps deleting all my browsing history even though I have it set to keep history and cookies. I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling Firefox, I've tried going through the Firefox options for my history and now I'm fed up. I like being able to use the predictive web address when surfing so any information as to why this is happening would be wonderful.

Try to delete a possible user.js file and numbered prefs-##.js files and rename (or delete) the prefs.js file to reset all prefs to the default value including prefs set via user.js and prefs that are no longer supported in the current Firefox release.
Start Firefox in [[Safe Mode|Safe Mode]] to check if one of the extensions (Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Extensions) or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem (switch to the DEFAULT theme: Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Appearance).
*Do NOT click the Reset button on the Safe Mode start window.
*https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Safe+Mode
*https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Troubleshooting+extensions+and+themes
Create a new profile as a test to check if your current profile is causing the problems.
See "Creating a profile":
*https://support.mozilla.org/kb/profile-manager-create-and-remove-firefox-profiles
*http://kb.mozillazine.org/Standard_diagnostic_-_Firefox#Profile_issues
If the new profile works then you can transfer some files from an existing profile to the new profile, but be cautious not to copy corrupted files to avoid carrying over the problem
*http://kb.mozillazine.org/Transferring_data_to_a_new_profile_-_Firefox

Why firefox keep deleting my history? i try to reinstall it but it won't work. help me please.

I just upgrade my windows and reinstall my firefox. then it won't make me save my history. at first the history saved. but when I restart my laptop then open my firefox the history won't show up. and i try to reinstall but nothing changes. help :(

I expect you are deleting your history at the end of your session, as opposed to only clearing cache.
Make sure your are saving history, then in the settings that you are not clearing history.
'''Tools > Options > Privacy''' you must have "Remember my browsing history" and in Settings where check marks mean to clear things you must leave unchecked "Browsing history". Annotated picture:
* http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/4928/clearcachew.png
FWIW,
App-tabs are considered part of browsing history so you must save your browsing history for app-tabs to work.

I've selected "remember history", yet Firefox keeps deleting it. How can I keep my history? Thanks

Version 3.6.8 running on a laptop with Win XP Home. Don't know what else to tell you.

You can also check the settings in some of the extensions to make sure that they are not causing it.
Start Firefox in [[Safe Mode]] to check if one of your add-ons is causing your problem (switch to the DEFAULT theme: Tools > Add-ons > Themes).
See [[Troubleshooting extensions and themes]] and [[Troubleshooting plugins]]

Firefox keeps randomly changing Clear History settings to also clear Saved Passwords.

I have "Clear history when Firefox closes" selected but the "Saved Passwords" option is unchecked.
After a couple of days the "Saved Passwords" option becomes automatically selected. I am certain that nobody is manually changing these settings but the change happens nevertheless.
This breaks my Sync and it drives me crazy. Any ideas how to fix this problem?

Start Firefox in [[Safe Mode|Safe Mode]] to check if one of the extensions (Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Extensions) or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem (switch to the DEFAULT theme: Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Appearance).
*Do NOT click the Reset button on the Safe Mode start window.
*https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Safe+Mode
*https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Troubleshooting+extensions+and+themes
If you do not keep changes after a restart or otherwise have problems with preferences, see:
*http://kb.mozillazine.org/Preferences_not_saved

How to stop firefox from deleting files when history is cleared?

I cleared my History and firefox deleted my downloaded files from internal memory where it was stored,
is there any way to prevent deleting files when clearing history?
Thanks in advance for support

Hello ''Saurabh,
Firefox won't remove Downloaded files from your computer while clearing History. If Browsing & Download History is checked/selected ( '''''Firefox''''' >> '''''History''''' >> '''''Clear Recent History''''', click on the down arrow on the left of Details ) in History, Firefox will clear the file names from '''''Downloads''''' page. But it won't remove files from your computer's Hard Disk. If you want to locate the Firefox Download Directory,
# At the top of the '''''Firefox''''' window, click on the Firefox button and then select '''''Options'''''.
# Select the '''''General '''''panel.
Under Downloads, on the right of '''''Save files to''''' option, you can find the Downloads Directory for Firefox. If you click on the '''''Browse..''''' button, it will take you to that folder/directory and there you can find your downloaded files.
If you don't wish to clear Download History while clearing Firefox History, you can disable it :
'''''Firefox''''' >> '''''History''''' >> '''''Clear Recent History''''', click on the down arrow on the left of Details and uncheck '''''Browsing & Download History'''''.

Firefox keeps deleting parts of my yahoo toolbar--why is this happening?

Some of the icons on my Yahoo toolbar keep getting deleted. Everytime I reinstall them, the next time I restart the computer, they are again deleted. I assume this problem happened the last time I updated Firefox. How do I correct this problem?

Hello,
Sometimes toolbars are missing because they are hidden, you just need to bring them back up. Visit this article to learn how to bring them back: [[Customize Firefox controls, buttons and toolbars]]. You can learn tips and tricks at the same time.
Did this fix your problems? Report back to us!
Thank you.

Everytime I close Mozilla Firefox, it deletes all the history, what can I do?

I lose all sites visited, passwords saved and everything.

Hi leopatricio
Be sure you '''don't''' have Private Browsing on :
click on the Firefox button > Options > Privacy panel > set Firefox will: to Use custom settings for history > '''UNCheck''' Always use private browsing mode.
see for more info : [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/private-browsing-browse-web-without-saving-info Private Browsing - Browse the web without saving information about the sites you visit]
thank you

Can Firefox be set to clear history automaticaly when closed?

I want to set Firefox to delete the brousing history automatically and can't figure out how to do it. I just installed Firefox, so all of the settings and toolbar displays are at their installation defaults. I know this can be done on IE, can it be done on Firefox or do I have to manually do it every time?

Go to: Tools-Options-Privacy Tick 'clear history when firefox closes'

Does Firefox have a setting for retaining cookies similar to the 'Preserve Favorites website data' setting found in I.E. so you do not delete cookies from favorited websites when deleting your browsing history?

In I.E. when you want to delete your browsing history, the Internet Options tab allows you to retain the cookies for the websites that are listed in your 'Favorites'. With this preference enabled, you can delete your browsing history regularly without having to maintenance your cookies that you need. My bank requires that I register my computer for security reasons. The registration process places a cookie on PC. My browsing history is set to delete upon logout and I'm concerned that I will have to re-register my PC every time I log in or I will have to maintenance my browsing history every time I clear it. Does Firefox provide a feature so I can retain certain cookies that I want to keep?

If you use [[Clear Recent History]] or other means to clear (all) cookies then those specified cookies will be removed, even if there is an allow exception.
You can let all cookies expire if you close Firefox and make an Allow exception for the ones that you want to keep.
*Tools > Options > Privacy > Cookies: "Keep until": "I close Firefox"
*Tools > Options > Privacy > Cookies: "Exceptions"
Make sure that you do not use [[Clear Recent History]] to clear the "Cookies" and the "Site Preferences"
See also [[Cookies]] and [[Enabling and disabling cookies]]

How can I keep a cookie for a certain site when I have set Firefox to delete cookies when I close the browser?

I have set Firefox to delete all cookies when I close the browser. Some websites identify my computer with a cookie, so when I try to log in to these sites, they don't recognize my computer because the identifying cookie has been deleted. I understand that Internet Explorer has a feature that preserves specified cookies, but haven't been able to find that capability in Firefox. Is there a way to do it?

Let all cookies expire when you close Firefox.
* Tools > Options > Privacy > Cookies: "Keep until": "I close Firefox"
Make an Allow exception for the ones that you want to keep.
* Tools > Options > Privacy > Cookies: "Exceptions"
You can inspect and modify the permissions for the domain in the current tab in "Tools > Page Info > Permissions"
Make sure that you do not use "Clear Recent History" to clear the "Cookies" and the "Site Preferences" (Site Preferences includes the cookie exceptions)
* https://support.mozilla.com/kb/Clear+Recent+History
Clearing cookies will remove all specified (selected) cookies including cookies that have an allow exception.
See also:
* https://support.mozilla.com/kb/Cookies
* https://support.mozilla.com/kb/Enabling+and+disabling+cookies

Firefox doesn't delete the browsing history in the address bar

No matter what you do with Firefox in clearing the browsing history by going to History -> Clear Recent History and deleting everything or resetting FF by going to Troubleshooting information, Firefox doesn't delete the browsing history. The website you have browsed still appear in the address bar.
Several people already have complained about this issue (see thread https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/939028) and the answer from the Firefox staff is that there is got to be a malware. This is not true, I've seen versions of Firefox in clean computers both Windows and Mac with Firefox doing the same thing, or more like not doing what it's supposed to do: clean the browsing history.
How unsafe is that. Where is your privacy? Firefox has to find a way to fix this glitch. Something tells me they're doing it on purpose because it hasn't been fixed after the complains.

You can delete the places.sqlite file if you aren't able to clear all history.
*https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Bookmarks+not+saved#w_fix-the-bookmarks-file
Are that entries that appear if you click the arrow at the far right of the location bar?
Do these items have a star to indicate that they are bookmarks?

How do I keep the new tab page thumbnails visible even after deleting my browser history?

Every time I delete my browser history, I notice thumbnails of my pinned sites on the new tab page disappear. Is there a way around that; or something that can be done so it doesn't occur in future versions of Firefox?

Current Firefox versions use a separate thumbnails folder to store those images, so clearing the cache should no longer make them disappear. 
However clearing the history will prevent any slots from retaining the URL. 
If you want specific pages to show on the about:newtab page then you can drag a bookmark or history link into a slot to pin a web page.
Do any of the slots have an URL displayed under the image placeholder?

Why does Firefox 12.0 keep deleting my custom toolbar!?! Friggin irritating! Everytime I create it, after a few starts Firefox deletes it!

Firefox 12.0 keeps deleting my custom toolbars. I create one, it works a few times, but after several starts of Firefox, it just disappears. Then I have to remake it! Damn irritating!

It may not be Firefox that is deleting that toolbar, but your security software may be doing that.
Some security software has virtualization features that can cause problems by protecting and restoring files in the Firefox profile folder.
See also:
*http://kb.mozillazine.org/Corrupt_localstore.rdf

I have firefox 3.6.3, 4.0.1, 5.0.1, 6.0.1 and 6.0 in my downloads. Can I delete the older download versions?

Over the past couple of years multiple updates of Firefox have occurred on my PC. They are showing up in my downloads--3.6.3; 4.0.1; 5.0.1; 6.0.1 and 6.0.
I would like to delete the older version, but I don't want to create a problem.
Is it ok to delete the older download versions?

You can safely delete the those older install (setup) files as there is no need to install such old versions.

Firefox keeps deleting my (older) history

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