Why won't Firefox keep my settings?

For months now I've been using Firefox and it won't keep any of my settings. Also, upon start-up it shows the Mozilla page as if I'd just installed the browser. Its rather annoying because that means I have to redo all of my settings and figure out what pages I was on had I tried to save my tabs. The only thing it seems to remember are my bookmarks. I want to know why its doing this and how to fix it.

You can check for problems with preferences.
Rename or delete the prefs.js file and possible numbered prefs-##.js and user.js files to reset all prefs to the default value. 
You can do this via the Profile Folder.
*Click the orange Firefox button > Help > Troubleshooting Information > Show Folder

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Why won't Firefox keeped me logged in to anything after I close and reopen it?

When I was running an older version of Firefox, when I would close a firefox window and later reopen it, I would stay logged in to everything: facebook, hotmail, gmail with multiple sign in, etc. It would also reload all the tabs I had open without me having to click "restore previous session" I liked this as I could close the window, but keep everything that I was working on or wanted open in Firefox without having to pull it all up again. I have since upgraded to the newest version after installing a new hard drive (Windows 7 still), but whenever I close Firefox, I am logged out of everything and my previous tabs don't restore unless I click "restore previous session" (that still will keep me logged out of everything, even if I click it).
How do I set up Firefox to not log me out whenever I close the browser and to automatically restore my previous session?
browser.sessionstore.privacy_level is set to 0 and I do not have "Clear history when Firefox closes" checked.
Please help! Thanks!

There is also the browser.sessionstore.privacy_level_deferred pref that is used when you do not reopen the previous session automatically via "Show my windows and tabs from last time" and uses the same values.
Details like websites remembering you (log you in automatically) are stored in a cookie.
*Create a cookie 'allow' exception to keep such cookies, especially in case of secure websites and when cookies expire when Firefox is closed.
*Tools > Options > Privacy > "Use custom settings for history" > Cookies: Exceptions
You can check browser.sessionstore.* prefs including browser.sessionstore.resume_from_crash on the about:config page and reset browser.sessionstore prefs that are user set (bold) via the right-click context menu to the default value to make sure that Session Restore is enabled and working properly.
*http://kb.mozillazine.org/Session_Restore
*https://support.mozilla.org/kb/restore-previous-session
*http://kb.mozillazine.org/browser.sessionstore.resume_from_crash

Why won't firefox keep me logged in on mozilla website?

I came here, registered, went to email, clicked activation link. error reported with link, with suggestion that I clicked wrong link, but it's the ONLY link in the email.
Came back to mozilla site, tried my login and p/w...surprise!..got logged in!
No checkbox for keeping me logged in automatically everytime I visit mozilla site, but FF will remember login details, si I have to click 'sign in' link everytime, which wouldn't be so bad, but when I'm trying to reply to somebody having issues that I've had before, it becomes more than just a minor nuisance having to reload the page yet again.
Is this an intenional thing with mozilla to not have their own browser not automatically logging into it's own site?
Is it a site upgrade/suggestion thing?
Either way, it's almost enough to make me wonder just what you guys smoke when you design webpages, cos I thought this was supposed to be a "personal, customisable' browser that automatically signed in when visiting a page.
There's not even an option for it on the profile page.
I am the only one using my computer, so I see no point in NOT allowing it to happen.
Is this auto sign in never going to happen for this site, or is it going to be implemented in the near future?

Those details are stored in cookies, make sure that you have cookies enabled.
Another possibility is the cookies for the site are malformed, try removing the cookie for the site to force Firefox to create a new cookie. For details on doing that see [[Deleting cookies]].

Why won't Firefox keep me logged in to a particular site (i.e. my email, Facebook) even after I check box to keep me logged in?

Every time I open up Firefox I have to re-log in to my email, and re-log in to Facebook, when, really, I should be kept logged in indefinitely as I check off the box that says to keep me logged in. It's a nuisance. How do I fix this?

Those details are stored in cookies, make sure that you have cookies enabled.
Another possibility is the cookies for the site are malformed, try removing the cookie for the site to force Firefox to create a new cookie. For details on doing that see [[Deleting cookies]].

Why won't Firefox won't download?

Why won't Firefox download? It completed the set up stage then stops.

If downloads hang at the last minute (just before reaching 100%), the cause might be antivirus software which tries to scan the file and during that process hangs the Firefox instance.
In order to fix the problem, try disabling the scanning as follows:
# In the [[Location bar autocomplete|Location bar]], type '''about:config''' and press '''Enter'''. The about:config "''This might void your warranty!''" warning page may appear.
# Click '''I'll be careful, I promise!''', to continue to the about:config page. A list of settings should appear
# Filter the list by typing in the search bar at the top. Type in ''scanWhenDone''. '''You should now find the "browser.download.scanWhenDone" preference'''.
#Double-click on that preference to set the value to ''false''.
#Next, try to download something and see if it still hangs.
Please reply and tell us whether this helped you!

Why won't firefox search?

Why won't firefox search when I type anything into the search bar? It lists everything I've typed in before but when you click search it just sits there doing nothing. If I use the search bar in the top right corner it searches just fine, but nothing from the central search line.
Also what is the line below this for? if I mouse over it I get a pointy finger, but it is blank and remains blank.

If you can't clear that saved form and search history then there may be nothing to clear.
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]]
If it does work in Safe-mode then disable all your extensions and then try to find which is causing it by enabling one at a time until the problem reappears.
You can use "Disable all add-ons" on the [[Safe mode]] start window to disable all extensions.
You have to close and restart Firefox after each change via "File > Exit" (Mac: "Firefox > Quit"; Linux: "File > Quit")
Form History Control: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/12021

Why won't firefox close

Why won't Firefox close properly? When I close the program and then try and restart it, I get an error message which says "Firefox is already open....." I then have to go into the Task Manager to close it down.
How can I fix this problem?
Thanks
Windows, XP on a Dell Inspiron.

See "Hang at exit":
* http://kb.mozillazine.org/Firefox_hangs
* https://support.mozilla.com/kb/Firefox+hangs

Why won't firefox 9 work with Zonealarm?

Why won't firefox 9 work with Zonealarm?

You got a reply in your earlier thread here: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/910967

Why won't Firefox automatically show new Hotmail emails or easilly down load attachments when it was working a week ago?

Why won't Firefox automatically show new Hotmail emails or easily down load attachments when it was working a week ago?

Hotmail has been having a few hiccups lately I'm afraid.
If you don't see any emails when you log in, or nothing appears after some time, click in the middle of the grey bar on the left which has the word "'''Inbox'''" in it. This usually causes them to magically appear for some strange reason.
I've read on on a few blogs that Microsoft is working on the problem, but don't hold your breath. 
If this suggestion resolves the problem for you, please click the '''Solved it''' button next to this post after you log in into the forum. This will help others searching for a solution to the same problem.
Thanks.

Why won't FireFox 4 play mp3 files that have been created since the FF update? It will play mp3 files created prior to the FF update. All of the mp3 files have been created in the same manner, as bounces from Logic Pro 9. Thank you.

Why won't FireFox 4 play mp3 files that have been created since the FF update? It will play mp3 files created prior to the FF update. All of the mp3 files have been created in the same manner, as bounces from Logic Pro 9. Thank you.

Hi David,
Thank you for your detailed question. It sounds like the real issue is pdf files. Are there any antivirus/firewalls that might be blocking this specific file type? or are there any preferences in your control panel that might be blocking this?
Do you have any stored preferences for PDF files in Firefox?
*[[Applications panel - Set how Firefox handles different types of files]]

Why doesn't firefox keep my download preferences?

I'm running firefox 9.0.1 on OS X lion 10.7.2. I'm having trouble with firefox keeping my download preferences. When I download a file and set it to be opened with a program (e.g. .ris files with my citation manager endnote x5) and tick the box for firefox to always do this with this type of file it does not work. Next time I open a similar file I have to select the program again. Any idea why & how to make it work?

Possibly [http://kb.mozillazine.org/Preferences_not_saved Preferences not saved]
thank you
Please mark "Solved" the answer that really solve the problem, to help others with a similar problem.

Why won't Firefox allow access to leaving comments on the UK's Daily Telegraph site but Safari does?

I have Firefox 3.5.3 on my iBook running Mac OS 10.5.8 as well as Safari 5.0.3. I occasionally want to use the leave a comment facility on a newspaper site (the Daily Telegraph in the UK) but despite logging into my account I cannot do so. At first I thought it was a fault with the paper's website, but I fired up Safari and found there is no such problem. So the fault must lie with Firefox. Can this be true? And, if so, why?

Start Firefox in [[Safe Mode]] to check if one of the add-ons is causing the problem (switch to the DEFAULT theme: Tools > Add-ons > Themes).
* Don't make any changes on the Safe mode start window.
See:
* [[Troubleshooting extensions and themes]]

Why won't Firefox 5 work with Mail Chimp?

Why doesn't Firefox 5.x work with MailChimp. Edit screens and tools in MailChimp worked fine in Firefox 4.x, but not in Firefox 5.x. In Firefox file, the "edit" screens for the MailChimp email editor display blank pages with no tool bars. Have to go back to Internet Explorer 9.x or Google Chrome in order to edit in Mail Chimp.

See http://kb.mozillazine.org/Firewalls there a special
section within for Zone Alarm.

Why won't FIREFOX save my HISTORY settings of USE CUSTOM settings?!!!

This is very very annoying. I'm ready to throw this program down the bit bucket.
I use it to access facebook and play farmville. I need it to REMEMBER things so that every time I load farm ville it doesn't have to get stuff from their server..
Every time I open fire fox, and go to face book, and load farmville I get a message that says I can load faster if I allow it to store data on my Computer..
I go to firefox settings and find ONCE AGAIN my History preferences will NOT save "USE CUSTOM SETTINGS".
I have to change it every time. I have both 32 bit and 64 bit Nightly (beta) versions on my computer.
I have totally removed both, restarted windows 7, restarted it again, re-installed fire fox and it STILL happens...
Why? I will be darned if I will use explorer, but at least it SAVES the settings and doesn't get them screwed up!

''cor-el [[#answer-664256|said]]''
<blockquote>
Don't get confused:
If you see "(Never) Remember History" then that means that all history and cookie settings are set to the default value (i.e. cookies are enabled).
The "Use custom settings for history" selection allows to see the current history and cookie settings, but selecting this doesn't make any changes to history and cookie settings.
Firefox shows "Use custom settings for history" as an indication that at least one of the history and cookie settings is not the default to make you aware that changes were made.
If all History settings are default then the custom settings are hidden and you see "Firefox will: (Never) Remember History".
"Never Remember History" means that Private Browsing is active and "Always use private browsing mode" gets a checkmark.
"Use custom settings for history" stays selected if at least one of the History or Cookie settings is not the default to make you aware that changes from the default setting have been made.
</blockquote>
OK so I agree I was confused. What is confusing me even more is the number of times sites tell me I need to set my cookie settings to accept when as far as I can see it already is.

Why won't Firefox show visited links in a different color, even though I've specified so in my Color Settings?

When I'm on a page with multiple links (ie. Google Search, Craig's List, etc), and I click on a link, then return to the search page, Firefox doesn't show the visited links in purple. As a result I can't see which links I've visited, which makes browsing very difficult on some sites. I've updated my Color Settings to show visited links in purple, but it's not applying. What might be causing this?

I think I figured it out. My privacy settings were set as "Custom," so I chose "Remember History." Now the link colors seem to be working.
Thank you!

Why won't Firefox keep my settings?

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