Backing Up Chrome and Firefox Settings
October 30, 2017 5:40 AM Subscribe
I am going to rebuild my computer (laptop). I am currently using two browsers on it - Firefox and Chrome. I know how to copy and save my bookmarks on both, but I have a lot of applications and add ons, etc, on each browser that I set up (ad blockers, etc) that I would like to have on my rebuilt machine.
Is there a way that I can find out the applications and add ons for each and keep the same settings? Is this possible?
Thanks,
You can backup their profile folders. If you use the backed up folders to replace the new folders that the new installations of Firefox and Chrome make, you'll have the exact same everything you did before.
Here's how to find the profile folder for Chrome: https://sessionbuddy.com/chrome-profile-location/
Briefly, for Chrome, you type chrome://version/ into the address bar. There will be a line on that page labeled Profile Path. Go to the profile path and copy the whole folder.
Here's how to find it for Firefox: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-firefox-stores-user-data
For Firefox, go to about:support. There will be a line called Profile Directory. Click Open Directory to open the profile folder. Copy the whole folder and back it up.
posted by retypepassword at 5:56 AM on October 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
Here's how to find the profile folder for Chrome: https://sessionbuddy.com/chrome-profile-location/
Briefly, for Chrome, you type chrome://version/ into the address bar. There will be a line on that page labeled Profile Path. Go to the profile path and copy the whole folder.
Here's how to find it for Firefox: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-firefox-stores-user-data
For Firefox, go to about:support. There will be a line called Profile Directory. Click Open Directory to open the profile folder. Copy the whole folder and back it up.
posted by retypepassword at 5:56 AM on October 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
For Firefox, it's complicated in that Firefox is going to become Firefox Quantum in a couple of weeks. “Legacy” add-ons will stop working.
posted by scruss at 7:49 AM on October 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by scruss at 7:49 AM on October 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
Note that Firefox sync doesn't sync everything; some layout options have to be re-done. So if you can just copy a profile folder over, yeah, that's a good idea. Also I'm not clear but I think neither browser's online sync will sync secure cookies used for logins, etc.
As scruss notes Firefox is about to have a significant structural change that requires a lot of addons be updated. Anything unmaintained will probably stop working, but I've found most of my addons are fine.
posted by Nelson at 8:39 AM on October 30, 2017
As scruss notes Firefox is about to have a significant structural change that requires a lot of addons be updated. Anything unmaintained will probably stop working, but I've found most of my addons are fine.
posted by Nelson at 8:39 AM on October 30, 2017
For Firefox, go to about:support. There will be a line called Profile Directory. Click Open Directory to open the profile folder. Copy the whole folder and back it up.
The directory should be named something like "2xd52dw9.default" or some other random gibberish. While it does have all the important stuff you should back up not only the profile folder but its parent directory as well, probably named "firefox", that contains the profile.ini file.
In your rebuilt system, after installing firefox, navigate to the profile folder again (which will have a different gibberish.default name), go up the file tree, delete the whole "firefox" parent dir, then copy your backup in its place. If you don't restore the profile.ini (or edit it manually), your new installation will never use the old profile, that's why backing up the parent "firefox" folder containing both is the easiest way.
And as scruss and Nelson said, in about 2 weeks a lot of stuff will probably break anyway due to firefox 57 but until then, doing the above should keep everything as is now.
posted by Bangaioh at 9:59 AM on October 30, 2017
The directory should be named something like "2xd52dw9.default" or some other random gibberish. While it does have all the important stuff you should back up not only the profile folder but its parent directory as well, probably named "firefox", that contains the profile.ini file.
In your rebuilt system, after installing firefox, navigate to the profile folder again (which will have a different gibberish.default name), go up the file tree, delete the whole "firefox" parent dir, then copy your backup in its place. If you don't restore the profile.ini (or edit it manually), your new installation will never use the old profile, that's why backing up the parent "firefox" folder containing both is the easiest way.
And as scruss and Nelson said, in about 2 weeks a lot of stuff will probably break anyway due to firefox 57 but until then, doing the above should keep everything as is now.
posted by Bangaioh at 9:59 AM on October 30, 2017
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Firefox
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posted by youknowwhatpart at 5:54 AM on October 30, 2017 [4 favorites]