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Normally, uninstalling Firefox removes the browser program but leaves your Firefox profile on the computer. Bookmarks, browsing history, saved passwords, cookies, extensions, preferences and other local data remain in the profile folder. The important exception documented by Mozilla is Firefox installed as a Snap on Ubuntu, where the ordinary uninstall behavior can remove user data. To remove local Firefox data deliberately, back up anything you need and delete the profile folder or choose Delete Files in Firefox Profile Manager.
The short answer: uninstalling Firefox is not the same as deleting its profile
Firefox keeps the application files and your personal profile in separate locations. A standard uninstall removes the application, while the profile normally stays on disk so that a later installation can find your existing settings. Mozilla’s profile documentation lists bookmarks, downloads, browsing history, saved passwords and cookies among the retained information, along with many less-visible settings.
| Action | What is removed | What normally remains | Can you undo it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uninstall the Firefox application | Browser program files | The local profile, including personal settings and browsing data | Usually, because the profile files remain; this is not guaranteed if the profile was separately deleted or the installation uses different packaging |
| Delete the profile folder | Profile files and their contents | Nothing in that profile | Not from Firefox itself; recovery requires a separate backup and may not be possible |
| Profile Manager: Don’t Delete Files | The profile entry in Profile Manager | The profile files on the computer | Yes, because the files are retained |
| Profile Manager: Delete Files | The profile entry and its files, including bookmarks, settings and passwords | Nothing in that profile | No; Mozilla says this action cannot be undone |
A third-party cleanup utility, manual deletion, disk failure or a different Firefox package can change the result. Treat “normally remains” as the accurate answer rather than assuming every installation behaves identically.
What is stored in a Firefox profile?
The profile is Firefox’s working record for a user. It contains much more than a bookmark list, and removing it can reset the browser completely. Mozilla’s list is not exhaustive, but it includes:
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- Bookmarks, downloaded-file records and browsing history
- Saved passwords and login data
- Cookies and website storage
- Site permissions, preferences and search engines
- Personal dictionary entries and form history
- Extensions, add-ons, themes and their settings
- Certificate settings and download actions
- Open-session information, window preferences and other user settings
Several files make the impact concrete:
| Profile item | Typical file or folder | Data represented |
|---|---|---|
| Places database | places.sqlite |
Bookmarks, downloads and browsing history |
| Saved logins | key4.db and logins.json |
Saved passwords and the encryption key used with them |
| Cookies | cookies.sqlite |
Cookies and related site session data |
| Add-ons and themes | extensions |
Installed extensions, add-ons and themes |
| Preferences | prefs.js |
User preferences and many browser customizations |
Firefox also has a Local Directory associated with a profile. It generally holds cache and other temporary data, while the Root Directory is the main profile location. Do not assume that clearing a cache is equivalent to deleting the profile.
Will your bookmarks and passwords disappear?
With a normal desktop uninstall, they usually remain in the profile folder. Reinstalling Firefox may be able to use that profile, but it is not an unconditional guarantee. The profile could have been removed separately, Firefox could choose a different profile, the installation package could store data elsewhere, or files could be damaged.
Local profile removal is also different from Mozilla Account data and optional Firefox Sync. This explanation concerns files on the computer. Uninstalling the application does not, by itself, establish that an online account or synchronized data has been deleted. Conversely, a local profile can be gone even while data associated with an account remains online.
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- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
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The Ubuntu Snap exception
Mozilla’s uninstall guidance identifies a specific exception: Firefox installed as a Snap on Ubuntu. The statement that an ordinary uninstall leaves user data behind applies to the usual installation, not automatically to the Snap package. If you installed Firefox through Ubuntu’s Snap packaging, follow the package-specific removal instructions and do not promise yourself that the profile will survive.
This distinction matters because the application format, storage locations and removal hooks can differ from a standard Linux package. If retaining data is important, make a profile backup before removing the Snap installation.
Back up Firefox before uninstalling or deleting anything
If there is any chance you will want bookmarks, passwords, extensions or settings later, back up the profile first. A backup is especially important before using Profile Manager’s Delete Files option, because Mozilla says that deletion cannot be undone.
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- Open Firefox, if it still starts. Enter
about:supportin the address bar. - Locate the profile. In the Application Basics section, find Profile Folder and use Open Folder (the label can vary by operating system). This identifies the active profile instead of relying only on a default path.
- Close every Firefox window. Copy the profile folder, or the complete Firefox profile directory, to another location. An external drive is optional; a second local disk or other independent backup location can also be used.
- Verify the copy. Check that the backup contains recognizable items such as
places.sqlite,key4.db,logins.jsonandprefs.js. Do not edit the originals while Firefox is running. - Use Mozilla’s restore procedure when you need the data again. A backup is useful only if you can identify the correct profile and restore it to a compatible Firefox installation.
If Firefox cannot open, you can still use the documented profile locations below. Copy the relevant folder before attempting removal.
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The following are Mozilla’s usual locations. Customized installations, portable setups and package formats can differ, so confirm with about:support whenever Firefox can open.
| System or installation | Typical profile location | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Windows standard desktop build | %APPDATA%MozillaFirefoxProfiles |
Usually contains one or more profile folders; the active profile is identified in about:support. |
| Windows MSIX (Microsoft Store) installation | %LOCALAPPDATA%PackagesMozilla.FirefoxLocalCacheRoamingMozillaFirefoxProfiles |
Do not use the standard Windows path without checking which package is installed. |
| macOS | ~/Library/Application Support/Firefox/ |
The Library folder is hidden in normal Finder views; use the documented path or profile discovery in Firefox. |
| Ubuntu standard installation | ~/.mozilla/firefox/ |
This is for the standard profile layout, not a promise about Snap packaging. |
A profile directory commonly has a generated name and may not be obvious from the outside. Deleting a parent Firefox folder can affect multiple profiles, so inspect its contents and back up before removing it.
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How to remove all local Firefox data
Use this procedure only after deciding that you do not need the local profile, or after making a verified backup. Closing Firefox first prevents it from rewriting files while you work.
Windows standard installation
- Exit Firefox completely, including any background Firefox process shown in Task Manager.
- Open File Explorer and enter
%APPDATA%MozillaFirefoxin the address bar. - Copy the folder elsewhere if you want a final backup.
- Delete the Firefox folder, or remove only the specific profile folder you intend to erase.
- Empty the Recycle Bin only after checking that you removed the correct folder.
Windows MSIX installation
- Close Firefox.
- Open File Explorer and enter
%LOCALAPPDATA%PackagesMozilla.FirefoxLocalCacheRoamingMozillaFirefoxProfiles. - Identify the profile you want to remove, back it up if necessary, and delete it.
- Do not assume that deleting the standard
%APPDATA%MozillaFirefoxfolder removes an MSIX profile.
macOS
- Quit Firefox using Firefox > Quit Firefox and confirm that it is no longer running.
- In Finder, choose Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter
~/Library/Application Support/Firefox/. - Back up the folder if required, then delete the profile or the Firefox folder containing it.
- Empty Trash only when you are certain the backup and deletion choices are correct.
Ubuntu standard installation
- Close Firefox.
- Open your home folder and show hidden files, or navigate to
~/.mozilla/firefox/from a file manager or terminal. - Back up the relevant profile directory.
- Delete the profile directory or the Firefox data folder you intend to remove.
For Ubuntu Snap, use the Snap-specific guidance rather than assuming the standard ~/.mozilla/firefox/ behavior. The package may handle profile data differently during removal.
Using Firefox Profile Manager instead of manually deleting folders
Firefox’s Profile Manager lets you manage profiles from inside Firefox. The about:profiles page shows profile entries and their directories. The profile’s Root Directory is the important location for personal data; the Local Directory is used for cache and temporary files.
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When you remove a profile there are two deliberately different choices:
- Don’t Delete Files: removes the profile from Profile Manager but leaves its files on the computer. This is appropriate when you are testing a new profile or want to preserve the old one for later.
- Delete Files: removes the profile and its files, including bookmarks, settings and passwords. Mozilla states that this cannot be undone.
If a profile is missing from the manager but its folder still exists, Don’t Delete Files is the safer choice. You can retain the folder and decide later whether to restore or remove it.
What to expect after reinstalling Firefox
A reinstall installs the application again; it does not guarantee that every old setting will reappear. Firefox may detect an existing profile, but the result depends on whether the profile survived, which installation type you use, which profile is selected, and whether the files remain intact.
- If the original profile is present and selected, bookmarks, history, extensions and preferences may reappear.
- If Firefox opens a new profile, the old data can still be on disk but will not appear until the correct profile is selected or restored.
- If you deleted the profile, reinstalling cannot recreate its local passwords, history or settings without a backup.
- If you moved between standard, MSIX or Snap packaging, check the package-specific profile location instead of copying assumptions from another system.
For a clean reinstall that preserves data, locate and copy the profile before uninstalling, reinstall the same or intended Firefox package, then use Profile Manager or Mozilla’s backup-and-restore process to bring the profile back.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Assuming uninstall means privacy erasure: remove the profile separately if your goal is to delete local browsing data.
- Deleting the wrong profile: use
about:supportorabout:profilesto identify the active Root Directory first. - Backing up only bookmarks: the profile also contains passwords, cookies, extensions, permissions and preferences.
- Leaving Firefox open: running processes can lock or rewrite profile files. Quit Firefox before copying or deleting.
- Using the wrong Windows path: standard and MSIX installations use different profile locations.
- Expecting forensic erasure: deleting files removes them through normal file-system operations; Mozilla’s guidance does not claim secure or forensic sanitization.
- Assuming Sync replaces a local backup: synchronized account data and local profile files are separate, and not every local setting is necessarily available for restoration.
A decision checklist
- If you are only uninstalling temporarily, uninstall the application and leave the profile alone.
- If you want a clean reinstall, back up the profile, uninstall, reinstall, and select or restore the intended profile.
- If you are selling, recycling or sharing the computer, identify and delete every Firefox profile you intend to remove, not merely the application.
- If you use Ubuntu Snap, follow Snap-specific removal guidance and back up first.
- If you are unsure, choose Don’t Delete Files in Profile Manager rather than Delete Files.
Bottom line
On a normal Firefox installation, uninstalling removes the browser program while leaving the separate profile—and therefore bookmarks, passwords, history, cookies, extensions and preferences—on the computer. Removing that data requires deleting the profile folder or selecting Delete Files, which Mozilla says is irreversible. Confirm the profile location for your operating system and package, and make a backup before any intentional deletion.
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