How to Make Firefox Ask You to Remember Passwords… Again
A couple of months ago, I accidentally deleted all my Saved online logins and passwords on Firefox. Needless to say, I was HORRIFIED.
Ok, I had a backup Excel sheet (password-protected of course) that I could use but since I have logins to literally hundreds of sites, I knew it would be a nightmare to visit these sites, login, and save the user and password info all over again.
I saw some remedies online but sad to say I was not able to retrieve my lost login and password info (at least without trying 3rd party software). So nothing left but to visit those sites and login again, right?
I did exactly that but this time Firefox simply REFUSED to ask me to save my login info and password! I already made sure that I had the right browser settings. I went to Tools -> Options ->Security -> Remember passwords for sites, and there were no sites listed under Exceptions.
After a few more online digging, I found out that the problem rested on a file called signons2.txt.
Here Are the Steps to Make Firefox Ask You to Save Passwords Again
- Go to C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\<your profilename>.
Pls. note that this directory name assumes you’re using C:\ as the drive where you have Firefox installed. - Under this folder, look for the file called signons2.txt and delete it. If you want to be extra careful, just rename it.
Note: the original file name is signons.txt, but different version of Firefox use a version postfix. For Firefox 3, delete the file called signons3.txt.
After I did the above steps Firefox was prompting me again to save my login and password information :)
Tip: I know a lot of people who actually do NOT want Firefox remembering passwords for online security reasons. But if you want FFox to remember anyway, just put a Master Password so that you’re password info is not easily stolen by anyone.
My computer*
Ok this appdata file does not exist on computer. This is the second how to page I’ve gone to that requires me to go to this fucking non existent folder. Please explain to me how to find it.
@ Bill Clark for #22: Excellent! Your post just made my day! Thank you so much!
I was able to get firefox to remember my email login information by,going into Tools>Options,then Privacy tab,made sure the box “accept cookies” is checked,and “keep until they expire”.I have the browser set to clear history upon closing, but only checked the boxes for,”_browsing,_download,_form/search history,and _cache”.I worked and searched online for this problem for hours, and finally figured this out,on my own.And I considered myself kinda “PC savvy”. Apparently I’m not.
What os are you guys using? There is no “documents and settings” on win7.I don’t think there’s “application data” either.I’m with jesse,using win7 also, and I too can’t locate signons3.txt.
Thanks. I did this, I only had one signon.txt, not signon3.txt, so I deleted it. I am now redoing all my passowrds, but it still isn’t prompting me for the one site that I accidentley removed from remembering. Wierd
@cbooth – Did you click the lonk in my previous comment? That shows the actual paths on the Mac.
As I am not computer smart, where would I find the profile folder of the mac? Sorry, I am a step by step person!
@CC & cbooth – The signon.txt for FireFox on a Mac should also reside in the profile folder on the Mac.
Keep in mind that for FireFox version 3 it will be signon3.txt.
I have the same problem and I use a mac. Where can I find that signon.txt or version to fix the password problem? Thanks, I have version 10.6.6 os x
How do you get firefox to ask you again for a password you deleted from FF’s saved passwords when you are using Mac OS X 10.4?
@ssaravanan – The Master Password in FF helps you protect the saved passwords from others using your PC. When you use FF, you first need to type the master password before FF will use the saved passwords. It can be accessed under Options -> Security.
i get the password when i give remember .but i didn’t get the function of the master password please reply me….
Excellent idea!
Thank you.
PLEASE HELP** Im using firefox 3.6 and Windows 7
and i cannot find that file signons3.txt i can find signons.sqlite but i deleted it then it still didnt work and just recreated itself?
Can someone please help me?
@Dwielz Camauf Descartes – Unfortunately I do not have a linux installation available, so can not provide you with an answer.
I use Ubuntu and firefox 3.0.14 and I have searched for the signons.txt, signons2.txt and signons3.txt and also just signons and have found nothing. Is there a different way to do it for linux?
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In firefox 3.5 signon info is inside a sqlite dabase called signons.sqlite, you can use a tool such as sqlitebrowser (http://sqlitebrowser.sourceforge.net/) to do the same.
Other stuff is also in sqlite format, such as search.sqlite, formhistory.sqlite, etc.
Thanx
WORKS FF3.0.11
this is the right solution!
searched for this long time ago…
@TheTrekhippy – Well, there is the “signon. rememberSignons” setting in the about.config, but that only controls if the PasswordManager is used or not. If you want to clear the previous stored values, you really need to delete or rename the signons.txt file.
Jules
I know there is a setting for that in the about:config for firefox, but I can’t remember which setting it was.
@Skunkredhair – Thanks! I have updated the article with your feedback, including the version information of FireFox.
Jules
It’s works mate, just delete signons3.txt.
signons2.txt is only for Firefox 2
Nope, it doesn’t work for me (Firefox 3.0.7)…