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Firefox no longer automatically remembers my e mail addresses

  • 13 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 3 views
  • Last reply by eddiehooper

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For a few weeks now firefox doesn't remember my e mail addresses and when I clear cache and cookies I have to re type the address. I have a few addresses and I can only switch between them by deleting the existing displayed address and typing in the new one. Previously, a click on the cursor in the e mail address box made them all appear and i simply had to click the one required. I have visited options/ privacy and actioned "use custom settings for history" and then in security unticked "remember passwords for sites". Still no joy and the "use custom settings for history" isn't visible if I exit and then re enter options/ privacy. It reverts back to "remember history" setting. All help will be gratefully accepted.

For a few weeks now firefox doesn't remember my e mail addresses and when I clear cache and cookies I have to re type the address. I have a few addresses and I can only switch between them by deleting the existing displayed address and typing in the new one. Previously, a click on the cursor in the e mail address box made them all appear and i simply had to click the one required. I have visited options/ privacy and actioned "use custom settings for history" and then in security unticked "remember passwords for sites". Still no joy and the "use custom settings for history" isn't visible if I exit and then re enter options/ privacy. It reverts back to "remember history" setting. All help will be gratefully accepted.

All Replies (13)

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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 you close Firefox.
  • Tools > Options > Privacy > "Use custom settings for history" > Cookies: Exceptions

In case you use "Clear history when Firefox closes" or otherwise clear history.

  • do not clear the Cookies
  • do not clear the Site Preferences

Clearing "Site Preferences" clears all exceptions for cookies, images, pop-up windows, software installation, passwords, and other website specific data.

Clearing cookies will remove all specified (selected) cookies including cookies with an allow exception that you would like to keep.

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Firefox has two different kinds of form memory: logins and everything else.

If the email address field is not immediately associated with a password field, then it probably is in (or missing from) the general form autocomplete list rather than the login/Saved Passwords list.

It sounds as though on the Privacy panel of Options that you would still have "Remember search and form history" enabled. Does it seem to be working in other fields, other than email?

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If you are clearing cache and cookies using the "Clear Recent History" dialog, you can uncheck the "Form & Search History" box in the Details section of the dialog to preserve form autocomplete entries.

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One other thought:

If this problem is on Gmail, you may have noticed that Google changed the login screen so that you first enter your address, and only on another page can you enter your password. This separation of the email and password fields may have broken the feature you were using before.

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cor-el said

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 you close Firefox.
  • Tools > Options > Privacy > "Use custom settings for history" > Cookies: Exceptions
In case you use "Clear history when Firefox closes" or otherwise clear history.
  • do not clear the Cookies
  • do not clear the Site Preferences
Clearing "Site Preferences" clears all exceptions for cookies, images, pop-up windows, software installation, passwords, and other website specific data. Clearing cookies will remove all specified (selected) cookies including cookies with an allow exception that you would like to keep.

cor-el said

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 you close Firefox.
  • Tools > Options > Privacy > "Use custom settings for history" > Cookies: Exceptions
In case you use "Clear history when Firefox closes" or otherwise clear history.
  • do not clear the Cookies
  • do not clear the Site Preferences
Clearing "Site Preferences" clears all exceptions for cookies, images, pop-up windows, software installation, passwords, and other website specific data. Clearing cookies will remove all specified (selected) cookies including cookies with an allow exception that you would like to keep.
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Thank you for the help. Perhaps I should post what my settings actually are: Options/privacy Tracking is not ticked Firefox will : remember history Location bar history is ticked and bookmarks and open tabs are not. If I change Firefox will remember history to Use custom settings for history the following happens: Tracking is not ticked Always use private browsing mode is not ticked. Remember my browsing and download history is ticked Remember search and form history is ticked Accept cookies from sites is ticked Accept third party cookies Always Keep until they Expire Clear history when Firefox closes is not ticked. Location bar suggest: History is ticked Bookmarks not ticked Open tabs not ticked.

I hope that this helps. Regards.

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jscher2000 said

Firefox has two different kinds of form memory: logins and everything else. If the email address field is not immediately associated with a password field, then it probably is in (or missing from) the general form autocomplete list rather than the login/Saved Passwords list. It sounds as though on the Privacy panel of Options that you would still have "Remember search and form history" enabled. Does it seem to be working in other fields, other than email?
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Thank you for the help. Perhaps I should post what my settings actually are: Options/privacy Tracking is not ticked Firefox will : remember history Location bar history is ticked and bookmarks and open tabs are not. If I change Firefox will remember history to Use custom settings for history the following happens: Tracking is not ticked Always use private browsing mode is not ticked. Remember my browsing and download history is ticked Remember search and form history is ticked Accept cookies from sites is ticked Accept third party cookies Always Keep until they Expire Clear history when Firefox closes is not ticked. Location bar suggest: History is ticked Bookmarks not ticked Open tabs not ticked.

I hope that this helps. Regards.

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It is possible that the website changed its code and is now using autocomplete=off Firefox behave differently in this case and won't fill the name and password and you also may not get the drop-down list, but you may have to type the first letter. The behavior in Private Browsing mode may be similar.

You can right-click the input field and select Inspect Element to open the Inspector and check the properties of the input field.

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Thanks for the reply cor-el. I did what you suggested but the window that opened with lots of code on it is I'm afraid beyond me. Even typing the first letter of my e mail address doesn't bring up the whole address. I have to type the whole thing. I really do believe I've some kind of virus and am currently having the system checked out on the SWI forum. Thank you very much for your assistance. ps I've tried loading e mails in Chrome ( I'm sticking with Firefox) and the same thing occurs!

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Do you keep cookies for websites that you want to remember you?

  • Tools > Options > Privacy > "Use custom settings for history" > Cookies: Exceptions
  • Tools > Page Info > Permissions to check the permissions for the domain in the currently selected tab

If that isn't the case then you need to log in again on each visit.


Start Firefox in 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
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Hi cor-el

Thanks for the reply and apologies for my delay in responding. I have been switched from SWI to bleeping computer and it has been discovered that I have some file corruption resulting from a windows update. I am busy resolving that and will see if that has a bearing on my log in problem before trying what you suggest.

kind regards

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Hi cor-el

I have changed in options/privacy "remember history" to "use custom settings for history" and in security I have unticked "remember passwords for sites". However if I exit options and re enter it has reverted to "remember history" in privacy but the "remember passwords for sites" is still un ticked in security ??? I also both refreshed and started firefox in safe mode. Still no joy and the only immediate difference I have noted is that I get the tiles back on screen of sites I have visited. The e mail addresses are still not being remembered although so far today I haven't had any instances of the password cursor switching back to the e mail address box. This is probably as a result of the work done on the other forums I assume.

ps I'm now in a situation where the address bar isn't remembering sites previously visited ???

I spoke too soon. Firefox just crashed back to the desktop screen for about a minute before returning to the window I was viewing and then when I tried entering the first letter of the e mail password it switched into the address box. Have you ever heard of this happening in Firefox ? My e mail company assure me it's a browser problem. I'm still inclined because of its nature to believe that it is a virus.

Modified by eddiehooper