How to Undo Firefox Refresh
So recently my Firefox crashed (as it does sometimes when I sort my bookmarks) and I accidentally clicked refresh Firefox, thinking that it would just refresh everything like a restart does. Instead, it deleted everything - my logins, my cookies, my extensions - and I don't know how to get it back. I tried looking online for the answers, but none of the solutions I found worked (https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1195682 was the closest one that had some semblance of sanity) and the closest I figured was that I needed to either create a new profile with different settings I could import from my Old Firefox Data or put the Old Firefox Data in the Profiles folder which doesn't seem to be working, as there are always two other folders within. I tried creating new profiles with the Old Firefox Data as the basis, yet it doesn't work. In addition, I like my old profile and don't exactly want to switch, although if that is the cost of retrieving my data, I will take it. Any solutions please? I rely on my computer quite often, and I don't want to be handicapped for a while. My computer is also the recent updated Mac version, if that helps.
Chosen solution
Sorry to hear your Refresh didn't finish correctly (it is supposed to migrate key data to your new profile). I see you copied your entire Old Firefox Data folder into Profiles, but actually, you just want the inner folder, your old profile folder. Here are the next steps:
(1) Move your old profile folder from inside the Old Firefox Data Folder up one level to the Profiles folder
I'm sure you know Finder better than I do. Assuming I am guessing the folder names correctly, the yetb25at.default folder should end up next to its post-Refresh cousin, yetb25at.default-1612920550705
(2) Configure Firefox to use the old profile
Make a note of the text after the dot on the profile folder. For example, it probably is default but sometimes it is default-release. You need the new profile name to match the old one in order for Firefox to regain use of your extensions and their data.
Inside Firefox, type or paste about:profiles in the address bar and press Enter/Return to load it.
- Click the "Create a New Profile" button, then click Next.
- Assign the old profile name default and Firefox should show a proposed folder name with a new random part.
- Click the "Choose Folder..." button and select the old profile folder you copy/pasted so that Firefox picks up the full old name.
- Back in Firefox, click the Done button.
After creating a new profile, Firefox usually makes it your default profile (for external links and the next startup). To test, scroll down to it and click the Launch profile in new browser button.
Did it work?
If so, you're done.
If not, you can close that window without affecting your regular Firefox profile and change back to the profile you started with before this post. Click the Set as Default Profile button below that profile.
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Chosen Solution
Sorry to hear your Refresh didn't finish correctly (it is supposed to migrate key data to your new profile). I see you copied your entire Old Firefox Data folder into Profiles, but actually, you just want the inner folder, your old profile folder. Here are the next steps:
(1) Move your old profile folder from inside the Old Firefox Data Folder up one level to the Profiles folder
I'm sure you know Finder better than I do. Assuming I am guessing the folder names correctly, the yetb25at.default folder should end up next to its post-Refresh cousin, yetb25at.default-1612920550705
(2) Configure Firefox to use the old profile
Make a note of the text after the dot on the profile folder. For example, it probably is default but sometimes it is default-release. You need the new profile name to match the old one in order for Firefox to regain use of your extensions and their data.
Inside Firefox, type or paste about:profiles in the address bar and press Enter/Return to load it.
- Click the "Create a New Profile" button, then click Next.
- Assign the old profile name default and Firefox should show a proposed folder name with a new random part.
- Click the "Choose Folder..." button and select the old profile folder you copy/pasted so that Firefox picks up the full old name.
- Back in Firefox, click the Done button.
After creating a new profile, Firefox usually makes it your default profile (for external links and the next startup). To test, scroll down to it and click the Launch profile in new browser button.
Did it work?
If so, you're done.
If not, you can close that window without affecting your regular Firefox profile and change back to the profile you started with before this post. Click the Set as Default Profile button below that profile.