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After updating Firefox, my bookmarks are missing and the profile file is empty. Is there any other way to recover my bookmarks?

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  • Last reply by FredMcD

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Yesterday, I updated Firefox to optimize it through the website and today, all of my bookmarks are missing and the profile file for the bookmarks is empty. There is no way to restore them through the restore feature. Is there anything else I can do?

Yesterday, I updated Firefox to optimize it through the website and today, all of my bookmarks are missing and the profile file for the bookmarks is empty. There is no way to restore them through the restore feature. Is there anything else I can do?

All Replies (6)

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Hello,

Firefox automatically creates backups of your bookmarks, which can be helpful if your bookmarks are lost or missing. To recover them, follow the instructions below.

  1. Use one of these methods to open the Bookmarks Library window:
    • Firefox 29 and above: Click the Bookmarks button Bookmarks-29 and select Show All Bookmarks.
    • Previous Firefox versions: Click the Firefox button and click on Bookmarks. (If you don't have a Firefox button, click the Bookmarks button Bookmarks button win 2 or Bookmarks menu item and select Show All Bookmarks.)
  2. At the top of the Library window, click on Import and Backup and select Restore.
  3. Click the date of the bookmark backup you want to recover.
  4. In the new window that appears, click OK.
  5. Your bookmarks from the selected date should now be restored.

For more information, see the Restore bookmarks from backup or move them to another computer article. For other solutions, see the Recover lost or missing Bookmarks article.

Did this fix your problems? Please report back to us!

Thank you.

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During your update, is it possible you used Firefox's Refresh feature? This could occur if Firefox reported that it is starting/running slowly, and you could speed it up by restoring some default settings. If you click that button, Firefox moves your old settings folder to the desktop, inside an Old Firefox Data folder. Can you find anything like that?

If you have Old Firefox Data, look inside for a recently modified the semi-randomly-named profile folder. Is it there? If so, we can suggest different next steps, whether that is simply restoring one of the bookmark backups from this folder or rolling back the Refresh.

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Michellet12 said

Yesterday, I updated Firefox to optimize it through the website and today, all of my bookmarks are missing and the profile file for the bookmarks is empty. There is no way to restore them through the restore feature. Is there anything else I can do?

After I did the "refresh feature" (yes), I also installed a desktop update from Windows, where all of my info on my desktop was wiped out, and that folder got deleted. There is nothing else I can do now, is there?

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Hmm, what is a desktop update? Usually a Windows update doesn't erase files and folders from your desktop, at least, I've never seen that happen. Is it possible that the contents were archived somewhere?

I suggest doing a search of the entire C drive for any files matching the pattern *.json*

First, make sure to turn off hiding of hidden files and folders. This article has the steps for that: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/show-hidden-files

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I could not locate the file under .json, but I did locate a file stored on my computer in my documents, under "Important" called "bookmarks". Most of them were there and I was able to import them manually. Thank you both for contributing, and thank you jscher2000 for your helpful suggestions.

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Hello,

I am glad to hear that your problem has been resolved. If you haven't already, please select the answer that solves the problem. This will help other users with similar problems find the solution more easily.

Thank you for contacting Mozilla Support.