restore bookmarks from old to new Firefox on same computer
I'm running Mojave on an Imac. I have just installed Firefox 2, updating from an older Firefox. All bookmarks are saved in a bookmarks backup .jsonlz4 file in the original Firefox Profiles folder on the Mac. I have done Import & Backup / Restore / Choose file to no avail. Nothing happened, and there are no bookmarks under the bookmark dropdown on the new Firefox browser.
The path to the Profiles backup folder runs through several levels of hidden folders. Using Terminal, I've managed to unhide all but one stubborn Library folder that is preventing me from navigating to the Profiles backup file to select it for restoration. I managed to unhide the backup file itself and save a copy to the desktop. I'm guessing that the desktop copy is not going to help me, because I'll need the path to point back to the Profiles folder.
I'm stumped. How can I transfer these bookmarks to Firefox 2? It shouldn't be this hard.
Chosen solution
Didn't Firefox use the profile folder used by the older version since you wrote that you updated ?
You can try to copy the compressed .jsonlz4 backup in the bookmarkbackups folder used by the old Firefox version to the bookmarkbackups folder in the profile folder used by the new Firefox version.
You can use the button on the "Help -> More Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page to go to the current Firefox profile folder or use the about:profiles page (Root directory).
- Help -> More Troubleshooting Information -> Profile Folder/Directory:
Windows: Open Folder; Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder - https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-firefox-stores-user-data
See also:
- https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/recover-user-data-missing-after-firefox-update
- https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/restore-bookmarks-from-backup-or-move-them
You can copy certain files with Firefox closed to the current profile folder to transfer or recover personal data. Note that best is to avoid copying a full profile folder.
- bookmarks and history: places.sqlite
- favicons: favicons.sqlite
- bookmark backups: compressed .jsonlz4 JSON backups in the bookmarkbackups folder
- cookies.sqlite for the Cookies
- formhistory.sqlite for saved autocomplete Form Data
- logins.json (encrypted logins;32+) and key4.db (decryption key;58+) for Passwords saved in the Password Manager
key3.db support ended in 73+; to use key3.db in 58-72, make sure to remove key4.db - cert9.db (58+) for (intermediate) certificates stored in the Certificate Manager
- persdict.dat for words added to the spell checker dictionary
- permissions.sqlite for Permissions and possibly content-prefs.sqlite for other website specific data (Site Preferences)
- sessionstore.jsonlz4 for open tabs and pinned tabs (see also the sessionstore-backups folder)
All Replies (1)
Chosen Solution
Didn't Firefox use the profile folder used by the older version since you wrote that you updated ?
You can try to copy the compressed .jsonlz4 backup in the bookmarkbackups folder used by the old Firefox version to the bookmarkbackups folder in the profile folder used by the new Firefox version.
You can use the button on the "Help -> More Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page to go to the current Firefox profile folder or use the about:profiles page (Root directory).
- Help -> More Troubleshooting Information -> Profile Folder/Directory:
Windows: Open Folder; Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder - https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-firefox-stores-user-data
See also:
- https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/recover-user-data-missing-after-firefox-update
- https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/restore-bookmarks-from-backup-or-move-them
You can copy certain files with Firefox closed to the current profile folder to transfer or recover personal data. Note that best is to avoid copying a full profile folder.
- bookmarks and history: places.sqlite
- favicons: favicons.sqlite
- bookmark backups: compressed .jsonlz4 JSON backups in the bookmarkbackups folder
- cookies.sqlite for the Cookies
- formhistory.sqlite for saved autocomplete Form Data
- logins.json (encrypted logins;32+) and key4.db (decryption key;58+) for Passwords saved in the Password Manager
key3.db support ended in 73+; to use key3.db in 58-72, make sure to remove key4.db - cert9.db (58+) for (intermediate) certificates stored in the Certificate Manager
- persdict.dat for words added to the spell checker dictionary
- permissions.sqlite for Permissions and possibly content-prefs.sqlite for other website specific data (Site Preferences)
- sessionstore.jsonlz4 for open tabs and pinned tabs (see also the sessionstore-backups folder)