Clear all data when logging out? Keep data on account and not on computer? "Nuke it" button?
I'm gettin' worried about some privacy issues and I'm not sure if the behaviour I want in a browser exists on Firefox.
Right now I'm using Firefox, it remembers my session and the sites I'm logged in, doesn't remember history. I have my Firefox account connected, my bookmark toolbar open, and I use BitWarden to store my passwords.
When I sign-out of Firefox, it doesn't delete the bookmarks.
I actually stopped using the sync function because I thought it was secure to open my account on my phone, but when I log out of my account, all the bookmarks remain there, which kinda defeats the purpose.
Is there a way to have a sort of "nuke it" button?
I want to be able to store ALL my data (session, bookmarks, logins) behind ONE password, and have them disappear when I log out.
I'm just a regular user but I think it's weird that Firefox doesn't do this. It's as if my e-mails remained visible when I log out of my Outlook account.
All Replies (16)
Why would you want to delete the bookmarks?
As to the other data,
Type about:preferences#privacy<enter> in the address bar. The button next to History, select Use Custom Settings.
Turn off Always Use Private Browsing Mode Turn on Remember My Browsing And Download History At the bottom of the page, turn on Clear History When Firefox Closes. At the far right, press the Settings button. Turn on ONLY Cache and Form And Search History and whatever else you want.
Macs: Make sure you install Firefox properly and that you do not run Firefox from within the DMG (Disk Images) file. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-download-and-install-firefox-mac
Also see; 1) Private Browsing - Use Firefox without saving history
Firefox Private Browsing is great for viewing websites without saving things like cookies, temp files, and a history of the pages you visit.
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/common-myths-about-private-browsing
2) http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox_portable Mozilla Firefox, Portable Edition
https://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox-portable-esr Mozilla Firefox ESR, Portable Edition
A fully functional package of Firefox optimized for use on a USB key drive. A specialized launcher will allow most favorite extensions to work as you switch computers.
Firefox Portable is a 3rd-party build. Support is available here: http://portableapps.com/forums/support/firefox_portable
You can use sync to share data between profiles. But some data cannot be shared between different versions.
FredMcD said
Why would you want to delete the bookmarks? As to the other data, Type about:preferences#privacy<enter> in the address bar. The button next to History, select Use Custom Settings. Turn off Always Use Private Browsing Mode Turn on Remember My Browsing And Download History At the bottom of the page, turn on Clear History When Firefox Closes. At the far right, press the Settings button. Turn on ONLY Cache and Form And Search History and whatever else you want. Macs: Make sure you install Firefox properly and that you do not run Firefox from within the DMG (Disk Images) file. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-download-and-install-firefox-mac
This is how I already have my Firefox configured. But still doesn't deletes the bookmarks.
Why would you want to delete the bookmarks?
Privacy.
If I open my Firefox account on another dispositive, it imports all my bookmarks. Great.
If I close my Firefox account on that dispositive, the bookmarks remain there. Sucks.
nicoperror said
When I sign-out of Firefox, it doesn't delete the bookmarks.
When you sign out, you should see a modal window with a checkbox Delete data from this device (passwords, history, bookmarks, etc.). With this field selected, it should wipe out all data from your firefox.
Note that this is how Sync is designed and works. When you connect to a Sync account then the bookmarks are uploaded to the Sync server and bookmarks on the Sync server from other connected devices are merged with the bookmarks on this device. You will have to cleanup bookmarks that got added via Sync yourself . You should never connect a device that isn't your own to a Sync account.
You can consider to install the Firefox portable version on a USB stick. The portable version comes with its own profile folder and doesn't interfere with currently installed Firefox versions.
TyDraniu said
nicoperror said
When I sign-out of Firefox, it doesn't delete the bookmarks.When you sign out, you should see a modal window with a checkbox Delete data from this device (passwords, history, bookmarks, etc.). With this field selected, it should wipe out all data from your firefox.
It does, but it doesn't delete the open session. It does log out of any site though.
But still, there's a piece of information left.
If I have twenty tabs open and I log out, the twenty tabs remain there.
Only other choice is to close the tabs before logging out, which kinda defeates the purpose of storing the session in the account.
Is there no definitive "nuke" button on Firefox? With all the privacy talk?
cor-el said
Note that this is how Sync is designed and works. When you connect to a Sync account then the bookmarks are uploaded to the Sync server and bookmarks on the Sync server from other connected devices are merged with the bookmarks on this device. You will have to cleanup bookmarks that got added via Sync yourself . You should never connect a device that isn't your own to a Sync account. You can consider to install the Firefox portable version on a USB stick. The portable version comes with its own profile folder and doesn't interfere with currently installed Firefox versions.
I don't connect my account to devices that aren't my own.
What would be the reasoning behind leaving bookmarks behind in a sync'd device? Is it not a privacy issue?
I mean, I open my Firefox account open in two devices, pc and phone.
Firefox imports everything, great.
I log out of my account on my pc, Firefox deletes everything except the open session, which sucks.
I log out of my account on my phone, Firefox deletes everything except the open session, which sucks.
Is there really no definitive "nuke everything" button?
Oh, you mean a button. Of course there is. See Forget button - quickly delete your browsing history on Firefox.
TyDraniu said
Oh, you mean a button. Of course there is. See Forget button - quickly delete your browsing history on Firefox.
Does this button automatically logs out of my account?
No because these are two different things.
TyDraniu said
No because these are two different things.
Ok. Why?
They're both private information that I want Firefox to delete automatically from every device I'm not logged on.
I mean, it should? Shouldn't?
Am I crazy? Is there something I'm missing here?
When you log out of your home banking or your e-mail client, does a piece of private information remains just floating there?
When a person want to sign-out of Firefox or remove bookmarks or history, generally it doesn't mean that he/she want to loose his tabs. These are separate things. You need to click two buttons, you can also set up clearing your session on exit.
FredMcD said
Did you see my post about 1) Private Browsing - Use Firefox without saving history Firefox Private Browsing is great for viewing websites without saving things like cookies, temp files, and a history of the pages you visit. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/common-myths-about-private-browsing
2) http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox_portable Mozilla Firefox, Portable Edition
https://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox-portable-esr Mozilla Firefox ESR, Portable Edition
A fully functional package of Firefox optimized for use on a USB key drive. A specialized launcher will allow most favorite extensions to work as you switch computers.
Firefox Portable is a 3rd-party build. Support is available here: http://portableapps.com/forums/support/firefox_portable
You can use sync to share data between profiles. But some data cannot be shared between different versions.
FredMcD said
FredMcD said
Did you see my post about 1) Private Browsing - Use Firefox without saving history Firefox Private Browsing is great for viewing websites without saving things like cookies, temp files, and a history of the pages you visit. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/common-myths-about-private-browsing
2) http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox_portable Mozilla Firefox, Portable Edition
https://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox-portable-esr Mozilla Firefox ESR, Portable Edition
A fully functional package of Firefox optimized for use on a USB key drive. A specialized launcher will allow most favorite extensions to work as you switch computers.
Firefox Portable is a 3rd-party build. Support is available here: http://portableapps.com/forums/support/firefox_portable
You can use sync to share data between profiles. But some data cannot be shared between different versions.
I did, they don't resolve my inquiry as I want to be able to mantain my session (open tabs and logged in sites) when I restart Firefox, up until I "press a button" (call a function, use a feature, I don't know how to express it since english is not my native language) and THEN I leave no trace behind.
Did you try the Forget (Panic) toolbar button like posted above ? Using this button closes open tabs and windows and opens a new window. It clears the cookies, but but it doesn't clear your session ID as stored on the server as that only happens if you log out.
Proceeding will:
Close all Tabs and Windows Delete Recent Cookies Delete Recent History Open a new clean Window
cor-el said
Did you try the Forget (Panic) toolbar button like posted above ? Using this button closes open tabs and windows and opens a new window. It clears the cookies, but but it doesn't clear your session ID as stored on the server as that only happens if you log out. Proceeding will: Close all Tabs and Windows Delete Recent Cookies Delete Recent History Open a new clean Window
I tried, but as you say, it still leaves a trace behind.
I'm re-reading all comments and I apologize if I come across as complaining. As I stated, english is not my native language and some courtesy may be lost in translation.
Just to clarify, I'm not complaining, I'm a huge Mozilla fan. I've been using Firefox and Thunderbird forever.
It just that recently I have become a bit paranoid about privacy and I find it weird that Firefox doesn't have a way to just "unplug" and leave no trace behind.
So far if I want to "unplug" Firefox on my pc I have to: 1) Log out of my account and check all the "delete" boxes. 2) Hit that forget button or just close ALL tabs. (By the way, does the session remains stored in my account? If I log in again do I recover all my open tabs? I'm a bit tired of testing what happens when.)
And if I want to "unplug" Firefox on my phone I have to: 1) Log out of my account and check all the "delete" boxes. 2) Manually delete ALL bookmarks.
Is this by design? In the "privacy" browser?