Last updated:
9 hours ago
This guide helps you update or recover your Mozilla account password. If you’re signed in, you can change your password directly. If you’re locked out, you have reset options based on your account setup and data needs.
Difference between browser data and encrypted data
- Browser data includes information such as browsing history, bookmarks, saved passwords, and settings, stored directly on your device. This data remains accessible as long as you have the device and haven’t removed the data.
- Encrypted data is created when you use Sync. You can choose to sync selected data, which is then stored on Mozilla’s servers in an encrypted form to ensure privacy and security. You can access encrypted data from any device where you’re signed in with your Mozilla account.
Impact on data after a password reset
If you reset your account password with a recovery key, you keep access to encrypted sync data (like bookmarks, passwords, and settings) on Mozilla’s servers. The recovery key keeps this data connected to your account. Without the recovery key, this synced data is erased for security. However, if you reset your password on a device that has a local copy of your data, signing in with your new password will re-upload the local data to Sync. On a device without local data, the synced data will be permanently lost.
Change your Mozilla account password
If you’re signed in to your Mozilla account, click the heading below to view and follow the steps to change your password.
Change your account password while signed in
If you can sign in to your Mozilla account, you can change your password by following these simple steps:
- Go to Mozilla account Sign in.
- Sign in with your current password.
- In the Security section, next to Password, click .
- Enter your old password, then your new password.
- Click to complete the change.
Reset your Mozilla account password
If you’re locked out, reset your password to regain access. Select the option that best fits your setup to keep your data intact.
Reset password and keep encrypted data like bookmarks, history, and passwords
If you’re locked out, a recovery key is required to reset your password without losing synced encyrpted data. Click the heading below for detailed steps.
Password reset with recovery key
- Go to Mozilla Account Sign in.
- Click Forgot password? and follow the prompts.
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- Note: This will also reset your account recovery key.
- On the Mozilla account password reset page, enter your email address and click .
- You will receive an 8-digit confirmation code via email. See I'm having problems confirming my Mozilla account for help confirming your account.
- Enter the confirmation code and click .
- Enter your account recovery key.
- Create a new password.
- After resetting your password, a new account recovery key will be generated for you.
- Note: Recovery keys expire after every use, so it’s important to replace the previous one you had saved.
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Reset password without keeping encrypted data like bookmarks, history, and passwords
Resetting your password without a recovery key deletes synced encrypted data (bookmarks, history, tabs, passwords) from Mozilla’s servers. Local copies on your device remain and can be re-synced upon sign-in.
Password reset without recovery key
- Go to Mozilla Account Sign in.
- Click Forgot password?.
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- Note: This will also reset your account recovery key.
- On the Mozilla account password reset page, enter your email address and click .
- An 8-digit confirmation code will be emailed to you. See I'm having problems confirming my Mozilla account for help confirming your account.
- Enter the confirmation code and click .
- If you have Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) enabled, you will be asked to enter the code from your application at this time.
- Create a new password.
- For users with a recovery key configured
If you have a recovery key but clicked Can't find your recovery key?, you will see a slightly different message regarding data recovery. In this case, you will be prompted with a screen guiding you to retrieve your recovery key or continue without it.
- For users with a recovery key who clicked 'Can't find your recovery key?'
- For users without a recovery key
Reset password without keeping data like bookmarks, history and passwords
If you only need to reset your password and don’t need to recover any data, click the section below and follow the steps.
Password reset without saving current data
- Go to the Mozilla account password reset page (or click Forgot password? from the sign in page).
- Enter your email address and click .
- An 8-digit confirmation code will be emailed to you. See I'm having problems confirming my Mozilla account for help confirming your account.
- Enter the confirmation code from the email and click .
- If you have Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) enabled, you will be asked to enter the code from your application at this time.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to create a new password.
- After signing in with your new password, you’ll need to sign in again on all of your devices.
Restore locally stored browser data after a Mozilla account password reset
Restore data on the same device
If you’re using the same device, your data is already safe!
- Sign into Firefox with your new password.
- Click in the Firefox menu .
Restore data on a new device
- Sign in with your new password on your original device first.
- Click Sync now in the Firefox menu .
- Sign in with your new password on the new device and sync.
Move data to a new device or use an older Firefox version without sync support
If you are moving to a new device or using a version of Firefox that no longer supports sync, you can transfer your browser data via the Firefox backup assistant as long as you still have your original device.
Recover data without the original device or after data loss
If your original device is unavailable or data was erased in a crash or reset, the locally stored data — like passwords, bookmarks, and settings — cannot be recovered.
FAQs
Will resetting my password without a recovery key delete data stored on Mozilla’s servers?
Yes, resetting your password without a recovery key will delete all encrypted data (such as bookmarks, history, and saved passwords) stored on Mozilla’s servers. However, if you still have your original device with local copies, signing back in with your new password will re-upload this data to Sync.
Can I reset my password and still keep my data?
Yes, if you have a recovery key set up, you can reset your password and keep your synced data on Mozilla’s servers. The recovery key keeps your account connected to your encrypted data, preventing data loss during a password reset.
What types of data are affected by a password reset?
A password reset affects encrypted sync data stored on Mozilla’s servers, including bookmarks, history, passwords, and settings. Local browser data on your device remains unaffected and accessible as long as you have the device.
I’m being told to sign in with the “primary email address” for the account.
This message means you’re trying to sign in with a secondary email address. Your account is associated with a different, primary email address. Make sure to sign in using that primary email.
My primary password isn’t working, and I can’t sign in.
Primary Passwords are different from Mozilla account passwords. The primary password secures saved logins in the Firefox browser, while your Mozilla account password is used to access your Mozilla account. For details, see Using a Primary Password with Sync.
