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Cookie exceptions entered, saved, but Firefox 96(?) and above does NOT save exceptions list, why not?

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  • Last reply by Russ

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Subject of this question says all I need to ask. I have Firefox to "Clear History" on closing and to clear cookies on closing and I have tried to enter the list of cookies I want retained into "Cookies and site data" "Exceptions" but NOTHING is retained/saved in that section. I enter the cookie URL/name(s) then click SAVE. As soon as I close that EXCEPTIONS page, then go back to review the list of those cookies, there's NOTHING in that list. Why and why not? What am I doing wrong? Thanks for all your help and advice given before and will give now,

Oldheart43

Subject of this question says all I need to ask. I have Firefox to "Clear History" on closing and to clear cookies on closing and I have tried to enter the list of cookies I want retained into "Cookies and site data" "Exceptions" but NOTHING is retained/saved in that section. I enter the cookie URL/name(s) then click SAVE. As soon as I close that EXCEPTIONS page, then go back to review the list of those cookies, there's NOTHING in that list. Why and why not? What am I doing wrong? Thanks for all your help and advice given before and will give now, Oldheart43

All Replies (7)

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Exception are part of the Site Preferences, so keeping the Site Preferences is essential for keeping the exceptions.

In case you use "Clear history when Firefox closes" or otherwise clear history.

  • do not clear the Cookies
  • do not clear the Site Preferences
  • clearing "Site Preferences" clears exceptions for cookies, images, pop-up windows, and software installation and exceptions for passwords and other website specific data
  • clearing "Cookies" will remove all cookies including cookies with an allow exception you may want to keep

Detail like websites remembering you and log you in automatically is stored in cookies, so make sure you aren't clearing important cookies.

You can use these steps to make a website recognize and remember you.

  • create a cookie allow exception with the proper protocol (https:// or http://) to make a website remember you

You can check that you aren't clearing important cookies.

  • using "Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed" keeps cookies with an allow exception
  • using "Clear history when Firefox closes" to clear cookies clears all cookies including cookies with an allow exception you may want to keep
  • clearing "Site Preferences" clears exceptions for cookies, images, pop-up windows, and software installation and exceptions for passwords and other website specific data
  • Settings -> Privacy & Security
    Cookies and Site Data: "Manage Exceptions"
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Thanks cor-el,

But I've had these same settings in Firefox for 10 years and I never had a problem with any secure website login until January of this year, 2022 sometime, cookies from/for my bank are wiped when I close Firefox 98 64 bit and I cannot set "Exceptions" and have them saved. That NEVER happened before, so it HAS to be a change in Firefox since January, OR Windows 10 Pro x64. I keep my computer updated, NOT automatically, but have it so I'm notified when a new update is available, then download and install it at my soonest chance after I'm done with whatever online activity.

So, I'm not the smartest user, but I'm also not the least experienced user either, but I don't know what to do here.

Any other suggestions except for that short pier--long walk thingy?

Thanks again,

OldHeart43

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Like I wrote above, if you use "Clear history when Firefox closes" to clear cookies then all the cookies get cleared including cookies with an allow exception. You need to use "Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed" if you want to keep cookies with an allow exception. This has always been the case, but if you use Restore Previous Session to automatically restore tabs then session restore also stores to cookies for tabs you restore. Clearing the Site Preferences either via clear history or via "Clear history when Firefox closes" includes clearing exceptions like the cookie exceptions.

                                                       s
I have Firefox to "Clear History" on closing and to clear cookies on closing and I have tried to enter the list of cookies I want retained into "Cookies and site data" "Exceptions"
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cor-el,

I followed your suggestions but all entries were wiped clean, no cookie site addresses were saved.

And because it never cleared cookies with my settings before January I don't know what to tell you, except thanks anyhow, I give up, nothing has worked

OldHeart43

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Are you still using "Clear history when Firefox closes" to clear data other then the disk cache and possibly the history ?

Can you attach a screenshot that shows the "Cookies and Site Data" and the "Clear history when Firefox closes -> Settings" on the Settings page (about:preferences) ?

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cor-el,

Like I said, I give up. I deselected "Clear History On Closing Firefox" AND all the other settings to do with cookies and site data. I shouldn't HAVE to, cookies that I chose to save/keep were maintained for the past several years with ALL my previous "Clear History" settings until January. So it appears to me a Firefox update changed SOMETHING this year. Similar to an update that eliminated the "hotspot" in the "Clear Recent History" dialogue box/window that previously directed the cursor to the "Clear All History" OK button. Someone kindly rewrote that code allowing the cursor to go directly to the OK button. I appreciate THAT convenience. I'm an old man with very shaky hands and can't always move the mouse accurately, so, the cursor thing is necessary for me to maneuver.

OK, TMI, I know.

Either way, I'll just use Ccleaner to clear everything every time I close Firefox from now on. With Ccleaner I CAN choose which cookies and folders and files Ccleaner will remove and which it will leave behind. A simpler answer for me.

Thanks again,

OldHeart43

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You stated several conditions, and this may be the way Firefox works, but it is contrary to all reasonable performance. For example, to delete site preferences when the box that is clicked is to keep the preferences beyond the session is either sloppy thinking or sloppy programming. Further, with what you said about cookies, there is no way to keep only some cookies; you either keep them all, or delete them all.

Thanks for telling us how the software works, but no thanks for Firefox for this programming FUBAR.