What Happens When You Refresh Firefox?

Refreshing Firefox can fix many browser-related errors and malfunctions, especially on a computer. As you know, refreshing Firefox means returning it to factory default. But then, what happens next? What happens to your browsing history, downloads and other data? We’ll cover everything in this guide.

Let’s say you experience unexplained glitches while using Firefox on your device. Tried all suggested solutions you found online but nothing is fixing the issue/issues. What do you do? This is where refreshing your Firefox browser comes into play. This is a definitive troubleshooting solution for almost all bugs and issues affecting Firefox. Now, let’s talk about some of the things that happen behind the scenes when you hit that refresh button.

What Does Refresh Firefox Do?

Almost everything human-created (hardware or software in this context) has a refresh or reset button. Like having a key on first use that returns the product to its default state. Think of the Refresh Firefox feature as Firefox’s reset button. It is often used as a last resort to fix complex issues affecting the browser’s performance. However, unlike other forms of factory reset you may be used to, refreshing Firefox does not delete all of the browser’s data.

According to Firefox, it doesn’t touch essential data like bookmarks, passwords, browsing history, download history, cookies, and autofill information when you refresh the browser. This is because this data is less likely to cause connection or performance related errors.

As for non-essential data such as add-ons (extensions and themes), security certificates, website permissions, and other in-browser customization and settings, they are removed from Firefox. Often times these are the causative agents behind many of the issues that alter Firefox’s performance. This is why they are removed when you refresh the browser.

Quick tip: Medicine refresh firefox in the address bar (see image below) and tap the ‘Refresh Firefox…’ button to reset the browser.

Can Deleted Data Be Restored?

When you install Firefox on your PC, it saves all necessary and non-essential data (as mentioned in the section above) in a Profile folder. Refreshing Firefox will move this information to a new profile folder on the desktop called ‘Old Firefox Data’.

This folder is a backup of all your Firefox data and you can delete or manually restore data by copying files between the new and old profile folders.

However, if the problem you are trying to fix persists after refreshing Firefox, we recommend restoring the old data. You can do this by copying the files from the ‘Old Firefox Data’ folder on your desktop to Firefox’s current folder. Here’s how to find Firefox’s current folder.

Stage 1: Type or paste about:support Enter the Firefox address bar and press Enter/Return on your keyboard.

This will launch the browser’s Troubleshooting Information page.

Step 2: Go to Apps Fundamentals and tap the ‘Show in Finder’ button next to the Profile Folder category.

For Windows PC, this button is labeled Open Folder.

Note: You should close Firefox before transferring files between folders.

You can now copy some or all files from the ‘Old Firefox Data’ to the new folder. We should also mention that in this folder you will find many files with strange names and formats. You should check out this Firefox resource page to find out what data each file stores. Below we list some of the important ones.

• place.sqlite — Firefox bookmarks, download history and website history are stored in this file.
• key4.db and logins.json — this file contains website passwords and login information.
• Extensions: This folder contains files saved from installed extensions.

Note: Restoring this folder will not reinstall extensions that were deleted during browser refresh. Deleted extensions need to be reinstalled manually.

Alternative Data Recovery: Third-Party Software

While we’ve determined that refreshing Firefox doesn’t delete personal data, sometimes it’s best not to take any chances or rely entirely on Firefox’s automatically generated backup folder. You can use third-party apps to backup your Firefox data and restore it after refreshing the browser. This provides insurance against the (rare but possible) mishaps that may occur during the renewal process. You can read the guides linked below to learn how to backup Firefox.

• The Complete Firefox Backup Guide
• Backup and Restore Your Firefox Profile

What Happens to Browser Tabs?

When Firefox restarts immediately after a refresh, the option to restore all or preferred browser tabs and windows is displayed on the screen. Choose the option you see fit and tap the Let’s Get Started button to restore the tabs.

If you can’t find this option, you don’t have to worry. We mentioned earlier that refreshing Firefox does not delete browsing history. You can easily go to Firefox Menu > Library > History to reopen tabs or windows that were closed during the process.

When Should You Not Refresh Firefox?

Resetting your computer or smartphone may remove personal files. Resetting Firefox doesn’t work in the same way. If you’re selling or giving away your computer, we recommend completely uninstalling (read: uninstalling) Firefox. Just reset the browser, saved addresses, payment/card info, passwords etc. It does not delete personal data such as You do not want this information to fall into the wrong hands. Refreshing Firefox to fix a bug is best done as a last resort, a last resort troubleshooting option. Make sure to try all other available solutions before hitting this refresh button.

Enjoy Seamless Web Browsing

That’s all you need to know about refreshing Firefox. By the way, you cannot refresh Firefox on mobile devices. To fix complex issues, you need to manually clear the app’s cache or data or reinstall Firefox. Let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.

Next: Firefox Focus is a nifty browser from Mozilla that really helps you stay focused. But does it guarantee a full pass? Read the post linked below to find out.