Removing your profile from Firefox deletes its associated data, but it does not delete the actual Mozilla Firefox account you might use for services like Firefox Sync. Here's how to remove the profile:
Removing a Firefox Profile
This process deletes the profile from your computer, removing associated settings, bookmarks, history, and extensions for that specific profile.
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Close Firefox: Ensure Firefox is completely closed before proceeding.
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Open the Profile Manager:
- Windows: Press
Windows Key + R, typefirefox.exe -p, and press Enter. - macOS: Open Terminal and run
/Applications/Firefox.app/Contents/MacOS/firefox -profilemanager. - Linux: Open a terminal and run
firefox -profilemanager.
- Windows: Press
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Select the Profile: In the Firefox Profile Manager window (titled "Choose User Profile"), select the profile you want to remove.
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Delete the Profile: Click the "Delete Profile..." button. A confirmation prompt will appear. Be very careful, as this action cannot be undone. You will have the option to "Delete Files" which will remove the associated profile folder from your computer entirely, or "Remove Profile" which simply removes the profile from Firefox's list but leaves the profile folder intact on your computer. If you're sure you want to permanently delete everything, choose "Delete Files".
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Confirm Deletion: Carefully confirm your choice in the confirmation window. Warning: This action is permanent.
Removing a Firefox Account (Firefox Sync)
To remove your account from Firefox (disconnecting Firefox Sync), you need to disconnect the account from all devices and then you can optionally delete the account online.
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Disconnect Firefox Sync on each device: Open Firefox on each device where you are logged into your Firefox Account. Go to Firefox Settings or Options and then to the Sync or Firefox Account section. Click "Sign Out" or "Disconnect". This will prevent your data from being synchronized to the account.
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Optional: Delete your account online: Go to the Mozilla Account website and sign in. There should be a button to close or delete your account, but be very, very careful as this will terminate all associated services tied to the account, like Mozilla VPN if you have that service.
Important Considerations:
- Profile vs. Account: It's critical to understand the distinction. Removing a profile deletes local data. Removing a Firefox Account impacts your ability to sync data across devices and could impact other Mozilla services you use.
- Backups: Before deleting a profile, consider backing up important data like bookmarks.
