Skip to content

Latest commit

 

History

History
87 lines (66 loc) · 4.96 KB

profile-in-a-folder-or-encrypted.md

File metadata and controls

87 lines (66 loc) · 4.96 KB

Notes: run a Firefox profile located in its own folder (or encrypted folder)

Firefox profiles are usually stored in your user home folder, look at about:support or about:profiles to see where.

It is possible to use either a Portable Firefox or a command line option to run firefox from another folder location.

(Optional) Make an encrypted file container

If you are not using system encryption (which VeraCrypt can do on Windows).

With VeraCrypt: https://www.veracrypt.fr

  • You can use the "Create Volume" button, then "Create an encrypted file container".
  • Put the container file in a sensible location where you will not accidentally delete it
  • Give the container file an ".hc" extension (then clicking that file opens it with VeraCrypt)
  • The tricky part is choosing the container size (perhaps 4GB ?) and NTFS on Windows or eg EXT4 on Linux
    you can always move the folders/files to a new larger container if you ever need to.

Windows Option 1 - Use a Portable Firefox (easier)

Use portable Firefox: https://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox_portable

  • On the download site, below the download button, choose the installer for your language.
  • When the installer runs choose where to install
    (ie to the drive/path of your folder or mounted encrypted container)
    default folder name is "FirefoxPortable" or change that to your own choice
  • This gives you an entirely separate Firefox program in your specified location, with profile and cache folders.
  • It seems to cope when you change the folder location or name
    (so no issues if you mount an encrypted container with a different drive/path)
  • However, you will have to remember to check for updates.
  • See https://portableapps.com/support/firefox_portable
    for info about copying an existing profile, updating, using extra profiles, and more
  • Also see FirefoxPortable/Other/Source/Readme.txt file for various info about usage
    (and an example "FirefoxPortable.ini" file, which you place in the same folder as
    "FirefoxPortable.exe", for settings eg paths, parameters, splash, multiple instances)

Windows Option 2 - Use the Firefox installed on your PC

  • Copy the "Firefox" icon from the desktop into your folder or mounted encrypted container.
  • Right click that "Firefox" file, select "Properties"
    clear the path shown for "Start in"
    change "Target" to something like: "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -no-remote -profile MYFIREFOXPROFILENAME
  • When you click on that "Firefox" icon it will create the folder, and the browser cache is stored there too.
    (or it will use an already created/copied profile, but note below)
  • However, if you rename the profile folder, or you copied/moved a profile
    you will have to edit the paths in the extensions.json file within that profile
    Eg you would have to change any "C:\\OLDPATH\\OLDFOLDER" to "K:\\NEWFOLDER" and any "C:/OLDPATH/OLDFOLDER" to "K:/NEWFOLDER".
    (so when using an encrypted container it is easier to mount with the same drive/path)

Linux Option 1 - Use a Firefox application from custom location

(rough example)

  • Download Firefox for Linux: https://www.mozilla.org/firefox/all/
  • Extract the firefox-XX.X.X.tar.bz2 file to your folder of choice
    eg /opt/firefox-XX.X.X or /usr/local/bin/firefox-XX.X.X
    or somewhere under your home folder (may be /home/USER/.local/usr/bin/firefox-XX.X.X ??)
    or in an encrypted container /media/veracrypt1/firefox-XX.X.X
  • To run Firefox, either:
    • run from the command line
      eg /PATH/firefox-XX.X.X/firefox --no-remote --profile /PATH/MYFIREFOXPROFILENAME
    • run with a .desktop file
      eg copy the /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop to /home/USER/.local/share/applications/firefox-XX.XX.X.desktop
      edit the file and set the name=firefox-XX.X.X (profile: /PATH/MYFIREFOXPROFILENAME)
      and exec=/PATH/firefox-XX.X.X/firefox --no-remote --profile /PATH/MYFIREFOXPROFILENAME
  • if the profile path ever changes you will have to edit the extensions.json file in the profile folder

Linux Option 2 - Use the Firefox installed

(rough example)

  • To run Firefox, either:
    • run from the command line
      eg firefox --no-remote --profile /PATH/MYFIREFOXPROFILENAME
    • run with a .desktop file
      eg copy the /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop to /home/USER/.local/share/applications/firefox-XX.XX.X.desktop
      edit the file and set the name=firefox (profile: /PATH/MYFIREFOXPROFILENAME)
      and exec=firefox --no-remote --profile /PATH/MYFIREFOXPROFILENAME
  • If the profile path ever changes you will have to edit the extensions.json file in the profile folder