This article explains how to use the Firefox Password Manager. It includes information on turning on the Firefox Primary Password feature for additional security.
What to Know
- Open Firefox. Select the Menu button > Settings > Privacy & Security. Scroll to Logins & Passwords and choose Saved Logins.Select the Eye Icon on the chosen account to show passwords. View an entry. Select the Eye Icon again to hide passwords > Close when finished.Select the Use a primary password check box to prevent someone with access to your computer from viewing your passwords.
How to Use the Firefox Password Manager
Using the Firefox built-in password manager may not give you the ability to create randomized, strong passwords, but it will let you view all the passwords you’ve saved with the browser without having to use a third-party tool.
To use the Firefox Password Manager, follow these steps:
- Open Firefox.
- Click the Menu button.
- Click Settings.
- In the Settings window, click Privacy & Security.
- Scroll down to Logins & Passwords and click Saved Logins.
- In the resulting window, click on the account you would like to view and select the Eye Button show the password.
- When you’re finished, make sure to click the Eye Button again to hide the password, then click Close to exit out of the Saved Logins window.
How to Protect Saved Passwords in Firefox
There’s a flaw in this system, though. As it stands, anyone can access your saved passwords in Firefox. To prevent that, enable the Firefox Primary Password feature. Then, no one will be able to view your passwords, unless they have the primary password. We highly recommend using this tool. Third-party password managers also use a primary password, so you only have to remember one. Here’s how to set a primary password in Firefox.
Open Firefox.
Click the Menu button.
Click Settings.
In the Settings window, click Privacy & Security.
Scroll down to Logins & Passwords and click Saved Logins.
In the resulting window, click on the account you would like to view and select the Eye Button show the password.
When you’re finished, make sure to click the Eye Button again to hide the password, then click Close to exit out of the Saved Logins window.
- Open Firefox.
- Click the Menu button.
- Click Settings.
- In the Preferences window, click Privacy & Security.
- Click the checkbox for Use a primary password.
- When prompted, enter and verify a new password.
- Click OK.
Be sure that your password is not the same as any other password you use. And don’t forget that primary password. If you do, you won’t have access to your stored login credentials.
In the Preferences window, click Privacy & Security.
Click the checkbox for Use a primary password.
When prompted, enter and verify a new password.
Click OK.
Having your browser save your passwords isn’t always the best option. If someone were to gain access to your account, they would also have access to all of your stored passwords. For those truly concerned about security, your best bet is to never allow your browser to save your passwords and use a third-party password manager.
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