Default Firefox User Profile Paths on macOS and Linux

This article provides a direct guide to locating the default file system paths for Mozilla Firefox user profile data on both macOS and Linux operating systems. Whether you are backing up bookmarks, transferring settings, or troubleshooting browser issues, knowing the exact directory of your profile folder—including variations for Linux package managers like Snap and Flatpak—is essential.

macOS Default Profile Path

On macOS, Firefox stores your user profile data inside your user's hidden Library directory.

The default path is: ~/Library/Application Support/Firefox/Profiles/

If you are navigating from the root directory, the full path looks like this (replace <username> with your actual macOS username): /Users/<username>/Library/Application Support/Firefox/Profiles/

How to access it quickly:

  1. Open Finder.
  2. Press Command + Shift + G to open the "Go to Folder" dialog.
  3. Paste ~/Library/Application Support/Firefox/Profiles/ and press Enter.

Linux Default Profile Paths

On Linux, the default path depends on how Firefox was installed on your system. Note that folders starting with a dot (.) are hidden by default. You can view them in most Linux file managers by pressing Ctrl + H.

Standard Installation (APT, DNF, Pacman, or Tarball) For traditional package manager installations, the path is: ~/.mozilla/firefox/

Full path from root: /home/<username>/.mozilla/firefox/

Snap Installation (Default on Ubuntu) If you are using Ubuntu or installed Firefox via Snap, the profile is sandboxed in a different directory: ~/snap/firefox/common/.mozilla/firefox/

Flatpak Installation If you installed Firefox using Flatpak, your profile data is located here: ~/.var/app/org.mozilla.firefox/.mozilla/firefox/

Identifying Your Specific Profile Folder

Inside the Profiles (macOS) or firefox (Linux) directory, you will find one or more folders with randomized names. Firefox generates a random eight-character string followed by the profile name to enhance security.

  • Standard active profile: xxxxxxxx.default-release
  • Older or secondary profile: xxxxxxxx.default

Your personal data—such as bookmarks, passwords, extensions, and browsing history—is stored directly inside the xxxxxxxx.default-release folder.

Finding Your Path Inside Firefox

If you cannot find the folders using the paths above, you can force Firefox to open the exact directory for you:

  1. Open Firefox.
  2. Type about:support into the address bar and press Enter.
  3. Scroll down to the Profile Folder (macOS) or Profile Directory (Linux) row.
  4. Click the Show in Finder (macOS) or Open Directory (Linux) button.