How to Use Firefox Sync

Last Updated: January 28, 2018

Since Mozilla Firefox is now available on almost any platform, both in desktop computers and mobile phones, it would be really handy if you can share your browser settings between your devices. Firefox Sync allows you to share all your browser data such as bookmarks, history, and many more, between different Mozilla Firefox browsers you have across different platforms or devices.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Set Up the First Device

1
Open Mozilla Firefox. Click the icon on your desktop to launch the browser.
2
Open the Options window. Click on “Tools” on the menu toolbar at the upper part of the window and select “Options.”

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3
Click on the “Sync” tab.
4
Log in to your Firefox account. Enter you username and password. Afterwards, click on “Sign In.”
- If don’t have an account yet, you can click on the “Create Account” link on the Sync tab and fill up all the necessary fields to create your log in details.
5
Click on “Manage.” After signing in, you’ll be directed to the Welcome page. Click on “Manage” to open the Options window again and start managing your information.
6
Set up the device. On the Options window, select all the browser information you’d like to share between devices. After that, type in the device name you like.
- Firefox browsers on each of your devices will have their own name.
7
Click on “OK” to save your settings. Your browser’s data is now ready to be synched to another device.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Sync Information to Second Device

1
Open Firefox on your smartphone. Tap the icon from the app screen to launch the application.
2
Go to "Settings." Open the browser’s menu and select “Settings.”

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3
Tap on “Sync.” On the Settings screen, tap on “Sync.” You’ll be issued a 9-12 character code.
4
Go back to your first devices. Open the Options window and go to Sync tab (steps 2 to 3 of setting up your first device).
5
Click on “Add a Device.”
6
Enter the code. Enter the alphanumeric code you got from the second device and click on “Finish” to add the device.
- Your two devices can now share the internet information between each other.

Community Q&A

Question

In case of multiple devices with Firefox, which one is the master?

Community Answer

No device is master. All links from all devices are added together. The identical links are merged, others are added.
Question

What happens when I delete a bookmark on one computer and then later open a previously-synced second computer, presuming sync is on both? Is the bookmark deleted on the second computer?

Community Answer

No, it is not deleted. In fact, it will be re-added to the first computer. I have three computers synced, and it is a real problem trying to mange bookmarks because of this "feature". There needs to be a way to make a "master" bookmark list that all the other synced computers sync to, but there doesn't appear to be a way to do that.
Question

If I sync several devices, can a hack in one affect the other devices?

Skooter1504

Community Answer

Only if the "hack" is synced to your account on the cloud as well.