Profiles - an option to password-protect each profile

[Reda2026]

Regarding profiles creation, I suggest adding an option to password-protect each profile. This would be much better than (about: Profiles), which is also a password-free profile.

[kamaila]

Firefox should integrate profile locking directly into the browser. It would be a very useful feature, especially for households where the same PC is shared by multiple family members. This would allow each user to have their own private space and keep their personal information secure.

Additionally, it would be a great idea to include a dedicated Kids Profile. This profile could be linked to a parent's Firefox account, allowing them to monitor their child's activity, manage screen time, and control which websites are allowed or blocked, providing a safer browsing experience for children.

[Toad-Hall]

It would be a very useful feature, especially for households where the same PC is shared by multiple family members. This would allow each user to have their own private space and keep their personal information secure.

It already exists. It has existed for decades.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/identity-signin/manage-user-accounts-in-windows

All PC's have the ability to create User Accounts.  In new Windows 11 computers you may be forced to create a Microsoft Account at the start, but you do not have to use it. 

Create computer 'User Accounts'.

All computer 'User Accounts' can have a password chosen by that user, so others cannot access it.

It's usual to set up a User Account for each person if privacy is required where several people share a computer.

You can also create a 'Guest' User Account that does not have a password, so if someone outside of family or youngster needs access then it's available.

The person who has the User Account set up as Admin can control what programs etc are used in various User Accounts.

Thunderbird can be installed on computer and it can run in all User Accounts as if a separate entity.

Thunderbird creates profile for facilitating creating mail accounts and reading emails etc and it's data is contained within the computer User Account.

You would need to know the 'User Account' password in order to launch Thunderbird in that User Account and to see profile and emails etc. That also means any other documents you create or attachments you save to computer, are also in that User Account. 

Kiddies access - this is off topic.

A browser does have History, so you can easily check what was searched and viewed. 

If you use Microsoft account then  this might be useful:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/family-safety/set-screen-time-limits-across-devices

But do be aware that many kids are tech savvy.

If they are too young to be trusted then do not expose them to the internet unless supervised.

[kamaila]

I am not referring to operating system user accounts (Windows, Linux, or macOS), but rather to Firefox's own browser profiles. In the same way that platforms such as Netflix, Disney+, and Spotify allow users to create separate profiles protected by a password or PIN, I believe Firefox could offer a similar feature.

If profile separation depended solely on operating system user accounts, then the question becomes: what is the purpose of implementing browser profiles in the first place?

I understand that this feature is primarily intended to separate work environments, projects, or different accounts within a single Firefox installation. However, in a home environment, those same profiles could allow each family member to have their own personal space, with their own browsing history, bookmarks, extensions, and settings, while preventing others from accidentally accessing or modifying their information.

In other words, Firefox profiles already provide data separation. What I believe is missing is the ability to protect each profile with its own password or PIN before it can be opened, much like how user profiles work on many streaming platforms.  @Toad-Hall 

[Toad-Hall]

If profile separation depended solely on operating system user accounts, then the question becomes: what is the purpose of implementing browser profiles in the first place?

Answer : 

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profile-management

But it seems you may have already read that information 

I understand that this feature is primarily intended to separate work environments, projects, or different accounts within a single Firefox installation.

But then you say :

However, in a home environment, those same profiles could allow each family member to have their own personal space, with their own browsing history, bookmarks, extensions, and settings, while preventing others from accidentally accessing or modifying their information.

As previously mentioned that is precisely why the computer offers User Accounts. So each family member can have their own personal space etc. So profiles do not get accidentally modified etc.   Otherwise another option to consider at this point in time - you could create a General user profile and set it up as the default profile to use whenever you start Firefox. That would force people to select a specific profile to actually use as their own. It might make people think about what they are using. It could help to stop accidentally altering something like clearing out all bookmarks.  It just means if you walk away from computer remember to exit Firefox or reset back to default profile. But users should be using their own User Account if there is a genuine concern about data.

[B3LL0W0]

Feature Request: Password-protected user profiles and sub-profiles in Firefox

Hello Firefox team! I would love to suggest a new feature that would greatly improve organization and privacy for shared computers. It would be amazing if Firefox had a profile system with internal subdivisions, where each profile or subdivision could be protected by a password.

For example, if multiple people use the same PC, I could have my main profile (e.g., "Lucas") locked with a password, and inside it, create subdivisions (like "Work", "Study", "Personal"), each with the option to add individual passwords as well. This would give users much better control over their privacy, history, and workspace organization. Thank you for listening to the community!

[Jon]

(Note: similar ideas have been merged into this thread)

[Psydrmic]

Feature Request: Password Protection for Individual Mozilla Firefox Profiles

I would like to suggest a new security feature for Mozilla Firefox: the ability to protect each browser profile with a password.

Currently, Firefox allows users to create multiple profiles to separate their browsing activities, bookmarks, browsing history, cookies, and saved login sessions. However, there is no built-in option to require a password before accessing a specific profile.

This can create a serious privacy risk when someone else uses your computer. For example, if a friend or family member opens Firefox while you are logged in to your accounts, they could potentially access your Gmail, banking services, social media accounts, and other sensitive information.

My proposal is to introduce an optional password protection system for individual Firefox profiles.

Here is how it could work:

• Password protection: Users could set a unique password for each Firefox profile.
• Authentication at startup: When someone attempts to open a protected profile, Firefox would request its password before granting access.
• Independent security: Each profile could have its own password, allowing users to separate personal browsing, banking, professional activities, and other sensitive information.
• Automatic locking: Users could configure a profile to lock automatically after a period of inactivity or when Firefox is closed.
• Profile privacy: Protected profiles would remain hidden or locked in the profile selector until the correct password is entered.
• Recovery options: Users could configure a secure recovery method to avoid permanently losing access to their profiles.

This feature would be particularly useful for people who share a computer with family members, friends, roommates, or colleagues.

Privacy should not depend entirely on trusting everyone who has access to your computer. Users should have the ability to control access to their individual browsing environments without needing to create separate operating-system accounts.

I believe this feature would strengthen Firefox's reputation as a privacy-focused browser and provide users with an additional layer of protection for their digital identities.

My suggestion to Mozilla: Add an optional, built-in password protection feature for individual Firefox profiles.

Thank you for considering this idea.

[Jon]

(Note: similar ideas have been merged into this thread)