---
title: "Creating multiple profiles in Firefox"
url: https://thecancerus.com/creating-multiple-profiles-in-firefox/
date: 2008-07-07
modified: 2008-07-07
author: "ican"
description: "Recently I decided to start playing with Firefox extensions, and I needed to create a DEV profile for myself. As usual I googled and found a good article on lifehacker..."
categories:
  - "Firefox download day"
  - "general"
tags:
  - "firefox"
  - "firefox3"
  - "frieofx tricks"
  - "multiple profiles"
  - "tips"
word_count: 301
---

# Creating multiple profiles in Firefox

Recently I decided to start playing with Firefox extensions, and I needed to create a DEV profile for myself.

As usual I googled and found [a good article on lifehacker by Gina Trapani](http://lifehacker.com/software/firefox/geek-to-live--manage-multiple-firefox-profiles-231646.php), I read it. I followed the steps mentioned and I realized that it is not working.

After some tinkering and guess work I found that article had one crucial step missing(may be not as article is almost year old, and things may have changed since).

So I thought I will quickly write those steps down, for every one.

### Step 1: Change the configuration

- Type "***about:config***" in Firefox address bar and press enter.

> [![about:config](http://thecancerus.com/wp-content/about_config.thumbnail.png)](http://thecancerus.com/wp-content/about_config.png)

- Click "I'll be careful, I promise" button. On next screen type "***profile***" in filter bar.

[![profile manage option in about:config](http://thecancerus.com/wp-content/about_config_profile.png)](http://thecancerus.com/wp-content/about_config_profile.png)

- Double click "***profile.manage_only_at_launch***" to set it to true.
- Close the Firefox web browser.

Now you can continue to follow the steps mentioned in lifehacker article.

For your convenience I have mentioned further steps below.

### Step 2: Start profile manager

- Go to command prompt and type ***firefox.exe --profilemanger*** and press enter.

> [![starting firefox with profile manager](http://thecancerus.com/wp-content/profilemanager.PNG)](http://thecancerus.com/wp-content/profilemanager.PNG)

- This will start Firefox profile manager

> [![Firefox profile manager](http://thecancerus.com/wp-content/profile_manager.png)](http://thecancerus.com/wp-content/profile_manager.png)

- Now you can create  a new profile.

### Additional Useful Tips (From lifehacker article)

- You can bypass the step to choose profile every time you start Firefox by creating a shortcut for each profile.
[![shortcut for running multiple profiles of firefox](http://thecancerus.com/wp-content/shortcut.png)](http://thecancerus.com/wp-content/shortcut.png)
Simply add ***-p profilename** *at end of you shortcut(as shown in the picture above), where *profilename* is name of the profile that you want to load.
- If you want to load Firefox with different profiles together then add ***-no-remote** *as well, at the end of you shortcut.
- If you like to use 'run' a lot, then you can simply create a shortcut in windows directory, give that shortcut a short and sweet name. You can then use this name to start the Firefox with selected profile, by typing it in run window.

> [![Shortcut in windows directory](http://thecancerus.com/wp-content/run_shortcut.png)](http://thecancerus.com/wp-content/run_shortcut.png)