How to remove saved addresses from Firefox Autofill

If you're serious about privacy, don't allow Firefox to save and autofill your addresses.

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Firefox has the ability to remember quite a lot. This is especially true when you enable Autofill. For some, Autofill is quite the time-saver. For others, Autofill is considered little more than a security issue waiting to happen. Why? Because Autofill is capable of storing your addresses (thus keeping you from having to type that address every time a webform requires you fill it out).

And sometimes, Autofill will retain numerous addresses. Let's say, for example, you're at work and you need to fill out a form for your home address. Or you're at home and you need to fill out a form with your work address. You might not know, but Autofill could very easily have saved those addresses. That means anyone who has access to your browser, can track down either your home address or your work address (or any other address you've saved).

How do you get rid of those unwanted addresses? It's actually quite easy, once you know where to look. Let me show you how this is done.

SEE: 10 dangerous app vulnerabilities to watch out for (TechRepublic download)

How to edit or delete addresses in Firefox

Here's how to delete addresses in Firefox:

1. Open Firefox.
2. Click the Menu button.
   
3. Click Preferences.
   
4. Click Privacy & Security.
   
5. Scroll down to Forms And Autofill.
   
6. Click Saved Addresses.
   
7. Select an address to delete and click Remove (Figure A).
   

Figure A

Deleting an address from Autofill.

If you want to edit an address, select the address and click Edit. In the address edit window (Figure B), edit the address accordingly.

Figure B

Editing an Autofill address.

Once you've finished editing, click Save and you're done.

How to disable Autofill

If you've inadvertently enabled Autofill and would rather not allow Firefox to store those addresses, delete them all from the Autofill Address window, close the window, and then uncheck the box for Forms And Autofill (Figure C).

Figure C

Disabling Autofill on Firefox.

Once you've disabled the feature, Firefox will no longer save addresses, or attempt to automatically populate forms that require an address. 

Leaning into security

Although this might not seem an obvious path to browser security, if you're really serious about your privacy, you'll want to make sure and take care to delete all of those saved addresses and disable Forms And Autofill. Lean into your security as if you know exactly what's at stake.

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Image: Mozilla