Mozilla is working on Form Autofill for Firefox

Martin Brinkmann
Oct 3, 2016
Updated • Feb 5, 2017
Firefox
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11

Mozilla is currently working on bringing form autofill functionality to its Firefox web browser.

Firefox remembers form data by default that you enter on sites, but the browser does not ship with options to create profiles that you may use on any form you encounter while using the browser.

Firefox users may install extensions like Autofill Forms to add the functionality to the web browser though.

First suggested as a feature addition to Firefox in 2014, it appears that form autofill will soon come to the web browser.

Form Autofill for Firefox

firefox form autofill

A team has been formed to create a system add-on that adds the functionality to Firefox.  The main idea behind the feature is to add form profile functionality to Firefox.

Note: The feature is still in active development. Things may change, be removed, or the entire project may be canceled. I'll update the article to reflect any changes made in the future.

The main idea behind form autofill for Firefox is to add a profile-based form filling system to the web browser.

Firefox is all about customization, and this new add-on project falls right into that alley as well. Users may use it, for instance by accepting requests to save form data when they fill out forms on websites, or disable it entirely if they don't want to use it for whatever reason.

The team plans to add options to Firefox to manage form profiles in the browser. Managing includes viewing and editing existing profiles, creating new profiles, and deleting profiles.

The actual scope of which form data gets saved by the browser and which is not, is not set in stone completely. You can expect that the majority of people-specific information, such as the name, address or phone number, are supported while other data, credit card information, additional phone numbers or nicknames are likely not supported. This is subject to change however.

When Firefox users click on form data, Firefox will suggest existing autofill profiles automatically if the feature is enabled. The browser may alternatively suggest to save form data on submit to create new profiles.

It is unclear right now what type of controls will be available. For instance, can users block Firefox from suggesting to save information on select sites?

In case there is no form autofill profile available that matches the form, Firefox will look for regular form history data and suggest that instead.

Firefox users may disable form autofill under privacy in the browser preferences. Mozilla will add at least one option to the privacy page to disable form autofill in Firefox. There will be a button to manage saved profiles directly from there as well.

firefox disable form autofill

A click on that button opens all profiles. You may click on any profile there to open the profile's details. Apart from previewing information there, you may edit any field and save the updated data again.

Also, you may delete any profile previously created using the manage profile autofill option.

Closing Words

Google Chrome ships with form profiles that you may save data to if you have not disabled the feature.

Firefox users may appreciate the feature, even though it is already available in form of regularly add-ons for the browser.

One has to wonder why Mozilla is not bringing the best of an add-on that is already available to Firefox's core as it would probably mean freeing up development resources for other projects. Add-on authors would have to agree to this obviously but Mozilla could provide incentives to them as well.

Now You: Do you think it is a good thing to bring native form autofill functionality to Firefox?

 

Summary
Mozilla is working on Form Autofill for Firefox
Article Name
Mozilla is working on Form Autofill for Firefox
Description
Mozilla is currently working on bringing form autofill functionality to its Firefox web browser. that lets users save and use form profiles.
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Ghacks Technology News
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Comments

  1. Pikolo said on October 10, 2016 at 5:45 pm
    Reply

    I would actually request an opposite feature: a way of disabling the current form memory.. Seeing previous form entries list on Firefox mobile drives me nuts. Especially one site I use requires Captcha verification for comments posting, and for some reason FF thinks I want to use the previous answer there… because the previous entries are not connected with the current question.
    Form auto-fill is like autocorrect – it’s a disease. I DON’T want it. Or at least give me a way of disabling it, other than permanent incognito mode…

  2. TL said on October 3, 2016 at 10:34 pm
    Reply

    Nope. Convenience is usually the opposite of security. I’d rather they took up the cudgels of really, really useful Firefox (Chrome too) add-on ‘Lazarus: Form Recovery’ by Interclue which has not been updated for about a year and a half and will probably fall off the internet. Its’ save as you type function is brilliant and many people swear by it but they can’t even donate monies to keep it current even if they wanted to. Maybe Mozilla could combine it with auto-fill functions and set auto destruct?

    1. jggg said on May 26, 2017 at 5:05 pm
      Reply

      Lazarus was the most useful addon I had, and it would be nice if Mozilla incorporated it

  3. All Things Firefox said on October 3, 2016 at 9:31 pm
    Reply

    This was one of the things I missed when I switched from Chrome to Firefox. I’ve gotten used to not having it but it would be nice to have.

  4. kin said on October 3, 2016 at 5:54 pm
    Reply

    The thing about adding such a functionality this late in the game is that everyone needing it already uses an add-on(lastpass in my case) so when it will be added in FF, it will simply be another built-in function I’ll have to turn off. And over the years, I’ve found out that add-on devs are WAY more responsive to add features and fix bugs than moz developers are. Moz devs will snob you 9.8 times out of 10 and/or take 4 years to fix/improve a functionnality.

    1. anon said on October 4, 2016 at 11:28 am
      Reply

      >I’ve found out that add-on devs are WAY more responsive to add features and fix bugs than moz developers are.
      Because the add-on devs don’t have the same responsibility of satisfying the generality of users as well as other people (like the bosses) that the Mozilla devs have.

    2. George said on October 3, 2016 at 5:58 pm
      Reply

      You are correct…. I’ve got LastPast and I’m more than satisfied with it.

  5. George said on October 3, 2016 at 4:52 pm
    Reply

    Great idea. I’m currently using LastPass which is a password manager and also has auto-fill features. Been using for over 3 years and must say that it’s been an excellent choice. Haven’t had any issues and it works just fine. Just have to remember 1 password and that’s it. If any of you guys need a tool like this give it a try. You won’t be disappointed…..

    1. Trevor M said on October 5, 2016 at 10:24 pm
      Reply

      One issues with LastPass is security, they have really been lacking.
      https://www.reddit.com/r/netsec/comments/4utvyz/how_i_made_lastpass_give_me_all_your_passwords/

      1. George said on October 6, 2016 at 6:34 am
        Reply

        Hackers are prone to get into any password manager if they please so I must say that probably all password managers are exposed……. Never the less, LastPass is still one of the best…..

  6. Dave said on October 3, 2016 at 3:32 pm
    Reply

    This was in the Mozilla Suite in 2002…

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