Why are settings for routinely deleting cookies in two different areas of settings?
In Firefox>Privacy and Security, there are two very similar looking settings regarding routine cookie destruction:
Cookies and Site Data>check Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed. Manage Permissions [A site list with Block, Allow, Allow for Session]
History>Firefox will Use custom settings for History>Clear history when Firefox closes. Settings: check Cookies
My current understanding is that Cookies and Site Data potentially provides exclusions from the cookie carnage, whereas the History setting per above would delete all cookies. Is this correct as far as it goes? What I keep wondering is why the topic of cookie destruction when closing cannot be handled in one area of the Settings layout, instead of in two different areas.
Chosen solution
What you set via "Clear history when Firefox closes" are specific actions for when you close Firefox. This override actions you set in other sections. Another example is session restore regarding tabs and pinned tabs and clearing the browsing history via "Clear history when Firefox closes". Clearing the history this way disables Session Restore and you lose your pinned tabs.
Using "Clear history when Firefox closes" to clear Cookies and possibly Site Preferences clears all the cookies, so you shouldn't use this if you want to keep specific cookies.
- clearing "Site Preferences" clears exceptions for cookies, images, pop-up windows, and software installation and exception for password and other website specific data
- clearing "Cookies" will remove selected cookies including cookies with an allow exception you may want to keep
You can let the cookies expire when Firefox is closed to make them session cookies instead of using "Clear history when Firefox closes" to clear all cookies including cookies with an allow exception you may want to keep.
- Options/Preferences -> Privacy & Security
Cookies and Site Data: [ ] "Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed"
You can create a cookie allow exception and use "Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed" to let cookies without allow exception expire when Firefox is closed.
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What you set via "Clear history when Firefox closes" are specific actions for when you close Firefox. This override actions you set in other sections. Another example is session restore regarding tabs and pinned tabs and clearing the browsing history via "Clear history when Firefox closes". Clearing the history this way disables Session Restore and you lose your pinned tabs.
Using "Clear history when Firefox closes" to clear Cookies and possibly Site Preferences clears all the cookies, so you shouldn't use this if you want to keep specific cookies.
- clearing "Site Preferences" clears exceptions for cookies, images, pop-up windows, and software installation and exception for password and other website specific data
- clearing "Cookies" will remove selected cookies including cookies with an allow exception you may want to keep
You can let the cookies expire when Firefox is closed to make them session cookies instead of using "Clear history when Firefox closes" to clear all cookies including cookies with an allow exception you may want to keep.
- Options/Preferences -> Privacy & Security
Cookies and Site Data: [ ] "Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed"
You can create a cookie allow exception and use "Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed" to let cookies without allow exception expire when Firefox is closed.