Disable Firefox telemetry
- Linux onlyThis script improves your privacy on Linux
- Multiple actionsThis page belongs to a category, containing some changes with similar goal.
- Impact: Minimum
System Functionality / Data Loss Risk: Low
This action improves privacy with minimal impact when you run the recommended script.
- Bash (Shell script)These changes use Linux system commands to update your settings.
- 12 scripts
- 2 categories
- Sudo/root requiredThis script requires privilege access to do the system changes
- Fully reversible
You can fully restore this action (revert back to the original behavior) using this website.
The restore/revert methods provided here can help you fix issues.
Overview
By default, Firefox collects telemetry data 1. This data comprises two main categories: interaction data and technical data 1.
Interaction data includes metrics such as the number of open tabs and windows, the number of webpages visited, the number and type of installed Firefox Add-ons, session length, and interactions with features offered by Mozilla or third parties. These features may include Firefox search features and search partner referrals 1.
Technical data provides information about your Firefox version and language, device operating system and hardware configuration, memory, basic crash and error information, as well as the outcome of automated processes like updates and safe browsing 1.
Note that Firefox logs your personally identifiable IP address 1.
Sources
- Telemetry collection and deletion. Firefox Help. support.mozilla.org. (2022).
Original: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/telemetry-clientid
Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20220901045358/https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/telemetry-clientid
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Choose one of two ways to apply:
Normal — Everyday Privacy (Enterprise-Grade)
- Recommended for all
- Safe for daily use
- No impact on system stability
Read more about Normal and other protection levels
Help
How to apply or restore "Disable Firefox telemetry" using script
- ≈ 3 min to complete
- Tools: Web Browser
- Difficulty: Medium
- ≈ 5 instructions
- 1
Download
Download the script file by clicking on thebutton above.
Use button above to restore changes. - 2
Keep the file
If warned by your browser, keep the file. - 3
Open
Open the downloaded file. - 4
Exit
Once it's done, press any key to exit the window. - 5
Restart
Restart your computer for all changes to take effect.
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Help
How to apply or restore "Disable Firefox telemetry" using privacy.sexy
- ≈ 3 min to complete
- Tools: privacy.sexy
- Difficulty: Simple
- ≈ 4 instructions
- 2
Choose script
- Search for the category name: Disable Firefox telemetry
- Check the category by clicking on the checkbox of the category.
- 3
Run
Click on ▶️ Run button at the bottom of the page.This button only appears on desktop version (recommended). On browser, use 💾 Save button.
Explore This Guide
- 12 Privacy settings
- 2 Main categories
- These settings are organized into 2 main categories for easy navigation.
- Each main category contains subcategories, helping you find specific settings you might want to adjust.
- 2 Total categories
Choose what to protect based on your needs: Click any option to learn more about what it does. Each change can be applied and reversed individually.
- Some settings and commands may require technical knowledge to apply correctly.
- Most users find the Normal protection above sufficient.
Disable Firefox telemetry logs
Firefox logs telemetry information in various locations, such as the console and "stdout". This logged information reveals details about your usage pattern.
Disable Firefox telemetry pings
A telemetry ping refers to the data that Firefox transmits to Mozilla's Telemetry servers. It comes in different types and includes information collected by telemetry.
Disable collection of technical and interaction data in Firefox
This script alters the "datareporting.healthreport.uploadEnabled" preference, effectively disabling it. This preference regulates whether Firefox sends telemetry data. The script halts all data transmitted from Firefox to Mozilla via Telemetry, preventing Firefox from sending technical and interaction data to Mozilla. For reasons of military security, it's recommended by the U.S. government (NIST 800-53) that this data collection is disabled.: https://web.archive.org/web/20221015103136/https://b...
Disable detailed telemetry collection in Firefox
This script disables the "toolkit.telemetry.enabled" preference, which controls whether the Telemetry module is enabled. It's configured to be enabled in nightly, aurora, beta, or default (developer) builds. In release builds, however, it's set to false. This setting is hard-coded into the C++ code to prevent easy disabling. Developers have been approached about this issue, but have rejected proposals to unlock it. Mozilla's plan is to deprecate this setting eventually, followed by removal. This...
Disable archiving of Firefox telemetry
This script configures the "toolkit.telemetry.archive.enabled" preference to be disabled, thus preventing telemetry pings from being archived locally. For reasons of military security, the U.S. government (NIST 800-53) recommends disabling this setting.: https://web.archive.org/web/20221015104801/https://stigviewer.com/stig/mozilla_firefox/2020-12-10/finding/V-223171
Disable Firefox unified telemetry
This script is designed to disable the "toolkit.telemetry.unified" preference. If this preference is enabled, it results in two effects: 1. Firstly, telemetry will always be enabled and recording base data. 2. Secondly, additional main pings will be sent. This preference is enabled by default. The "toolkit.telemetry.unified" preference signifies whether the Telemetry system is operating in Unified mode or not. However, it's worth noting that this feature is planned to be phased out and is consid...
Clear Firefox telemetry user ID
Firefox uses "toolkit.telemetry.cachedClientID" as an identifier for the client and/or the user. This ID is static and is used to identify the user.
Similar Guides
Wider Goal
Guides below includes this guide to achieve a wider goal.See other more general settings that includes this one as one of its actions.
These plans combine multiple privacy settings, including this one, for stronger protection.
- Configure Firefox
- Configure programs
Mozilla Firefox, colloquially known as Firefox, is a free and open-source web browser created by the Mozilla Foundation and its subsidiary, the Mozilla Corporation...
These scripts configure third-party applications installed on Linux distributions to harden their security and privacy to protect your data. They scripts differ fr...
Same Goal
Other guides in Configure FirefoxSee settings that are in the same category as this guide.
Using other actions in the same category may help you achieve your goal better.
About the Creators
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- Assessed system impact and user privacy risks
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- Privacy enthusiasts and professionals peer-reviewed
- Millions of end-users tested across different environments
History
We continually monitor our guides, their impact and all other privacy options. We update our guides when new information becomes available. On every update, we publicly store who made the change, what has been changed, why the change was made and when the change was made.