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LibreWolf: Using a librewolf.overrides.cfg file to store your favorite settings

Page created: 2026-10-26

As I demonstrated in my initial LibreWolf notes a year ago, it’s really easy to make LibreWolf work like a "de-crapified" Firefox with a few checkboxes in the brower’s main "Settings" interface.

A year later, I’m using a config file rather than manual settings for two reason:

  1. I to set up new machines quite often. I like having portable config files.

  2. LibreWolf seems to randomly forget the "Ask to save passwords" and "Fill Usernames and passwords automatically" settings when I set them manually.

The config file uses JavaScript syntax so I’m using "//" style comments.

Creating and testing a librewolf.overrides.cfg file

I’m not going to list all of the paths where LibreWolf might find the config file because that list will likely become out of date eventually. So go to the official docs for that:

https://librewolf.net/docs/settings/

In my case, the correct path to this new file was:

$HOME/.librewolf/librewolf.overrides.cfg

But the important thing to keep in mind is that this file does not already exist. LibreWolf never creates this file. You need to create it yourself.

Because LibreWolf might look in different places for this file depending on the distribution and installation method, it can be hard to tell if your config has actually been found.

So here’s my trick. Create your own setting:

// Make sure we've actually loaded file!
pref("librewolf.cfg.my_version", "20261026");

Then I can search for it in about:config and there it is:

Screenshot shows about:config with my custom value loaded.

My current settings as an example

Here’s what I’ve got at the moment:

// Dave's LibreWolf config.
//
// This file uses JavaScript syntax.
//
// defaultPref() - sets the default, but user can override.
// pref()        - enforces the setting as if user set it.

// Make sure we've actually loaded this file!
pref("librewolf.cfg.my_version", "20261026");

// Ask if we want to run WebGL
pref("librewolf.webgl.prompt", true);

// Enable firefox sync
pref("identity.fxaccounts.enabled", true);

// Don't try to restore after a crash
pref("browser.sessionstore.resume_from_crash", false);

// Stay logged in (with cookies and storage) between sessions
pref("privacy.clearOnShutdown_v2.cookiesAndStorage", false);

// Use passwords and autofill forms
pref("signon.rememberSignons", true);
pref("signon.autofillForms", true);

Keep on howlin', my friends!

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