BrowserProfile

BrowserProfile is a named collection of user data and preferences used by a web browser to separate session state from other profiles. Each profile typically includes cookies, history, bookmarks, saved passwords, autofill data, site permissions, extensions, and theme or layout settings. Profiles are stored in dedicated directories or containers within the browser's user data location, allowing multiple independent environments on the same device.

Chrome stores profiles inside the User Data directory as Profile N folders; Firefox uses profiles defined in profiles.ini; other browsers use similar mechanisms. Profiles enable isolation of cookies and local storage, so logging into different accounts or testing configurations can occur without cross-contamination.

Users can create, rename, or delete profiles via a profile manager, and switch between them. Some browsers support command-line options to launch with a specific profile or user data directory. In automated testing or development, profiles can be loaded through WebDriver options (e.g., ChromeOptions, FirefoxProfile) or by specifying a userDataDir in Playwright.

Security and privacy considerations accompany browser profiles, since each profile contains sensitive data such as passwords and authentication tokens. Access should be restricted and profiles should be protected through proper permissions, encryption, or isolation. When using shared devices, it is advisable to use separate profiles or guest sessions to minimize data leakage.

Common use cases include separating work and personal browsing, testing across configurations, running multiple accounts for automation, and preserving individualized settings across machines with synchronization features. The term BrowserProfile is widely used across browsers to describe this concept of per-user, per-environment configurations.