Firefox Snap can't import data from Google Chrome

[Gabriel Gugik]

When I try to import Google Chrome data using the "Import Data", the following message appears:

Firefox couldn’t find any programs that contain bookmark, history or password data.

The problem appears to happen only on Firefox Snap. Importing just work as expected on Firefox downloaded direct from Mozilla website.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 24.04
Package: firefox 1:1snap1-0ubuntu5
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 6.8.0-31.31-generic 6.8.1
Uname: Linux 6.8.0-31-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_modeset nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.28.1-0ubuntu3
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Fri May 10 11:15:28 2024
InstallationDate: Installed on 2024-04-08 (32 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS "Noble Numbat" - Daily amd64 (20240407.2)
SnapChanges: no changes found
SourcePackage: firefox
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Paul White (paulw2u)]

I can confirm the reported issue using the following steps, in my case on Kubuntu 24.04.

  Bookmarks | Manage Bookmarks | Import and Backup | Import Data from Another Browser..

Changing status to confirmed.

[Amin Bandali (bandali)]

According to seb128, upstream was working on a solution to this via portals a while back[1], but I don't know about its current status; so I'll try following up with them to see if they may have any updates about it.

[1] https://forum.snapcraft.io/t/making-it-easier-to-migrate-data-from-other-browsers-into-firefox/36721/4

[Mike Conley (mconley)]

In bug 1818237, we added support for importing from a Chromium Snap install when Firefox is also installed as a Snap. We should also add support for importing from Chrome (and other non-Chrome browsers) that are NOT installed as Snaps when Firefox is installed as a Snap.

[Amin Bandali (bandali)]

Per checking with mconley from upstream, the aforementioned https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/1818237 was for addressing the use-case of allowing a Firefox snap installation to import bookmarks from a Chromium snap installation, and that work indeed landed in Firefox 120.

They've now opened a new bug https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/1903343 about adding support for importing bookmarks from Chrome (and other browsers) that are not installed as snaps when Firefox is installed as a snap.