Extract text from Firefox backup files (FBU)
To convert FBU backups to another format, you need FEBE or other Backup software.
To convert other file formats to the "Browser Profile Backup" file type, you need software like FEBE or a similar tool.
A .fbu file is primarily a FEBE Firefox Backup file, utilized to store a complete, offline snapshot of a user's web browser profile. In certain database environments, the extension is also used as a backup file for Firebird SQL. For everyday web users, these files traditionally function as a packed archive containing bookmarks, browsing history, saved passwords, and legacy browser add-ons.
These backups were generated by the FEBE (Firefox Environment Backup Extension), a once-popular utility for Mozilla Firefox. However, this proprietary format presents severe modern disadvantages. When Mozilla moved to the WebExtensions API in 2017, the FEBE add-on was permanently discontinued. Today, modern web browsers cannot open, read, or restore .fbu files natively, effectively locking users out of their historical backup data.
Because the original software is obsolete, converting or extracting the data is the only realistic recovery path. Fortunately, browser-based .fbu files are simply standard ZIP archives under the hood. The most practical solution is to convert or extract the .fbu file into a ZIP folder. Once unpacked, you can recover the raw components, which usually include JSON files for bookmarks and SQLITE databases for history and settings. Note that while you regain access to the raw data, you cannot automatically "click to restore" the entire profile into a modern browser.
Opening this file format natively is difficult because the .fbu extension is not registered to archive tools by default, causing the operating system to throw an "unknown file" error. Standard online converters also fail because they do not recognize the legacy extension. This is where convert.guru steps in. Just drag and drop your file to see what it is and convert it if supported. Our platform can instantly identify the underlying ZIP structure, inspect the internal contents, and help you safely extract the embedded files without needing to hunt down outdated, unsupported software.
Convert.Guru analyzes your FBU file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted JSONLZ4, RDF, PART and RWF files.
If you want to convert FBU file to RWF, BAK, BACKUP, OLD, TMP, TEMP, ARC, ZIP, TAR, GZ, 7Z or RAR, you can use FEBE or similar software from the "Browser Profile Backup Archive" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert SNAPSHOT, OLD, IMG, RESTORE, ISO, COPY, VMDK, TMP, VHD, BAK, ARCHIVE or BACKUP files to FBU, try FEBE or another comparable tool in the "Browser Profile Backup Archive" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our FBU converter.