The RescueTime Browser Plugin does not work with my custom privacy/cookie settings in Firefox or Chrome
In order for the RescueTime browser extension to function properly when using custom browser security settings in Firefox or Chrome, the domain of both the add-on and the RescueTime website need to be added to the list of cookie exceptions. The extension uses localStorage to store its configuration data, and also uses the rescuetime.com login cookies to magically "sign in", both of which are necessary to activate the plugin. Browsers treat localStorage the same way they treat cookies, so disabling cookies from websites also disables the plugin from accessing localStorage. Below are steps for dealing with this issue:
In Firefox:
1. Navigate to about:debugging#/runtime/this-firefox and locate the “RescueTime for Firefox” add-on in the list. Here you will see an “Internal UUID”, or unique identifier, for the add-on, which is needed to create the domain name that will be added to the whitelist of cookie exceptions. Copy this UUID to the clipboard, it will be used later in Step 3.
2. Navigate to about:preferences#privacy and scroll down to the “Cookies and Site Data” section. Click Manage Exceptions
3. This will open the "Exceptions - Cookies and Site Data" popup window. Add the following website addresses to your list of exceptions, making sure to click Allow (Please note: never choose Allow for Session).
- https://www.rescuetime.com
- https://api.rescuetime.com
- moz-extension://THE-INTERNAL-UUID-COPIED-FROM-STEP-1
4. Click Save Changes, and the browser add-on should allow you to activate normally. By signing into www.rescuetime.com, the add-on will detect your login, and the exclamation point on the icon should disappear.
In Google Chrome:
1. Navigate to chrome://extensions/ and locate the "Developer Mode" toggle at the top right-hand corner of the window. Toggle this switch to the "on" setting.
2. Next, locate the " RescueTime for Chrome and Chrome OS" panel and click Details.
3. Locate the " ID" of the extension, highlight it, and copy it to the clipboard. You'll be using this ID in Step 5.
4. Navigate to chrome://settings/cookies and locate the section "Sites that can always use cookies", then click Add.
5. Add the following website addresses to your list of exceptions, making sure to leave all checkboxes unchecked:
- www.rescuetime.com
- api.rescuetime.com
- chrome-extension://THE-ID-COPIED-FROM-STEP-3
6. The browser extension should now allow you to activate normally. By signing into www.rescuetime.com, the extension will detect your login, and the exclamation point on the icon should disappear