My choices, followed items or settings are not remembered
On this page
4Search keeps your choices, theme and lists in your browser, so when something is not remembered, the cause is nearly always the browser or one of your choices. This page lists the causes, most likely first.
#First, check the privacy panel
Open the privacy panel with the shield button at the bottom left, or Manage choices on the banner. Look at Saved preferences.
- If it is off, 4Search is not keeping lists. Turn it on and select Save choices. Anything deleted earlier does not come back, so follow the items again. See Saved preferences.
- If there is no Saved preferences switch, this site has nothing to save.
#Why things disappear
| What you notice | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The banner appears again on each visit, or on every page | The browser is not keeping this site's data. Private or incognito windows forget it when they close, some browsers clear it when you close them, and blocked storage forgets it at once | Use a normal window. In your browser's privacy settings, allow this site to keep its data. See What stays in your browser, and how to clear it |
| The theme goes back to Hybrid | The same: site data was cleared, or you are in a private window | Choose your theme again, in a normal window. See Choose Hybrid, Light or Dark |
| Followed stocks, topics, places or markets are gone | Saved preferences was turned off or you chose Reject non-essential, which deletes them; or the site's data was cleared | Turn on Saved preferences and follow again |
| Your home place or units in Weather reset | The home place is a cookie. Blocking cookies, clearing cookies or turning off Saved preferences removes it. Without Saved preferences, units last only until you close the browser | Set them again. See Set a home place and choose your units |
| Items are there on one device and not on another | Lists stay in the browser where you made them and are not synced | Follow them again on the other device |
| Items are there on one 4Search site and not on a sister site | Each site in the 4 Network keeps its own data | Set up each site you use |
| New items will not save | The list may be full | Remove one first. See the limits in Follow stocks, topics, places and more |
| A Following page says it could not load your list just now | A temporary problem fetching the page. Your list is still in your browser | Wait a minute and reload |
#If your choices will not stick
Choose Allow All, then open another page on the site. If the banner is back, your browser is discarding the site's data. Check these:
- Are you in a private or incognito window? Open a normal window.
- Does your browser clear cookies and site data when it closes? Turn that off for this site, or add the site as an exception.
- Is a privacy extension or a strict tracking setting blocking storage? Allow this site.
4Search still works without storage. It cannot remember, so it asks again.
#Common questions
Why does 4Search ask me about cookies every time?
The browser forgot your choice. Private windows, automatic clearing and blocked storage cause that. See the table above.
I turned Saved preferences back on. Where is my list?
Turning Saved preferences off deletes what it kept, and turning it on again does not bring it back. Follow the items again.
Can I recover a list I lost?
No. There is no copy on 4Search's side, because lists are kept only in your browser. Saved map places can be downloaded from the Saved view in Maps if you made a download earlier.
My lists are fine, but the page looks different.
Check the theme button at the top right. The theme is separate from your lists.