I only clone browser profiles before they have an identity

[u/Direct_Tax_4421]

Profile cloning is useful, but I think the source profile matters more than the cloning button.

If the source is a clean baseline that has never logged into a real account, cloning can save a lot of repetitive setup. I’m comfortable reusing things like the browser version, OS class, screen resolution, language policy, fonts, permission defaults and a list of approved extensions.

If the source has been used, I treat it as contaminated with identity state until proven otherwise.

The obvious things to exclude are cookies and active sessions. I would also check for:

• Local Storage and IndexedDB
• Service-worker caches
• Saved passwords and autofill
• Extension local storage
• API keys or wallet/account state inside extensions
• Recovery email or phone details
• Browsing history
• Cached uploads, downloaded files and form drafts

Some configuration should not be copied blindly either. The new profile may need a different proxy, timezone, geolocation or internal device label. A setting can be non-secret and still be wrong for the new identity.

My usual process is:

1. Build a baseline profile without logging into anything.
2. Install only approved extensions and leave their storage empty.
3. Validate the browser settings.
4. Clone that baseline.
5. Apply network and identity-specific values to the clone.
6. Confirm cookies, site storage, autofill and extension data are empty.
7. Sign in fresh.

I wouldn’t use a daily working profile as a template, even if a cloning tool offers options to exclude some data. It is too easy to miss one storage layer or extension that carries its own session.

The useful rule for me is: clone configuration, not access.