places.sqlite used by Firefox 57 is no longer compatible with Firefox 52, so I'm not sure if you can recover the history.

Did Firefox rename places.sqlite to places.sqlite.corrupt?

You can use the button on the "Help -> Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page to go to the current Firefox profile folder or use the about:profiles page.

• Help -> Troubleshooting Information -> Profile Directory:
  Windows: Show Folder; Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox

Hi, thank you for your quick response. Firefox has both places.sqlite and places.sqlite.corrupt files. What would you recommend I do? Thank you

See this thread:

• /questions/1187781 History dissappeared after forced upgrade and subsequent downgrade

Hi, thank you very much! The above thread explains all AND IT WORKS!!!!!! ***Before doing anything, please back up/save your current browsing history.*** Please check if you have any files named "places.sqlite" or "places.sqlite.corrupt" under Firefox profile. For this to work, you need a file named "places.sqlite.corrupt". Read on for more information regarding how to access the Firefox profile. (I was experiencing issues with addons so I changed from Firefox Qantum 57 to Firefox 52 ESR in the hope that my old addons would work. (By doing this, I lost my 6 month browsing history from Firefox 57.) Since my addons were not working I uninstalled Firefox 52 ESR and reinstalled Firefox Qantum 57.0.3. In order to retrieve the lost history, please click on the Firefox menu, scroll down and click on Help, then click on Troubleshooting information. This opens a page titled Troubleshooting information and on this page under Application Basics you will find Profile Folder. Please click on "Open Folder" which is to the right of the subheading Profile Folder. This opens a page displaying Firefox Profiles. Your next step is to close Firefox completely before proceeding as the solution will not work if Firefox is still open. The Firefox Profiles displays folders and files in alphabetical order. Now scroll down and locate a file named "places.sqlite" and under this is another file named "places.sqlite.corrupt." Now right click on the file name "places.sqlite" and rename to whatever you like. I decided to rename to "FF Browsing history". A message displays that by renaming this file it may be unusable but I proceeded with the rename. I also renamed the file "places.sqlite.corrupt" to "places.sqlite". **Make sure that there is only one file named "places.sqlite" so if there are more than one, please rename the existing files.** Next I open Firefox and check my history and my lost history of 6 months has been restored. Please keep in mind that the browsing history from the the original places.sqlite (which has now been renamed as "FF Browsing history") will not be available when you open Firefox history now as that file has been renamed, so either save or back up your current history before renaming this file.