Tag: firefox

Firefox

First look at Firefox’s new Tab Previews feature

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Tab previews allow you to hover over open tabs in the Firefox web browser to get a preview of the page’s content. Mozilla added the functionality into Firefox Nightly this week. Reason enough to take a look at the feature.

Tab Previews are only available in Firefox Nightly at the time of writing. The feature is disabled by default, but you may enable it.

This is done by setting the preference browser.tabs.cardPreview.enabled to true on about:config. A restart of the Firefox web browser completes the process.

Tip: you may set this feature to off in Firefox Stable later on to turn off tab previews. This restores Firefox’s display of the page title and URL then when you hover over a tab.

How Tab Previews work in Firefox

Hover over any open tab in Firefox and you see a thumbnail of the page after 1 second. The snapshot displays a screenshot of the top of the page. In other words, it ignores the actual position on the page.

It may look cut off as well, as you can see on the screenshot above. Still, hover over any tab and you do get a preview of the page.

Tab previews is a handy feature at times, especially if you have multiple tabs with the same title open. Think ten eBay auctions that have similar titles.

The 1 second delay is set by Mozilla. There is a preference that supposedly changes it, but it does not seem work right now. Check browser.tabs.cardPreview.delayMs on about:config to change the delay.

Comparison to Google Chrome

Firefox is not the only web browser that introduced support for tab previews recently. Google’s Chrome browser displays tab previews as well now in the Stable version.

Hover over any tab in Chrome and you get a screenshot preview of the tab. Google displays the same information as Firefox plus a tab’s memory usage.

There is one difference though. Firefox displays a screenshot of the top of the webpage all the time. Google Chrome, however, displays a screenshot of the actual position on the webpage.

It is possible that Firefox’s tab previews feature will also support this in the future. It is in development and it may change in the future though.

Closing Words

Not every browser user likes tab previews. It should be easy enough to turn these off in Firefox once they land in stable.

Now You: tab previews, yay or nay?

Firefox

Firefox 122 for Android launches with secret local add-on install option

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Mozilla released Firefox 122 for the desktop and for Android a few days ago. The desktop release was a light release. The highlight was a new -.deb package release for Linux users.

The Firefox 122 for Android release, on the other hand, introduced several improvements that are noteworthy. The official release notes list just a few of them.

The new mobile version of Firefox is already available. Mozilla lists just three of the improvements on its website:

  • The option to set Firefox as the default PDF reader on Android.
  • Support for Global Privacy Control. This is off in regular browsing mode by default, but users may enable the feature under Settings > Enhanced Tracking Protection > Tell websites not to share & sell data.
  • Firefox reports Android 10 as the operating system to reduce “user fingerprinting information” and “website compatibility issues.

Global Privacy Control may require an explanation. This relatively new initiative aims to move user consent from websites and services to the browser. It informs website operators that the user does not give it the right to sell or share personal information.

How to enable local add-on installations in Firefox 122 for Android

Firefox 122 Android

Mozilla changed its mind in regards to add-ons support. For some time, Firefox Stable for Android supported only a few dozen extensions. While these were some of the most popular add-ons for Firefox, it limited users significantly.

This changed last year when Mozilla unlocked full extensions support. Over 700 extensions are now available for Firefox.

Tip: check out these tips for extensions use in Firefox for Android.

A new change is the ability to install local extensions. It is a great option for developers and to integrate extensions that are not available officially yet.

It is necessary to unlock the Debug menu first. This is done by opening Menu > Settings > About Firefox. Tap five times on the Firefox logo on the page that opens to enable the Debug menu.

A new “Install add-on from file” option is added to the browser’s main settings page afterwards.

Select the option to display a file browser. Use it to pick the add-on that you want to install. Note that it needs to be stored locally already before you use the functionality.

Other improvements in Firefox 122 for Android

Sören Hentzschel published a list of additional features that Mozilla did not mention in the release notes. These are:

  • Cookie Banner Blocking supports Consent Management Provider (CPMs). This adds support for several widely used solutions to display cookie banners.
  • Audio Sandbox is now also active in Firefox for Android.
  • Firefox users may report add-ons to Mozilla now.

Closing Words

Firefox 122 for Android improves support for extensions further. The option to install add-ons from file in the stable version improves development and gives users of the browser additional options.

Not everyone needs these, as the list of add-ons grows significantly each week currently.

Now You: do you use Firefox on Android or another browser?

Freedom

Firefox for Android Extensions: 5 Tips

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

The road towards a full extension ecosystem in Firefox for Android was long and difficult. Mozilla Firefox for Android supported the majority of desktop extensions for a long time. This changed when Mozilla switched from Firefox’s own native extensions system to the one used by Google Chrome and Chromium.

Suddenly, users of Firefox for Android could install just a handful of extension. While the selection included popular extensions, it reduced the extensibility of the browser significantly. Development editions were not as limited, but it still was complicated to install extensions that were not selected by default.

Mozilla did add more extensions over time to Firefox for Android, but the selection remained limited.

This changed with an announcement earlier this year that Mozilla planned to unlock extensions in Firefox for Android. An update on December 14th, 2023 brought the much awaited change to the stable version of Firefox.

Firefox users may now browse more than 500 extensions for the Android version of the browser already. This is a ten-fold increase over the situation on December 13th, 2023.

While that is still miles away from the thousands of extensions for desktop Firefox, it is a great start and something that sets Firefox apart from its main competitors. Chromium-based browsers, including Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Vivaldi, do not support extensions in mobile versions.

Firefox for Android Extension Tips

Here are five extensions that I use in Firefox for Android. They improve the browser in several meaningful ways. Feel free to post your extensions in the comment section below and let me know whether you agree or disagree with my selection.

A remark on YouTube. I use a third-party app to watch YouTube, and don’t need any extension therefore in Firefox for that. If you watch YouTube videos in Firefox you may find ad skipping extensions and others useful.

Extension 1: uBlock Origin

There is no doubt about this, uBlock Origin is a must have extension for Firefox for Android. It blocks advertisement and tracking, which leads to all kinds of positive effects: faster page load times, improved privacy, improved security, less distractions, improved battery load and performance.

Extension 2: Bitwarden

Bitwarden is a popular password manager. While there are others, it is open source, available for various platforms and free to use without any impairing functionality limitations. The paid version is relatively cheap at $10 per year and highly recommended to support the project.

Extension 3: Single File

Single File adds support for saving entire webpages as a single file on the Android device. It is useful to save a local copy of a webpage either for safekeeping or offline access. It is also useful if you fear that the content may change in the future.

Extension 4: Dark Reader

Dark Reader brings a dark mode to any website, even those that don’t support it. It comes with lots of customization options to make dark mode work exactly the way you want.

Extension 5: Reddit Annoyances

Reddit Annoyances deals with Reddit’s attempt to get users to use the app instead of a mobile browser. It blocks those, which makes browsing Reddit in Firefox much nicer. One reason for using Firefox is that it will block ads on Reddit, if you have installed a content blocker. Only useful if you visit Reddit, e.g., from search results.

Also useful in this regard: Old Reddit Redirect.

Now You: do you use extensions in mobile browsers?

How to block Firefox from importing OS Certificate Authorities

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Mozilla’s Firefox web browser maintains its own root certificate store by default. The browser uses these as “trust anchors” and the functionality is essential for making sure that only trusted SSL/TLS certificates are used by the browser.

Starting in Firefox 120, Firefox will automatically trust operating sysdtem certificates installed by the user or an administrators.

The beta release notes offer the following explanation:

By default, Firefox now uses TLS trust anchors (e.g., certificates) added to the operating system by the user or an administrator. This works on Windows, macOS, and Android, and it can be turned off in the “Privacy & Security” section of Firefox settings, under “Certificates”.

Administrators may add certificates to the operating system for a number of reasons. Some applications and devices may require them to work properly, and they may also be required in development environments. Antivirus solutions on Windows may try and register with Firefox to monitor data.

Blocking Firefox from trusting OS certificates

Firefox block third-party root certificates installed by the user

Firefox users may disable the functionality in Firefox 120 and newer versions. It is enabled by default. To modify this setting, follow these instructions:

  1. Load about:preferences#privacy in the Firefox address bar to open the Privacy settings.
  2. Scroll down to the Security section.
  3. Locate Certificates there.
  4. Remove the checkmark from “Allow Firefox to automatically trust third-party root certificates you install”.

You can undo the change at any time by checking the box again.

Another certificate preference

Firefox supports an Enterprise root preference already. When the browser runs into a TLS connection error, it will enable this Enterprise Roots preference automatically. This imports “any root certificate authorities” that users or administrators have added to the operating system.

Firefox tries to connect again to the site that threw the error. If successful, Firefox will keep the preference enabled and thus also the imported certificates.

Here is how this automatic behavior gets disabled:

  • Load about:config in the Firefox address bar.
  • Click “Accept the Risk and Continue” if the warning page is displayed.
  • Search for security.certerrors.mitm.auto_enable_enterprise_roots.
  • Change the value from True to False with a double-click or by using the button.
  • Search for security.enterprise_roots.enabled.
  • Change the value from True to False.
  • Restart the Firefox web browser.

Closing Words

Most Firefox users may want to keep the default as these are designed to minimize connection errors and issues. Users who want to be in full control may disable the functionality, on the other hand.

Firefox will get Early Hints support

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Mozilla plans to integrate support for Early Hints in the Firefox web browser. The feature may improve the time it takes to load webpages by up to 30% according to early studies.

Cloudflare announced Early Hints back in 2021 as a novel way to speed up the loading of webpages. Then, in 2022, the company announced a collaboration with Google and Shopify to establish Early Hints.

Early Hints explained

Whenever a user instructs a browser to open a webpage, some time is spend waiting. Some of the wait time depends on the user’s Internet connection and the website’s servers.

When a browser connects to a site, it requires instructions to know what to render and which resources it needs to fetch. The server provides the instructions. Often, servers require a bit of time to generate the list that they need for their response to the browser.

Traditionally, during that time, browsers don’t do anything. This changes with the introduction of Early Hints. Think of the feature as a way for the server to tell the browser where to start right away.

Instead of waiting for the full list of instructions and resources, the feature gives the browser some instructions. The browser may then use the information to start processing data, even before all instructions are provided by the server.

Early Hints is a web standard that defines the HTTP status code 103. You can read the linked blog posts for additional technical details.

Web Browser Support

Early Hints Test Page

Google implemented Early Hints support in Chrome 103 and Apple introduced support in Safari 17. Chromium-based browsers should also support the feature by and large.

You can point your browser to this page to find out if it supports the feature.

Mozilla Firefox will soon support the new technology as well. Mozilla confirmed this on Bugzilla. There, Mozilla writes:

The early-hints-preconnect showed overall positive results and we would like to enable Early Hints preconnect in the next version. An experiment on Early Hint preload will follow.

It looks as if Firefox 120 will support Preconnect only and that the full feature, Preload, will be introduced at a later point in time.

Closing Words

The integration in Firefox ensures support for Early Hints in all major browsers. While it will take a bit of time before the full feature lands in Firefox, Firefox users may notice speed improvements in Firefox 120 already. Firefox 120 looks to be a big release, as it will also block cookie banners.

Firefox 120 will block cookie banners, but only in Germany

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Mozilla plans to enable cookie banner blocking in Firefox 120, but initially only in Germany. Other regions will follow at later point in time. Firefox users may, however, enable the blocking already.

Many websites display cookie consent banners to users. These banners give website visitors a choice regarding the use of cookies.

Cookies are data that websites may save on the local system. The sites may read the data in future visits. Cookies are useful, as they may keep the user signed-in or store preferences. Cookies are also used for tracking purposes.

The rise of cookie banners coincided with new regulatory laws in the European Union, California and some other regions. The main idea was to put users in control again in regards to cookies.

What was once thought of as a good idea turned into a huge annoyance for users. More or less all websites display cookie banners to users now, which often means that users have to interact with these banners frequently.

It is an annoyance, especially since there is no “don’t allow” default option that the browser sends automatically. Users who delete cookies regularly will get these banners in each browsing session.

Firefox 120: cookie banners be gone

Mozilla plans to introduce automation in Firefox 120 in Germany to block cookie banners and select “decline” whenever possible. The web browser will block cookie banners that include an option to refuse all but necessary cookies.

It should be clear that users will continue to see cookie banners. There is no standard for showing them to users and sites may use third-party scripts or custom scripts for the functionality.

Still, Firefox 120 will block common cookie banners, which should reduce the number of banners that users see while using the browser.

How to enable cookie banner blocking in Firefox

Firefox Cookie Banner blocking preferences

Mozilla plans to launch the feature in Germany only, but all Firefox users may configure the browser to block banners. I mentioned this back in 2022 on Ghacks.

  1. Load about:config in the Firefox address bar.
  2. Use the search field at the top to find cookiebanners.service.mode.
  3. Change the value of the preference to 1.
  4. Change the value of cookiebanners.service.mode.privateBrowsing to 1 as well. This enables the functionality in the private browsing mode.
  5. Restart Firefox.

The preference supports three values:

  • 0 — disables the feature. In other words, no cookie banners are blocked.
  • 1 — blocks all known cookie banners and does nothing otherwise.
  • 2 — blocks all known cookie banners and accepts any cookie banner otherwise.

Dealing with cookies

Tracking is severely limited if third-party cookies are blocked in the browser. Other options include deleting cookies and site data regularly.

Firefox ships with tracking protection functionality. While not as good as a true content blocker, such as uBlock Origin, it is better than nothing.

Blocking third-party cookies is a good idea to reduce tracking. Firefox makes this a bit complicated, as it does not offer a simple switch to turn off third-party cookies like Chromium-based browsers do.

  1. Load about:preferences#privacy in the browser’s address bar.
  2. Select the Custom option under Enhanced Tracking Protection.
  3. In the cookies menu, select “All cross-site cookies (may cause websites to break)”.

This blocks third-party cookies in the browser. Note that some, very few, sites may not work properly with this setting.

Closing Words

Several browsers deal with cookie banners automatically. Brave Browser has a cookie consent blocking feature and so does Vivaldi Browser.

Mozilla is a bit late to the party, but better late than never, especially if the feature improves usability. Firefox 120 will be released on November 21, 2023.

Now You: how do you deal with cookie banners? (via Sören Hentzschel)