Mozilla Firefox Browser Review

Introduction to Mozilla Firefox

Mozilla Firefox, commonly known as Firefox, is an open-source web browser developed by the Mozilla Foundation and a global community of volunteers.

The Mozilla Foundation is a non-profit organization that promotes open-source software and advocates for a free and open Internet. Founded in 2003, its mission is to ensure the Internet remains a global public resource, open and accessible to all.

You can read the Mozilla Manifesto with its 10 guiding principles here.

Firefox 1.0 was first released in 2004, and was a roaring success, with over 100 million downloads in its first year. Since then, it has become one of the most popular web browsers worldwide gaining a loyal following thanks to its emphasis on user privacy, security, and customization options.

Firefox is available in over 90 languages and for multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, and mobile operating systems like Android and iOS, making it accessible to a wide range of users.

The user interface is not quite as slick as some other popular browsers, but what it lacks in flashiness it packs in ease of use. Its simplicity does mean that it doesn't have quite as many extensions as Chrome, but, it also won't sell your soul quite like Chrome either.

Firefox browser review: How to download Firefox browser

Downloading Firefox is a straightforward process with a few simple steps that can be completed in a matter of minutes. Here's what to do:

• Open your current web browser (e.g., Chrome, Edge, Safari) and go to the official Firefox website.
• There, you'll see a prominent download button.
• Click on it, and the website will automatically detect your operating system and will display the recommended version of Firefox for it.

If it doesn't, click on the "Download" button again and you can manually select an operating system from the list and the download process will begin.

• Once the download is complete, locate the installer file on your computer. It's usually located in your Downloads folder or the location you specified in the previous step.
• Double-click on the installer file to start the installation process. If you see a security warning, click "Run" or "Yes" to proceed. The Firefox installer will open, and you'll be guided through the installation steps.
• Follow the on-screen instructions, such as selecting the installation language and agreeing to the terms and conditions.

You may be given the option to choose the installation type.

The recommended option is usually "Standard" or "Express" installation, which includes the necessary components for a typical Firefox installation. You can also customize the installation if you prefer.

After selecting the installation type, click "Install" or "Next" to begin the installation process. Once the installation is complete, you might see a confirmation message.

Et voila!

You have successfully downloaded and installed the Firefox web browser!

To start using it, just click on the "Finish" button in the installation wizard or launch Firefox from the desktop icon or the Start menu.

Firefox browser review: The features

At the time of writing this Firefox browser review, the web browser is at version 112. Over the years, the Firefox community has worked to add new and unique features, improve others, and fix bugs. If you want to see the full developmental history of the Firefox browser, you can check out the Firefox release notes.

Let's take a look at some of the main features of Firefox.

Fast browsing

Firefox claims to use less RAM than Chrome with 86% less hang time for multiple tabs. If you're someone who likes to work with scores of open tabs, this should allow you to switch between them faster. However, the actual speed can vary depending on factors such as system specifications, what kind of websites you're accessing, and which extensions are in use.

Enhanced Tracking Protection

First of all, despite Firefox being all about privacy, you might be surprised to learn that Firefox doesn't have a built-in ad-blocking feature. It does point to this list of approved ad blocker add-ons so users can choose their own level of additional ad blocking.

Instead, Firefox has developed what they call Enhanced Tracking Protection (ETP).

ETP works by blocking or limiting the functionality of certain tracking technologies used by websites and advertisers. This includes blocking third-party cookies, which are commonly used to track users across different websites.

It also restricts the storage of site data in the browser and blocks certain types of website fingerprinting techniques that can be used to uniquely identify users.

The ETP feature has different levels of protection: Standard, Strict, and Custom.

Standard: The default setting provides protection against common tracking methods without significantly affecting the browsing experience.

Strict: Provides even stronger privacy protection by blocking additional trackers, but it may break some websites or cause them to function incorrectly.

Custom: allows users to fine-tune their preferences and choose which trackers to block. This can also interfere with website loading and functionality.

The Strict and Custom modes might give you better protection but not without affecting your web viewing experience. Websites, especially those using fingerprinting, are likely to break.

This is something that can only be avoided by using the Hoody app.

Hoody stops any website fingerprinting, not by blocking the fingerprinting technology (which causes the site to break), but by giving it random and completely false data. With Hoody, your data never 'touch' the website. The website fingerprinting tech is satisfied, the web page loads correctly, and your browsing experience remains unspoiled.

But, back to our Firefox browser review!

Do Not Track

In the Firefox privacy settings, under the Enhanced Tracking Protection options, you'll see an additional tick box to send websites a “do not track” signal.

Turning this on will let every website you visit, and their advertisers and content providers know that you don't want your browsing behavior tracked.

This sounds great in theory...

But there is no legal obligation for websites to respect that signal. It's entirely up to the website whether they choose to honor this setting or not.

As you can imagine, most will choose to ignore it.

And actually invoking it could be worse for users, as it is just another fingerprinting data point. So, nice try Firefox, we appreciate the effort, but this particular feature kind of defeats the purpose.

Password manager

Firefox includes a built-in password manager that allows users to securely store their usernames and passwords for various websites and autofill them when needed. If you share a device with anyone or you just want extra security, you can also set a primary password.

While the primary password is a great addition to browser-based password managers, we still would recommend using a third-party password manager. They tend to have better security and a bunch of other useful extras such as data breach alerts, password generators, and secure password-sharing capabilities.

Tab management

Firefox offers several features to manage your tabs efficiently. You can open multiple tabs within a single browser window, and easily switch between them using the tab bar. Firefox also includes a "Tab Groups" feature that lets you organize tabs into groups, making it easier to manage and navigate through multiple open web pages.

Syncing across devices

Firefox Sync enables you to synchronize your bookmarks, browsing history, saved passwords, and other settings across multiple devices. By signing in with your Firefox Account, you can access your browsing data seamlessly on different computers, smartphones, and tablets.

Customization options

Firefox provides a high level of customization, allowing users to personalize their browsing experience. Choose from a variety of themes, extensions, and add-ons from Firefox Add-ons Marketplace. These extensions can add new functionalities, modify the browser's appearance, integrate social media features, give greater privacy and security, or enhance productivity.

Bear in mind though, that the more you personalize your browser, the more unique it is... And that just makes it easier to identify you as an individual user and track you.

Plus, having a lot of add-ons can slow down the browser. The best approach is to try to strike a balance. Only use the add-ons or customize that are absolutely necessary for your specific needs.

What about the Firefox privacy settings?

Of course, no Firefox browser review would be complete if we didn't consider privacy. Mozilla Foundation is well-known for its privacy claims— having a strong commitment to user privacy is Mozilla's whole raison d'etre.

But one thing we've learned is to never take a tech company's words at face value. So, are the Firefox privacy settings as user-focused as they claim to be?

At first glance, the privacy policy is pretty transparent. It uses clear language that's relatively free from legal jargon or tech-spec speak.

The policy outlines the data collection practices for each of its products including the specific Firefox privacy settings for the web browser. And according to that, Mozilla collects only the data that is necessary to improve its services.

So, what exactly is that necessary data?

By default, Firefox shares interaction and technical data to “improve performance and stability for users everywhere”.

• Interaction data: This includes details on how you interact with Firefox, for example, how many open tabs or windows you have, session length, the number of web pages visited, and the Firefox Add-ons you have installed.
• Technical data: The technical data include what version of the Firefox browser you're using and in which language, and your device operating system and hardware configuration. It also collects memory info, data about crashes and errors, the outcome of updates, safe browsing, and activation.

When the Firefox browser sends this data to Mozilla, your IP address is also collected as part of its server logs, albeit temporarily.

It's basically analytical information that will help Mozilla maintain and further develop the web browser.

BUT if you're not willing to take the chance, then you can disable these settings.

Just take the following steps.

Go to the Menu (the hamburger icon at the top right corner of the browser) > Settings > Privacy & Security > Firefox Data Collection and Use.

Then uncheck the boxes according to your preferences.

What about the search function?

Ah, here is the part of the Firefox privacy settings that may cause some concern.

Mozilla's default search engine is Google which is a curious choice for a web browser that is so dedicated to privacy.

But at least they do give you the option to change it.

To do so, head to the Firefox Menu > Search > Default Search Engine.

Other than Google, your choices are kind of limited. You can choose from:

• Amazon.com
• Bing
• DuckDuckGo

According to the Firefox privacy settings, Mozilla collects data about how you engage with the various search functions and the number of searches you request using their search partners.

When you first use Firefox, it uses your IP address to set the default search provider. But like we've just seen you can change that and the data is only stored temporarily.

If your chosen search provider supports search suggestions, then Firefox will also collect data about your search queries. This is to help improve your search experiences by suggesting “commonly searched for phrases”.

You can turn this function off manually, or use Firefox Private Browsing mode where it is disabled by default. Firefox's Private Browsing is basically the same as Chrome's Incognito. All it does is hide your browser history locally.

Firefox browser review: The final verdict

Mozilla Firefox seems to uphold its reputation as a champion for user privacy, especially when it's up against browsers such as Chrome.

The customization options that allow you to opt out of a lot of the remaining data collecting and tracking are a nice touch. If they were opt-in or not an option at all, that would be even better! We can but dream.

The other dark spot on a relatively clean privacy sheet is the fact that the default search engine is Google. It does raise questions that a privacy-focused browser would choose to default with a search engine that is notoriously data-hungry.

But, again, at least you have the option to change that detail.

All in all, Firefox seems to be a fairly decent mainstream browser that puts privacy first as much as possible. Where it does collect data, that information is transparent and is easily modified in the Firefox privacy settings.

Of course, Firefox can only do so much, but it's a start. If you want to have complete privacy online, then using Hoody over Firefox will give you the most protection possible.

Not sure if Firefox is the browser for you? Check out our Opera Browser Review.