Mozilla has released a redesigned Firefox for desktop and mobile. It has a cleaner layout, faster access to tab groups, vertical tabs and split view, and compact mode is back. You can download it now for Linux, Mac, Windows, Android and iOS.
Below you’ll find what changed, where the biggest differences are, and which platforms can get it.
What the Firefox redesign changes
The new look uses rounded elements, a cleaner layout and updated colors. Mozilla says the browser is now easier to find your way around.
The more useful changes are about how you work with tabs and pages. The redesign gives you faster access to:
- Tab groups, for keeping related tabs together
- Vertical tabs, which list your tabs down the side of the window instead of across the top
- Split view, for viewing two pages side by side
Use compact mode to get more screen space
Compact mode is back in this release. Mozilla describes it as one of the features users missed most.
Compact mode shrinks the Firefox interface as far as it will go, so more of the web page fits on screen. It’s worth turning on if you use a small laptop screen or want less browser chrome around the page.
Change the look with themes and wallpapers
The release adds new themes and wallpapers, so you can make Firefox look less like every other browser.
Mozilla says its developers are exploring more personalization options, such as changing the shape of the interface. That option isn’t part of this release.
Find private browsing and the built-in VPN more easily
Mozilla says the redesign brings Firefox’s privacy tools forward, so they’re easier to find. That includes:
- Private browsing, which works like Incognito mode in Chrome
- The built-in VPN (virtual private network, a service that routes your traffic through an encrypted connection)
Get the redesigned Firefox
The redesigned Firefox is available to download now on these platforms:
- Linux
- Mac
- Windows
- Android
- iOS
You’ll notice the biggest changes on desktop. On phones the differences are smaller, but Firefox should now look and behave more alike on every device you use.
Mozilla also says new features will arrive through background updates, so they feel built into the browser rather than added on top.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Firefox redesign available on phones?
Yes. It’s available for Android and iOS as well as Linux, Mac and Windows, though the changes are most noticeable on desktop.
Did Firefox bring back compact mode?
Yes. Compact mode returns in the redesign and shrinks the interface as much as possible to show more of the web page.
Does Firefox have a built-in VPN?
Yes. The redesign makes the built-in VPN easier to find, along with private browsing.
Can I change the shape of the Firefox interface?
Not yet. Mozilla says its developers are exploring more personalization, such as interface shape, but this release adds new themes and wallpapers only.
